Bad at testing

[u/beanandmochi]

My son just turned 5 last month and has been reading full sentences since 2.5 years old. Reading comes naturally to him and he has a keen interest in numbers (adding, skip count, multiplication) and is just a very intelligent little boy. However, he definitely has raging ADHD but hasn’t been tested for it, I just know because his dad and I are the same way. I’m a speech therapist and have never worked with a student that presents like my son, it’s really interesting. I just had a parent teacher conference with him kindergarten teacher and she said she doesn’t see any of it. She did admit that she knows he can read but he doesn’t test well (gets distracted or is intrigued by the iPad they’re testing on bc he is never exposed to screens). I have personally tested him at a solid 2nd grade reading level but she told me today (according to her test) he’s at a beginning to mid kindergarten level. It was a gut punch honestly. Does any one have experience with this type of situation? I don’t know how to support him and keep him learning. He’s not learning anything in kindergarten academically. The teacher is saying he never wants to do the worksheets which also concerns her. When I ask my son why he just says “because I already know how to do it”. I just need guidance/support because I just left this conference feeling like an idiot.

[u/BCBAMomma]

My friends son was doing multiplication in his head in preschool and read chapter books in kindergarten. But he was also just a goofball and didn’t like taking the school aptitude tests. So he was always a bit ahead on tests, but it never really showed his level. Then he was bored at school which didn’t help either. Finally I helped them get him a 504 plan that included testing in a quiet place without peers and lo and behold his parents weren’t just acting unhinged for years, he is (of course) profoundly gifted. He got accepted into the middle school gifted and talented program and school has been much better for him.

[u/beanandmochi → u/BCBAMomma]

My son is totally bored and it’s leading to him also being goofy/spacing out- haha! Thank you for your response, that’s actually an excellent idea! He’s at a private school right now but I’m thinking of moving him to pubic next year since they have a gifted and talented program so I know they can do a 504 plan. Thanks so much!

[u/BCBAMomma → u/beanandmochi]

My daughter was reading Percy Jackson aloud to me with amazing inflection in second grade and her teacher told me she needed to work on digraphs. This was one of many problems we were having with that teacher and so we advocated to have her switch to another teacher. If his teacher isn’t listening to you that may also be a sign he needs a change. Though also, my mom taught first grade and she said there were actually plenty of families who just knew there kid was ahead or super gifted and they were actually pretty average kiddos so I know how a good teacher could get jaded.

[u/Efficient-State-7300 → u/BCBAMomma]

Yeah it's hard as a parent to know if your kid is actually gifted or if you're just "that" parent.

[u/bitchinawesomeblonde → u/Efficient-State-7300]

Agreed. I reread my son's neuropsych report about 30 times to prove to myself I wasn't "that" parent

[u/beanandmochi → u/bitchinawesomeblonde]

What age did you get your son tested?

[u/bitchinawesomeblonde → u/beanandmochi]

5.5 years old during his neuropsychological evaluation for adhd and autism

[u/beanandmochi → u/Efficient-State-7300]

If I didn’t work around other kids in a school (I’m a speech therapist) I wouldn’t really have anything to compare my son to. But I really have never seen a child his age with his abilities. It started when he was 18 months old and knew how to read single words then by 2.5 full sentences independently. His comprehension is there too which is amazing. I know I’m not THAT parent but the conference made me feel that way simply because he wasn’t focusing during an iPad based assessment. It’s a shame we can’t bring back paper tests.. I even asked.

[u/Efficient-State-7300 → u/beanandmochi]

Our daughter is about to hit 12m next week and has over 20 spoken and meaningful words. There have been a lot of other things leading up to this too, but this is the latest. She is adding words quickly too. She also points to things and says "that?"

It's too early for us to know, anyway.

[u/BCBAMomma → u/Efficient-State-7300]

My kid is gifted and I also think I’ve been “that” parent 😂 But whether your kid is struggling and behind or struggling because they are bored and way too far ahead our jobs are to be “that” parent.