Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School Expectations?

As this school year is progressing, I keep coming back to this question: what should my expectations of an elementary school be? Is it really too much to ask for more challenging learning for my DS in kindergarten? I am starting too wonder if his teacher will challenge him. His Map scoring came back 99% in reading, 91% in math. (Language has always been his strength.) At parent/ teacher conference, I was told that the teacher knew the words and books were too easy. However, nothing has changed. Yesterday, when I asked DS about math at school. He told me, "we didn't do any math. Just counting." I emailed the teacher today. I am hoping she really assesses him, and starts challenging him.

I can't answer (we're in the same boat - and it's sinking). I understand my ds' teacher cannot teach to my ds alone, she discussed "challenge packets" which have not come to fruition. I am trying to be patient and understanding - but it's hard to swallow that ds may not get any instruction at all to meet his reading, math, science level. I do appreciate his social experience - but is that it? Well, his handwriting has improved. Sigh.

Differentiating a math lesson on counting to allow for higher level numerical manipulation is really tough. I'd be more patient there.

Getting appropriate reading material is an quick and easy way to effectively differentiate. I would start pressing there. The teacher has already acknowledged that this is a place where things need correction. I would simply address the email as "As we discussed in last week's conference.."

I'd recommend looking at your school's or district's math curriculum for K, 1st, and 2nd grades. Our K math curriculum (which follows the Common Core State Standards) does not start adding single digit numbers until after winter break, and they focus on adding to no more than 10 by the end of the K school year. 1st semester K "math" is number and shape recognition, counting, and patterns.

We gave our K teacher a list of DS's math skills two years ago when he started K, compared them to the district's curriculum, which clearly showed he was working at a 2nd grade level, and got him tested and accelerated by a year in math. Our K teacher said she was still working with some of her kids on just learning to count to 10, and she would not be able to provide him the challenge he needed in class.

Our DD5 is now in K, already doing 1st grade math books at home, but we aren't pushing it with her because she's not as far along as DS was at that age, and the administration has changed and is no longer friendly to subject-level acceleration. (We are fighting to maintain it for DS7 this year.) If you look at the curricula, get a good feel for where your DS's skills are in relation to the different grades, that may help you decide what you want to ask for.

Regarding expectations, if you're in a regular program (i.e., non-GT) and your child is scoring 99%ile in reading and 91%ile in math, you are likely going to have to do a lot of advocacy to get your DS the challenge he needs. If your child has been counting to 10 since they were 2yo, it can be hard to understand that some kids really can't count to 10 when they start K, but there are a lot who can't. If you have the time, volunteering an hour in the classroom during reading or math will also help you get a feel for the other students' abilities and how far of an outlier your DS is. If there are other kids with similar abilities, it will be easier for the teacher to differentiate within the classroom if she's willing. If he's the only one and the rest of the kids are fairly far below his abilities, it gets harder for the teacher to accommodate his needs as well.

It's always frustrating to hear about kids set in rooms waiting only for their 12 minutes of social experience a day. And of course, the handwriting. The two things where there really isn't much instruction on, kooky.

I've imagined a letter I wish my parents would've written along the lines of "Dear teacher... just so we are teaching the same lessons at home as at school, which of these should we be emphasizing... 1) not every child deserves to learn... 2) the reward for doing well is boredom... 3) you do can anything without trying... 27) authority figures are idiots..."

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Zen scanner- yours made me laugh! Geofizz and Coll, you both had some good ideas to point me in the right direction. Evemomma, hope things start getting better!
As for my email, I was told the teacher would work with him and by Monday (when the new homework comes home), things should be more challenging. I hope so. To be continued, I'm sure...

Love the dream letter! We have one more week with the long term sub and then the real teacher will be back... Everyone's saying get on her right away but I feel like she needs a week to get to know DD. But the sub indicated the real differentiation would kick in with the teacher. It's supposed to be this school's speciality. Excited and glad we'll soon see... Homeschooling just isn't enough for miss social but... The homework has been so silly. Love we homeschool some so we ignore it when we can lol.

OK, I've been inspired. I wrote the principal as email today asking for an acheivement assessment for ds. I need to email the teacher also and let her know I did this, but it's not like the teacher can make that decision. I'm not even sure it'll fly - but my ds is not getting any differentiation in the slightest right now. I get that the teacher is busy, and frankly, my ds is a chameleon (witnessed this at a field trip recently), so I imagine the teacher has no idea where he is academically. And frankly, neither do we. Maybe it will be to no avail, but I can't stand to see ds getting so discouraged about school. He was so excited to 'really' start learning. Our weekends, where most kids would want to be free of books, are filled with the things ds is craving: advanced math work, science topics (g-force was the most recent), and reading. I get that the school can't teach on ds' whim...but I guess I expect SOMETHING.

Update...the principal emailed me to set up a meeting with the teacher, the principal and me. Here we go...

Evemomma-
Good luck! Can't wait to hear about the outcome! Please keep us posted!
I'm worried we may be heading the same direction. We'll see. Yesterday, homework came home. New reading level DRA level 10. It was a joke. Ironically, 1 of the books had a 10 on it, but was (to my best research ability) a 38. My DS read it, only struggling with new words like machinery and definitely comprehended the story. Otherwise, the homework was the same. Spoke to the TA today (she asked how the books worked out), and I explained and told her the types of books he reads at home. His teacher told me today, she would send extra math, but I haven't seen any yet. So, tonight, my husband and I will write the teacher again. On a side note, the harder book atleast gave me some spelling words to work on with DS:)