Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Meeting with Teacher and Principal - Need Advice

I�m new to this forum and need help! I�m meeting with my daughter�s teacher and principal (3rd meeting) and could really use some advice on how to advocate without emotions getting in the way. To summarize our struggles, I�m including the last correspondence to the principal below. Can someone please help us with suggestions on what to say/do and what not to say/do during the meeting tomorrow! I feel that we may be not handling this properly and thus, not getting any results. Thank you so much for your help in advance!!

p.s. We live in CA, my daugher is 5 and is in public school kindergarten. The below email was sent on Monday night to the Principal. As a result, we are meeting tomorrow morning.

Hello Principal XXX,

In regards to RRR�s academic action plan, we have several questions for you. Thank you in advance for your time.

It has been over six weeks since the beginning of the school year. In your email dated August 26th, you stated "we will evaluate RRR in relation to her classmates, Kindergarten curriculum, PMAS, DIBELS, formal and informal observations and assessments." Please provide us the status of the evaluation in terms of when it is going to take place, when it is going to be completed by and when we will see the results. We specifically would like to know when the DIBELS and PMAS testing will be completed.

Additionally, in the ongoing effort to provide RRR an appropriate education by challenging her academically and socially at her level, we will be requesting further testing (achievement/IQ/Iowa Acceleration Scale Manual/etc) through the school district. Can you please let us know to whom this official request letter needs to be addressed?

We respectfully appreciate and understand your position of not taking lightly our request of placing RRR in a grade above her chronological peers. At the same time, we can not take lightly the fact that RRR's Kindergarten homework is in no way challenging. She communicates to us daily of her boredom at school, of how easy everything is and of how difficult it is for her to stay focused because she already knows what's being taught. It is obvious that RRR's academic and social skills are beyond her current Kindergarten chronological level and she therefore requires significant upward change in her curriculum and class environment. As of now, we do not see a path/strategy that will keep RRR challenged in the Kindergarten environment, taking into account the current Kindergarten curriculum and proposed enrichment activities presented to date. Mrs. AAA mentioned a few strategies such as additional homework and future aid for individualized learning but this is not enough nor urgent enough.

Therefore, we are asking again for a more challenging school curriculum and for RRR to be with peers of her intellectual ability by accelerating her into 1st grade. Every child deserves to be challenged at their current level via appropriate public education. Chronological age/level alone can not fairly dictate a child's academic and social achievement/ability and grade placement.

It is painful to watch a child, who last year used to come home daily with vivid stories of new learning, no longer being excited about school because they are bored in class. That is why we urgently need to work together to find a better short and long term solution to the current situation.

We have heard that school districts have used the Iowa Acceleration Scale Manual for student evaluation and we plan on formally requesting this or a similar tool. You have previously mentioned that you were not convinced that RRR is ready for 1st grade. Perhaps the results of this type of testing will shed some convincing data.

Please know that we would like to work together with you, Mrs. AAA and others in cooperation to achieve a more challenging education and greater social stimulation for RRR.

Thank you as always for your time and attention to this matter.

Respectfully,
Parents of RRR

Very well said, I think that's your argument right there. Just curious, have you had any testing done already? Also, why do they feel she's not ready? Is it academic or social/emotional?

Also, have you heard of A Nation Deceived? You might want to take a look b/f your meeting tomorrow. Here's the link: A Nation Deceived They provide lots of info regarding acceleration.

I'm in pretty much in the same boat w/my son except he's acting out socially. They say that it's interfering in his learning (umm..counting to five, isn't exactly learning) and they are hesitant to discuss any form of acceleration b/c of his behavior. (if he behaves this way in K, how can he possibly handle 1st etc). So, I'm curious what the concern is regarding not allowing your daughter to accelerate. We too, have a mtg. on Fri w/Principal.


It sounds like your covering all the bases and doing the right things. It's hard not to get emotional especially since these are educators who just don't get it. The only thing I could suggest is to arm yourself w/the law (what does the law of CA mandate as far as gifted students?) and information (take a look at the website). Try to anticipate what their resistance to acceleration might be and think of counterarguments ahead of time. Also, you know your own daughter and what is right for her.


Good Luck!

I'd be curious to hear of the outcome!

Thanks for the feedback! They interestingly enough, have not given me a specific reason why she wouldn't be ready. We told them to test her and see for themselves but they continue to drag their feet. No official testing done yet.

She already completed Kindergarten at a Montessori school when she was 4 and dumb me thought that I could have her placed into 1st grade this fall since I had letters of recommendation, examples of homework, projects, spelling test, double digit math work, etc. I feel like I�m letting her down by not allowing to grow intellectually right now�.it makes me so sad.

Thank you so much for the website, will read tonight! Your son's situation sounds very similar to ours...we too can't handle any more phonics and sounding out the alphabet right now...she did this when she was two.

I feel so frustrated and angry but have to pull it together. Good luck to you too!! The �acting out� in my opinion, is a direct result of not being challenged! How do they expect a five year old to keep focused all day when are bored to pieces....an adult surely couldn't handle it.

When sharing the "Nation Deceived" report with the school, be sure you start them off with the executive summary, lest their eyeballs roll backwards in their skulls:
http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/Nation_Deceived/Executive_Summary.aspx

Additionally, and especially for any teachers/administrators who birth kittens at the mention of "Gifted," be sure to share this article, "What a Child Doesn't Learn."

This article has so far been one of the more useful articles for sharing with our teachers. It doesn't hit them over the head with "GIFTED!!" like A Nation Deceived & others, yet still stresses the importance of challenging our kids.

Here's a link to a pdf copy of the original publication:
http://taylor.aliefisd.net/download...-a896-bf82f0e208e0&dnldType=Resource

There used to be a text version, but that link is no longer working.

Dandy

ETA: Link to text version of document. I contacted the school as was given the new home for the article at their blog:
http://www.fightingautomatons.com/news/2009/02/gew-09-what-a-child-doesnt-learn/

Hi san clemente,

I know just how you feel. We've been through this too. I will say, however, that I agree with MON that the schools staff would be put on the defensive if you sent that correspondence. If it were me, I would start by saying that you re-read your email and that you're sorry that it sounded so harsh, but that you're really emotional about this topic and were just trying to get all the information to the school.

Some emotions work sometimes too - e.g., when I mentioned that my child begged me every morning to stay home, and that he didn't like kindergarten, that struck a chord with the kindy teacher, who thought he was perfectly happy. It turns out I have a super duper teacher pleaser, who would never want to stand out or make waves in the classroom, and so is a perfect angel at school. He saved his complaints for us at home.

Schools are very busy the early part of the year, and there often isn't time for extra testing of advanced kids. That said, I think now that you've put the school on notice of your request, hopefully they will either tell you when they plan to test, or why.

The Iowa Acceleration Scale is a great tool, giving objective scores to many differnt factors. If the school is willing to try this, I'd say go for it. If you are financially able, i'd recommend offering to buy this for the school if the district doesn't have access to it or the forms.

My best experiences in advocacy came when the parents and staff worked as a team. That is, I didn't go in demanding things, I asked what the school staff thought mighgt be best, while giving some of my own ideas.

Good luck!