Gifted Programs.

[Rainswept]

I didn't have trouble with reading, that was my absolute favorite class. I got in plenty of trouble tho.

Remember a couple posts ago when I mentioned how grandma refused to let them advance me to a higher grade? Well because of that I spent two years as a very very bored child. I was so disruptive in 1st grade the teacher cut out a cardboard box to sit a three-sided screen on my desk, and made me sit in the very back of the class. This wasn't a one-time punishment, it's how I spent 1st grade.

Eventually I disliked her enough to try and glue her to her chair. Even then I knew emptying a bottle of Elmer's glue on the seat wouldn't work unless she sat in it for a loong time, but I gave it a shot. At least I got to see her walking around for an hour or two with a giant white ass. She never knew who did it.

[Zankou 2.0]

I never got in trouble, I just explained that I was reading ahead, because they were slow, and offered to read teh entire book aloud for them.

Either your nuns weren't Dominicans, or they were ... not Dominicans. I assure you that NO BODY would have thought of offering such a reply to Sr. Torquemada. The consquences would have been too horrible to even contemplate! And your parents would have beat you to death when you got home in solidarity with the school.

Ah, those were the days...

Like I said, thank goodness the nuns are gone...I never had to deal with them.

[thelastpirate]

I was bored all the way through school until highers (don't know what the US equivalent grade is). In my primary school there was no gifted program, but I dont think its wrong to say I would have been in it if there was one. Do I regret that I didnt have the chance to escape comprehensive education? Absolutely not.

[Rainswept]

It's not an escape from anything. It's additional work most of the time. Fun, challenging work, but still work.

[lordpunkmonk]

I would have been in the gifted course (it was called GATE) I had taken the test and passed and then my mom went and told them not to because she thought I wouldn't be able to keep up with the extra work

[Rainswept]

Grandma thought I'd get picked on by bigger kids if they advanced me up a couple grades.

[Zankou 2.0]

I was actuall in the "gifted program", but it was a load of horseshit.

I was never offered a chance to skip ahead grades, probably because I never achieved really high marks (lack of effort), but I would have refused, given the chance.

I would not have wanted to struggle to catch up with the rest of the class. I would have preferred to stay with my age group.

[PantyGnawer]

I was bored all the way through school...

Same here, but luckily all the pot I smoked took the edge off.

The funny thing is that I can remember sitting in class stoned out of my gourd and barely paying attention, yet I was still the only one answering the teachers questions.

[Wawizzle]

Now that I've been removed from the gifted program I've honestly lost my desire to put forth effort in school. I've given up. I will keep getting good grades but I lost my heart when it comes to school.

I'm absolutely dying to get into college already. I want a damn challenge.

[pieces o'nine]

Reading was easy (which was why I kept compulsively reading ahead and had to stand for the rest of the day. ha!). Math, now, that was initially different. When I escaped parochial school and had a teacher who didn't 'know' I was 'incapable' of doing Math, I discovered I could, and quite well.

Back at Our Lady of Perpetual Punishment and Sorrowful Mortification, the Math teacher liked to go around saying, "Math is easy! Math is fun!" She would then interrupt herself to rebuke a student: "You! You were [insert infraction here]! One 'Math Punishment Sheet' for you!" Hmmm, I stood throughout 4th grade for doing math 'wrong' as well (e.g.: short division tips from dad instead of innovative long division technique being taught) or not paying attention because I was bored. Don't know why they bothered assigning me a desk; I was seldom sitting in it. (ha!)

As an adult I've learned that outstanding teachers are like outstanding students: they're in the mix and someone is always trying to hold them back as well. They are expected to mainstream everyone -- those falling behind (for whatever reason), those on schedule, and those pulling ahead (for whatever reason) -- into the same structured curriculum so as to hit the same target test scores. And to meet often contradictory expectations while babysitting students who are there (for whatever reason) to *not* learn and determined to do their damnedest to prevent anyone else from learning, either.

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Our particular Science teacher would do entertaining things like accidentally setting Sister's desk on fire. Not as funny as you might think, though, as upon her return Sister Was Not Amused. She couldn't do anything to or about him, so she punished us. I still really Science, despite both him and her.

[Moral Minority]

I am still bored out of my head in school, despite taking every course at Honors level. Nothing catches my attention. Which is why I constantly read science and computer magazines to keep entertained.

Also, the internets help a lot.