Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Frustration with finding classes

I've been really frustrated today. I need to find a testing center, decide what kind of test and decide when to do it. I've been reading Smart Girls Gifted Women. I got an old copy from the library and now see the revised edition
Smart Girls: A New Psychology of Girls, Women, and Giftedness (Revised Edition)
and realize I do need to read that. It is very interesting and makes me want to get K tested instead of downplaying her strengths and wanting her to be normal. I also need to spend more time locating a piano teacher and some language teachers. I've been very frustrated on teaching K language. She seems to have a quick grasp of it but I can't find the right fit for us. I've been searching the web to find something better for this year but I can't find anything in our area. We moved to Ohio from New York and I really feel like the opportunities are so limited here.

K started Spanish at 9 months and had a Spanish babysitter about 5 hours a week from 18 months to 2 years. I did a lot with her at home too. Then, C came and we moved and I put her in a YMCA Spanish class for 3-5 year olds as soon as she turned 3. The teacher said she should be in the 5-8 year old class but she wasn't ready for the older kids. So, at 4 I switched her to a new Spanish school. She did 1.5 hours a week with 4 other girls and a native Spanish speaker. But she seems to know nothing and is only somewhat interested. I know the teacher thinks I'm a pushy parent but I feel like she should be further along. They want the kids to learn through play and develop a love for language so they don't push them. At this time K started 1/2 hour a week French class during preschool. She loved it! She learned so much and really enjoyed it. But again it went too slow for me and she was the only 4 year old in it so next year she'll be ahead and have to be with beginners.

I think it would be better to just hire a tutor to meet weekly or something but I can't seem to find that. D studied Russian and Italian (his background) so he taught her some of those languages too. We had a Japanese exchange student live with us briefly this past year and she taught K some Japanese. She said K was a natural learner with no accent. So, now we're thinking we should do Japanese or Chinese this year. But I can't find the tutor. I think I'm not being proactive enough.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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