Pull-out gifted program, and missing stuff in regular class

[mamazee]

So how does this usually work?

My dd is in a pull-out gifted program one day each week, and also goes to a higher grade class for science for part of a day each week. Of course, she misses some things in her regular class.

At one point this week, her teacher had her sit outside of the class doing math worksheets because she hadn't been in class for the math lesson, and during that time the class was doing really fun things in the classroom while she sat outside hearing them having fun and doing what sounds like busywork and at least sounds like something she could have brought home to do. She felt like she was being punished for being in the GATE program.

Is this how this is generally handled? I want to talk to the teacher but I want a better handle on what is usually done when kids miss something in the classroom due to participate in a GATE program.
Edited by mamazee - 9/30/11 at 12:05pm

[reezley]

My 1st grader doesn't get pulled out for anything so I have no experience with this (I believe they discontinued the pullout program recently), but I'm answering this question anyway.  That sounds ridiculous.  She should not in any way be made to feel punished for simply attending the classes that have been set up for her. She was in the right place at the right time, and shouldn't have to catch up for a second during class time on things she "missed".  And she shouldn't have to miss out on a fun group activity either! It just sounds wrong to me. I would talk to the teacher. 

[kaybee]

My son just started a pull-out program this week, so we have very very limited experience with this.  I think he was given the work he missed as homework.  He's also been moved up a grade in math, and while that grade up is still in the same classroom (he's in a split classroom), the 4th graders do math at a different time than the 3rd graders, so he's still stuck with missed 3rd grade seat work.  He had a plan to ask his teacher about how to deal with the math, so I'm going to let him try and sort it out first.  I'm trying to hold off until conferences in a few weeks and see if we can sort the rest out then.

I think that pull-out programs shouldn't result in extra work - it should be replacement work.  At the very least, the option of doing it as homework ought to be on the table.  That doesn't seem unreasonable at all.  

[phathui5]

It does sound like she is being punished for "missing class" (which of course she isn't really doing). I'd recommend setting up an in-person meeting with the teacher to discuss what's going on.

[mamazee]

Well, I'm trying to assume best intentions, and she could have thought, "This lesson isn't as important as some of the others so this is one it's OK to miss", not realizing that it was really fun and my dd would be sad about missing it, even if it wasn't as important.

[whatsnextmom]

My youngest had GATE pull-out 2 to 3 days a week 2nd to 5th grade. He never had to make-up the work and it would have been silly for him to do so. The whole point of the pull-out was to get him out of some of the repetition he didn't need.

Talk to the teacher and see what you can work out.

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by mamazee 

Well, I'm trying to assume best intentions, and she could have thought, "This lesson isn't as important as some of the others so this is one it's OK to miss", not realizing that it was really fun and my dd would be sad about missing it, even if it wasn't as important.

have you talked to (or emailed) the teacher about it?

When my Dd was in traditional school, she had to make up all missed work when she was in GATE, but she brought it home. This was school policy. The class was not to miss regular instruction just because some kids were gone, and gifted students were not opted out of any assigned work.

DD's teacher usually did language arts during GATE, so it was mostly grammar worksheets. The teacher's thought was that it was stuff that most of the class could use help on, but things that gifted students either already knew or could figure it out as they went along. Also, as the gifted students usually worked faster than typical students, it didn't add an unreasonable burden.

I'd communicate your DD's feelings with the teacher and go from there. Chances are, she can work with you on this.

[karne]

A grade level acceleration has been suggested to us for ds in math, but we have some of the same questions about missing non-academic time like gym and music, and making up work.  The make up work concerns me a ,lot less than missing out on the fun, active parts of the day.  All things considered however, I'd still opt for the pull out.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by whatsnextmom 

My youngest had GATE pull-out 2 to 3 days a week 2nd to 5th grade. He never had to make-up the work and it would have been silly for him to do so. The whole point of the pull-out was to get him out of some of the repetition he didn't need.

Talk to the teacher and see what you can work out.

In our District, the part-time pull-out program is not to eliminate repetition.  Instead, it's to do something extra and different.  Because of that, the kids are expected to simply make up anything they miss in class the day (one day a week) they are gone.  That is one reason we did not go with the part time program even though I think the things they do (hands on collaborative projects) are great.
 

[FarmerBeth]

We don't have exactly the same programs, here, but similar. We talked to the teachers and they purposefully tried not to pull the kids out during the "fun" stuff and instead when the class was doing the busy work, like fill in the blank work sheets. If the teacher knows what things are important for your daughter not to miss, she may make better arrangements. Also, does she have the option to do the catch up work at home or school? DD sometimes asks to take the catching up home with her, and it's done in a jiffy.

[whatsnextmom]

Originally Posted by TiredX2 

In our District, the part-time pull-out program is not to eliminate repetition.  Instead, it's to do something extra and different.  Because of that, the kids are expected to simply make up anything they miss in class the day (one day a week) they are gone.  That is one reason we did not go with the part time program even though I think the things they do (hands on collaborative projects) are great. 

That is unfortunate. I was quite pleased how DS's school did pull-outs as our district had avoided them as a poor option for many years (and I do feel that the majority are very poorly handled.) DS didn't really do anything curriculum based in his pull-out. He produced, wrote and starred in the school news program. They produced webisodes and commercials for the school for the website. DS learned how to use green screen technology and everything. He just loved it. 

I should say DS had tons of pull-outs though. They pulled advanced math students. They pulled advanced Mandarin kids. They had the GATE pull-out. They had computer specialties, ect. They went to a different teacher for science....I don't really know how the regular teacher managed it all to be honest but it really seemed to work. Perhaps it was the quantity of kids moving about that made making up the work unrealistic.