Hi I need help. My son is 11 yrs old. Very good and reserved child. I was asked to fill out forms to be placed in 6th grade all pre ap classes. I looked a lil into it and did see u have to work a lil harder and asked my son if he wanted to take on that challenge? He said yes. I was proud to find out he is being placed in pre ap classes, but then again tooken back by it because I did not think he was that bright. When he was in 3rd grade he came home with forms to be tested for gt, did not know what that was. Got with his teacher and was advised to test him because there was potential. He tested and barely missed it he was upset and I had to pick up the pieces. Gt teacher told me to test him in 4 th grade again and he did not want to so I respected what he wanted and left it at that. Now he is all for the pre ap classes. I told him I was not to sure because all his classes were going to be pre ap and I felt that was a lil too much, but he is insisting that he wants it. Now I'm nervous for him because I don't want him to think he has to do it for me. The reason I say that because I told him I want him to succeed in life and not struggle like I do, to support him and his sister. So should I allow him to challenge himself?
Thank u everyone for your feed backs. I had a discussion with my husband about it and he suggested to allow him take on challenges my husband said " its ok to fail, failure is an option, makes u become a better person." I have decided to allow him to take on the challanges and will update on his progress. I have just always been the type to never step out of my comfort zone and I don't want my children to be the same way I was.
If he wants to do it, then by all means you should allow him to challenge himself. Stop being nervous, and don't let him know you are nervous. If he finds out that pre ap classes aren't for him, he can switch.
Absolutely or he will be bored.
One of the differences is these classes, they do not allow time to start homework in class, so if he is good about homework he will do just fine.
The other thing is that in regular classes many times they read along or read in class quietly, in Pre AP classes they will have to do all or almost all of it on their own time as homework and be prepared the next day.
They go at a faster pace and the expectation is that these students can monitor themselves and be organized to do the work and research needed.
If he is currently making good grades and keeping up.. Blowing away those stupid state and national tests.. this will be a breeze.
If he were mine, I would allow him to only take the PreAP classes in subjects that he was extremely interested and gifted in. Those subjects are his natural "gifts" and I would fully support that. See how that goes in 6th. My son (super gifted and EASY child) had a very hard time in 6th, not with grades but socially. If 6th goes well, academically as well as socially, give him more rein in 7th...sounds like a really good kid....
Why wouldn't you? He wants to try, let him.
When my daughter was going through the school system (Plano, TX.. known for being a top tier district) she was in the Honors and AP courses.
I was concerned that she would be putting too much pressure on herself because she was also in Orchestra and Cheer.
The counselors told me that there are so many spots for Honors and AP. It is MUCH easier to drop back to an Honors or Regulars class than to get in to an Honors or AP after you have initially declined.
So our daughter went ahead with Honors and AP with the knowledge that if it proved to be too much (like I said, she is tough on herself and doesn't accept a grade lower than a A) she had the option with our blessing to step back and re-evaluate.
As it turns out, she never had to do much more studying than normal for these classes. The classes did involve more study groups and teams which made things easier with projects, etc.
So my opinion is yes, let him start out in the program and let him know if he feels too pressured, he can step down. If he is ready for the Honors and AP challenges and he takes the regular classes instead, he will get bored.
Good luck
Why do you think that the only kids who are in pre AP or AP classes are gifted? That couldn't be farther from the truth.
You need to stop acting like it's a big deal for him to take harder classes. For heaven's sake, he is not "average" if he missed the GT testing by just "barely". You are making assumptions about the classes being "a lil too much". Don't make assumptions about your child and don't discourage him by acting nervous about what classes he takes.
If you don't expect him to reach for a high bar in school, how will HE expect to reach for a high bar in school?
Yep, let him do it. Learn to let go, let him succeed, and let him fail. He will do both in his lifetime.
The iq test are not perfect. It is very likely he would qualify for the gifted program if he took the test again. Sounds to me like he is afraid to fail so he does not want to take the test.
My daughter has been in the gifted program since 4th grade. She is now almost done 10th grade and takes honors classes and took the only AP class offered to 10th graders this year. I think she will have a significant advantage because of these classes.
By all means, if your son want to do it let him. He can always go back to academic classes if he chooses to do so.
I'm so happy you opted to put him into the AP classes! If he is up to the challenge, good for him! Don't stress if he has questions on his homework that you struggle with, most teachers offer before or after school tutorials in middle school for homework help. AP classes will be a benefit to him in so many ways!
