Let the heart catch up

Not only was it an exciting time for Charlie, his mother was facing an exciting and important year as well. This was already her last year of med-school. Putting an end to her six year long road to becoming a doctor, while signalling the start of her search for a job and a specialisation. By the end of this year she would have to pick one of the many different parts of medicine she had studied to specialize in, and in reality even before the end of the year. With so much competition, just graduating wasn't enough to be ensured of a specialization spot, much less a good one. So, if she wanted to have a job by next year, she would have to try and meet the right people before the college year was over.

Though Jenny had said and thought this many times before the start of the year, she found out shortly after the start of the first term that she had long since impressed enough people to be offered a spot left and right without any need for extra effort from her. Her first offer came by the end of her first term and the second one wasn't far behind. While she was basking in the happiness of a guaranteed spot after graduation so soon into the new educational year, other high levelled physicians of well known hospitals were preparing an offer of their own. It was no surprise Jenny was in such high demand. She had excelled in all her classes and exams, had attributed to publications and her surgical skills were on the level of a doctor ten years her senior. Her modest nature made her unaware of how impressive she was despite all these accomplishments under her belt, making her even more desirable. Having such a prodigy become associated with them would strengthen their skills as a hospital and would help them pull in funds, increasing their hospital's wealth.

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While Jenny had impressed the people who had taught her, her son was doing the same with the people who were trying to teach him. He had not only survived his first three months at kindergarten, he had blown everyone away. So much so, that his teachers had called Jenny and Jason in again so shortly after the first conversation and Charlie's first day there. Though Jenny and Jason already had some idea as to what this talk would be about, when they actually heard the words 'far beneath his level' when the teacher was describing his current class, it put them in a difficult position. Those words were forcing them to reconsider their initial decision to have him start out in kindergarten despite the previous teacher's advice, making them get a bad feeling as they were processing the words that followed. As they continued to listen to his current teacher, that was able to spot how out of place he was after being able to observe him for just a few short months, their doubt and the bad feeling was strengthened.

The teacher said, "I must say Mr. and Mrs. Westwood, you have one extraordinary child here. He is truly gifted. Even having him starting out at elementary school right after preschool would have been too low on the bar to challenge him. He needs and deserves much more than what I can give him." Instead of seeing the expression of joy, which the teacher had expected after telling a parent their child is gifted, a reaction that would be common among most of the parents of the children she taught, she got two concerned faces across the table. After hearing Jenny and Jason's concerns and accepting their initial rejection, Charlie's teacher made a different proposal. On that would give them the best of both worlds. One that would allow Charlie to continue developing socially as well as intellectually.

"Look, I understand your worries and I can't say that I don't know where that concern is coming from. There is certainly a lot of truth to that but keeping him back like this, isn't doing him or his development any favours either. He is too advanced for us to be able to teach him anything. Despite our small class sizes, I still cannot give all my attention to just his needs. And I am convinced that even if I did, I wouldn't be able to give him the stimulation he needs to keep entertained. So, I propose that we let him stay in my class for half the week BUT he will be given assignments on an elementary school level and I want him to take classes with a elementary school class for two days of the week. Maybe you can even hire a private teacher for him. That way he can work on his social development and on his mental development." As Jenny and Jason silently listened on, the only interruptions being their soundless glances to one another, the teacher finished telling them about her plan.

"I advice you to pick the elementary school that he will be attending after he has graduated kindergarten in order to give him a smooth transition later on. Once you have chosen the school, let me know and I will contact them to set this arrangement up. After he has finished his year here, I will recommend for him to skip his first year of primary school as well. He can continue to work like this. Attending all levels of school, like any other child, while doing assignments that best suit his intellectual abilities. He will always be ahead of his peers, most likely even after becoming an adult, so he might as well get used to it early on."

Jenny and Jason thanked the teacher and told her that they would think about it. Because knowing what is best and feeling that something is for the best, aren't the same thing and it can take some time before the heart and the mind learn to agree with each other. Since the mind was convinced, all they needed now was some time to let the heart catch up.