End of Year Evaluation, Gifted Math Student:

During the second semester of the school year the youngers took their mathematical explorations even further and deeper than their quite successful first semester; an introduction to geometry, fractions, and money. Their successful work there led toward a long project on measurement (time, distance, and scale), an in-depth study on probability, more advanced geometrical concepts (compass work), and a short unit on math language with the assistance of a biography of Georgia O'Keeffe's art and life history.

S.'s math skills are quite strong. Not only is he able to attend to task for long periods of time, he is also able to clearly explain process and relate his learning to other experiences - all the while holding tightly to his imaginative way of being and expressing true excitement over the work he has accomplished.

As with all the children in the math group he does have difficulty getting toward a place where he can be focussed and ready to succeed. At the beginning of most math activities it is not always clear as to whether S. is able to attend to the fresh moment, but after some time and prodding we do eventually set sail and the voyage is always a pleasure - and all usually arriving at an extraordinary destination.

As S.'s exploration in math continues there are no set goals for him as he will clearly meet and exceed all that come his way. For example, he, with L.'s assistance, was able to successfully accomplish pre-algebraic word sentences, held mentally, such as "guess the number that when you subtract 5 and then add 1 is -3." This is extraordinary work for a child of his age as it shows his ability to work cooperatively and hold disparate concepts together to achieve a remarkable goal.