What would you think if the teacher...UPDATE (I talked to the teacher)

[mommy2cristian]

 said your child needs to get used to being bored in class?  I mean a child who's already at the benchmark (I guess that's what it's called) for the end of the school year months before it ends.  For example, a 2nd grader who is already where they need to be in terms of the end of 2nd grade. 

NOT one who just finds school boring but isn't where they need to be end of the school year.

THANKS!  I just wanted to say thanks to those of you who responded & gave me some advice/suggestions on how to handle the issue.  I liked as many as I could instead of quoting everyone.  Just to answer the Gifted question for those who have mentioned it.  The district doesn't have a program until 4th grade & that's afterschool.  My son is in the highest class for his grade so there's nowhere else for him to go so switching teachers isn't an option.  Unfortunately what would be considered their Advanced classes is determined by the number of kids in the grade so although it may start out that way if there are too many kids then it gets eliminated.  Oh & when I asked her in November for challenging work she told me she couldn't give the next grade's work because he'd be bored in that grade as well.         

UPDATE:  So I talked to the teacher in an attempt to get her to kind of switch it up for the kids who are already where they need to be.  She said she would think about it & see if she could come up with something.  BUT school ISN'T ABOUT ENTERTAINING STUDENTS & some stuff they just need to kind of deal with it because it's not that long (the task she's asking them to do).  She says she can't have the others do something else because only about 3 of them aren't where they need to be so if she has the others sit & do something else it would be a distraction.  Or if she had my son do something then the others will want to know why they can't.  Sigh. 

[raczac]

I personally would think the teacher is to lazy to try and find something for the child to do to keep him or her from being bored in class.

[TroyboysMom]

I would tell that teacher to differentiate and do his or her job. I am a teacher, and that's appalling. My son was in exactly that situation at the beginning of the year, and his teacher broadened scope, and had him working on special projects all year.

[LadyBear1]

 I find that appalling and I'm not a teacher.  All students learn at a different pace and teachers need to recognize that and work with it. If a student has reached grade level then they need to be given projects or special interest things to do to keep them from being bored in class.  Being bored leads to problems in class.  That's not good either.

[angelgrl5200]

I would be shocked lol my stepsons teachers always tell me he is bored because he is too smart so they give him extra stuff to do. stuff a 9th grade kid would be doing. he is in 4th grade and we are trying to get him into a science/math based charter school that really pushes them.

[artistmom889]

I would be irritated. My daughter is at the top of her class and she's ALWAYS bored. Her teacher tries to find things for her to do, like helping tutor students who are a little behind..

[wakymom]

 I'm be upset. Dd started kindergarten near or at where the goals were for the end of the yr on a lot of things, and her teacher has kept her engaged and excited about school. Ds2 has been ahead in reading, and his teachers have been great about giving him books in class that are more on his level so he doesn't get bored.

 

 

 

 

 

[berlgirl1224]

She needs to differentiate. Yes, teachers are teaching to the test, its hard these days not to with all of the pressure to have all students meet requirements but to have any bored children should not be acceptable.
My oldest was bored out of his mind through 1st grade. He cried every day after school. After many meetings with the teacher (and her saying she would differentiate for him) and meetings with the principle, and school psych to prove he was gifted, they didn't want him pushed into 2nd because he wasn't making friends (duh, the kids weren't into things he was) and because he couldn't fully tie his shoes. We encouraged him to suck it up. It was the only thing we could do at the time, other than tons of activity books at home geared toward higher levels, which he loved.
This year, he is in a private school with just 11 students in class, which is def differentiated, the teacher is wonderful, the school is religious, and he loves it. It is more challenging. And the tuition is income based. Our youngest has the same kindergarten teacher as our oldest who was awesome differentiating, so we kept him in public school, but is already enrolled in the private school for next year.
We have to do what is best for our kids, even if that means, paying extra for an education

[andrea96]

I would tell my child to start acting up in class. Not really, before anyone jumps on me. But, it would be tempting. I learned the hard way that a well-behaved bored student will continue to be bored, while a bored child that disrupts the class will often get higher-level work.

I would talk to the teacher. I wonder if this is coming from the teacher or higher-up. I have known of teachers who were not allowed to give extra work; the reason given was "No Child Left Behind."

[coolmommy2x]

I would talk to the teacher and ask for clarification. Is the teacher just not giving her more to do because she's not willing to create extra work or are the others so behind that they need her focus more? Have DD pull out out a book and read quietly to herself when she's bored if sh's finished her work..

[colbys_mom]

I would be concerned. The teacher should be helping the child along not just letting the child be bored. At the school my sons in they don't put children ahead they keep them with their age group but they have programs for the child if they are getting bored and or smarter than normal for their age group.