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Hi!
All KINDS of crazy stuff going on here with DD9, in 4th Grade (Middle School) Public School.

After all kinds of requests for Math acceloration, DD has gotten very little, although she was pulled out with a group for extra Science once a week and is excused from entire Units in Math (because she aced the pre-test) to work on conducting survays...

I have been leaving LA alone.

Recently, she told me that she wasn't progressing in her books (her assigned reading book at school Riding Freedom, 4th Grade Level) or her SSR book from home (Dancing Shoes, 6th Grade Level) because she can't concentrate during class.

I emailed the teacher and asked if she thought DD was having trouble concentrating and why DD doesn't seem to be getting through her books.

DD used to LOVE to read.

I was informed by this same teacher that DD was reading High School level and beyond. She received her Lexile yesterday and told me that it was the highest in the class at 1200.

So, after a few days, the teacher called me. She never likes to email her responses. She said that DD COULD go much faster in her reading book if she wanted to. She said that she thinks DD just doesn't like to do the work that goes along with the Reading book...like finding Similes and Vocab words.

She also said that DD is ready for more advanced reading themes as she has already read so many books. She said her interests have changed and she has trouble enjoying books that are the same type she has already read....

She told me to be careful of adult themes in books. So, I asked her for some recommendations.

Here is the funny thing. She couldn't come up with ONE SINGLE book she thought would be a good read for my daughter. NOT ONE! She told me I should pre-read any books she selects. UGH!

Now, maybe, just maybe, my daughter is having a hard time concentrating because she is reading 4th Grade Material!


Teacher says DD just likes to find out what is going to happen next and doesn't like to do the work....this could be...

The kids are given a 'guided reading' book that the whole class reads. They are then divided into groups to answer questions about the book. These questions and activities are given at diferent level.

The kids also are made to chose a reading book to bring to class. They are required to read the book they chose all the way through. The also do summaries and predictions with this book. They are required to read 20 minutes a day from this book of their chosing and have their book logged signed.

For some reason, all this emphasis on structured reading is turning my daughter off to reading all together.

She has ALL As for her grades...her lowest being Reading...a 92....

She is the kind of kid who has always had 3 - 10 books going at the same time.

Now, she can't even get through one....

She is frustrated and came to me to tell me she can't concentrate. Teacher tells me that she knows NOTHING about ADD, but doesn't see any concentration issues with my DD.

What do you think?

This is only ONE of the MANY MANY things I am concerned about with this school right now.

Another being that a kid slammed her locker door in her face, crushing her finger inside...she went to the nurse and nobody cared to asked what exactly happed to her finger. After icing it for 5 minutes, sent her back to class...no letter, note, call, nothing. It was swollen for days...

The same day, an after school activity was cancelled and the reading teacher told the class that the office would PROBABLY call parents to let them know...she was missing for over 2 hours in the rain and I found her after it was dark...School is blaming my DD for this...UGH>..SHE IS 9! She did great...

Oh my, this post went from bad to worse! I am so sorry for your dd, that must have been scary! I would call and give the school an earful for the after school thing AND the locker thing. She's in elementary school, they have a responsibility to protect her safety!

As for the reading, wow, it sounds like the school has figured out a way to make reading a chore. I am very protective of my kids' attitude toward reading. It should be a joy not a bureaucratic nightmare. Otherwise, they will not be lifelong learners, which is my real goal for them re education. I remember very clearly my last English class in college. It was on Shakespeare and the approach was similar but on a higher level, but the bottom line was that it took all the beauty out of Shakespeare and I wanted nothing to do with it anymore.

I don't really have any useful advice, just wanted to say that I would be concerned too. It sounds like she can't concentrate because she is being destracted from the text by all of these little assignments she is supposed to be doing at the same time. Do you think the teacher is at all open to making any changes?

Maybe over the holiday breaks you could respark her love of reading at home?

I'm not sure where your daughter's interests lie, but I've recently read some YA novels (don't judge, lol) that were really good:

The Hunger Games series. There some flirting/kissing that happens but that's about it. The relationship isn't really the main focus of the story.

Divergent by Veronica Roth (first book in a planned trilogy, the others aren't out yet.)

I Am Number Four by Pitticus Lore was fun. There is quite a bit of teenage angst in this one, so she might not find it as relatable.

You could also try some classics, like Jane Eyre or Emma.

I also LOVED the Babysitter's Club books when I was about her age. I read probably 20+ of those books. You might have to look to find them these days.