Unspoken Communication

So....I followed through and met with the principal of the new school. She was very nice - warm and welcoming. She kept telling me how impressed she is that I am so proactive in my child's education. What she was really thinking - this parent will drive me crazy for the next 6 years. In some ways sensing that irritated me, because I feel like they are not taking my concerns seriously. On the other hand, I'm setting the stage now - sending them a very clear message that I won't put up with their bureaucratic nonsense.

What concerned me most from our meeting was how they (the principal and her curriculum person) kept harping on the academic rigor. I really don't give a flip about the rigor or Kindergarten. Kindergarten shouldn't be "rigorous." Do we want our children to completely hate school by the age of eight? As a parent, this deeply concerns me. As an educator, I am appalled. I very bluntly explained that I'm not concerned with how much academic content they can shove in my child's head over 180 days. I told them that the environment and the teacher are my concerns. I want a meaningful, engaging, learning environment with a teacher who understands the nature and needs of the gifted child. I want problem solving, creative interpretation, and social interaction. I want a teacher who understands why my child has imaginary friends, boundless energy, high anxiety, and an iron will. I want a teacher who understands why gifted children need differentiated curriculum. I want an administration who understands why I support a full-time gifted program. I guess I just want an education system that nurtures gifted children at all levels of their education.

At the end of our meeting, I was invited to visit a Kindergarten classroom - which I will do. I was also told that I should just go ahead and request a waiver to a different school if I want services for my son. I plan to do that as well.