Ethan started his gifted class this week.  He seemed to really like it and reported more on what he did in there than he has about his regular class.  One thing I did notice is that his perfectionism was more pronounced that day after being in the gifted class (yes, it is possible for him to be even more of a perfectionist).  I think he’s so used to being the smartest one in the class and in the gifted class, he’s not.  He was beating himself up all afternoon, saying “I can’t do anything right.”  When I picked him up from school, he soon remembered that he had left a drawing on his desk that he had been working on in the gifted class.  He was very upset and cried for quite a while.  The school has a policy that the kids are responsible for their own things and if they forget or lose something, they experience the consequences for it.  For example, if they forget their lunch at home their parents are not to bring it to the school for them.  It will be challenging for him to adjust to not always knowing everything but I know it will be good for him.

Last night I went to the curriculum night at the gifted class.  They will be doing a world traveling theme this year and will be learning a lot about geography and other cultures.  The teacher will incorporate math, reading and science into what they are learning.  She is really great and totally GETS gifted kids.  She understands their idiosyncrasies, sensitivities, energy, and desire to learn.  They are not supposed to have to make up missed work from their regular class, just show proficiency at whatever skill they may have missed.  I know he is going to love being in her class and will probably wish he was in there everyday.