Grade advancement should be implemented on a trial basis and the child should be made aware that if it does not go well she may request to return to the lower grade. A trial period of about six weeks is usually more than enough. Counseling services should be made available to the both student and teacher during the trial period. Avoid building up excessive expectations for the grade advancement. The child should not be pressured or made to feel as if he is a failure if the grade advancement does not work out well.
Realistic expectations are the key to success.
Some very precocious or academically advanced children may still be bored in school even after the grade advancement. Additional grade advancements may be necessary in years to come. Grade advancement decisions should be based upon factual evidence and information rather than upon anecdotal reports of successes or failures. The research on acceleration of gifted students shows that adjustment problems, if they occur, tend to be minor and temporary in nature. The research also shows that concerns regarding possible negative effects of grade advancement upon social or emotional development are unfounded.