Elayna Jade, Super Genius

[shadesong]

Okay. So we got something home from school regarding magnet schools in our county, one of which is specifically a math & science magnet school for K-6. And I'm wondering whether I should send Elayna there.

Now, everyone knows I love the school she's in now! She's doing great... but what if she could be doing even better? What could she do if she didn't share her classroom with kids who are struggling with addition and subtraction? (Adam and I were in her classroom yesterday - and noticed that she's doing division. One of the problems was 3,603 divided by 3.)

This also stems from some of my childhood issues. I remember what it was like to be not only the smartest kid in the classroom, but in the school - and having everybody know it. County and state spelling bees from 3rd to 5th grades. In 5th grade, another student complained that she didn't know why we were even having a spelling bee, because everyone knew I'd win.

I was in a separate reading group of 4 kids too advanced for the gifted class. I was in the science club, doing dissections in 4th grade; I was one of 2 kids from our school to take the SATs in 7th grade for the Duke University TIP program. The other kid, btw, grew up to be my divorce lawyer...

In a normal school, there is a massive stigma to all of that! I felt like a freak throughout later elementary school, middle school, high school ... which is where I started actively trying to do poorly, because I didn't want to be the freak anymore.

I don't want Elayna to be the freak. I want her to be among kids like herself! But I know that I'm projecting. I can't look at this without it being colored by my experiences.

Another part of this is selfish of me ... I want other mommy friends. I want people like me, and having her in a magnet school might be a good way to meet moms like me - because the moms at her current school tend to be pretty apathetic. With the magnet school, I'd meet moms who are actively involved in their kids' education.

So. I'm going to apply. And we'll see what happens. Also, Adam's trying to contact the school so we can get a tour and maybe some further information. I want to walk through myself and see if these kids are happy! The good thing is that, since the school she's at now is the public school we're zoned for, I can always put her right back in if the magnet school isn't right for her.

My little girl. She told us the night before last that she wants to be a scientist when she grows up, so she can do math all the time. I really want to make the right choices for her...

Comments

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Yes - I'll definitely apply. The one thing about getting her into a magnet school early is that it'll give her a better chance of getting into a magnet middle and high school.... our elementary school is great, but the middle and high school leave something to be desired.

[yendi]

Well, you pretty much know my thoughts, but to reiterate:

I think we're mostly in a win-win situation. Even with kids who are, frankly dumber than her, she'll still be okay in Briar Vista, mainly because of the way Montessori works. She's one of only two first-graders working on division, but since she gets paired with older kids, she doesn't feel like she's out of place. And I just love everything she's gotten out of Montessori -- and I'm not sure she'd get the same opportunities elsewhere. I've also got some serious concerns about how this would affect her socially, since we already moved her to a new school last summer (and to a new state!).

Further, and this is the toughest thing for both of us to accept, Elayna may well be as smart as we were art her age, but she's simply not as motivated. She doesn't want to sit and read for four hours at a time, or other things we did back then. I'm not sure that, much as she talks about liking math and science, she really wants to go to a school that would double her nightly homework as a result (she's not excactly motivated as it stands).

Of course, since I've now called the school three times and been told that the people who could help me aren't around, I'm just plain getting frustrated.:-)

On the other hand, the Magnet school might well give her that extra motivation, and (at the very least), there's no harm in having her apply. And I think we just need to go out there and visit (without Elayna -- we need to be able to get a gut feel for things without her around would be.

I dunno. I'm just worried about programming her too much when she seems super happy and successful where she is. And I can't find anyone who knows anyone at this school, and it's a hefty drive, according to Mapquest (it involves getting on 85 and going four exits, not pretty at that time of the day).

There's a web page for the program at http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/about/schoolchoice/magnet.asp

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

*nod* You have many7 points. Mary Jane's sister-in-law works there, though, and she knows lots of people who have kids there, and all of them love it! We shall see.

[zarhooie.livejournal.com]

I took the SATs when I was in 7th grade for John Hopkins accellerated something or other. I scored somewhere between 900-1000.