Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments It's like DS learns IN SPITE of school

Okay so I guess I spoke praise of the school too soon.

So Ds tells me today he's been getting in trouble for reading non-100 book challenge books at 100 book challenge time. Not that the books themselves are not 100-book challenge but because they are books from home and not from the 100-book challenge class basket (and apparently that is "not fair to other kids"). I got these books because he complains relentlessly how insipid the 100-book challenge books are. So I looked up books that I knew he would be motivated to read (adventure, fantasy, magic) and their levels and bought them and put them in his 100-book challenge bag specifically so he would have something good to read at reading time and he is getting in trouble for it! (I actually started doing it last year for this reason and the teacher had no problem with it if it were on "his level.") Because I guess the goal is not really a love for reading or practicing reading - the goal is forcing kids to read a book they find utterly uninteresting every day.

He was reading Magic Tree House's Ice Wizard Book, which is on his level (RR) and teacher threatened to take it away if she caught him reading it again. And he also got his "caught being good" ticket pulled for reading Secrets of Droon (which think is actually a level below him). He really wants to read Bionicles books (which he reads at home but I can only imagine that if he is in that kind of trouble for Magic Treehouse and Secrets of Droon I am sure Bionicles would cause quite a stir, so I have never sent them in.)

I am really angry. What is wrong with these people? Are they educators? Because with each day they look less and less like educators to me.

And it seems another big part of their goal is proving to me my child is not "really smart." Meanwhile, when I do things the school's way (i.e., force him to only do THEIR math and move at their math pace and force him to only read their books only on the level they say - he just stagnates and is depressed. But I send him to mathnasium where they let him move as fast as he is capable and nurture his love for math and he went from the 60th %ile in math to 95th%ile on the Woodcock Johnson. When I let him read what he wants the same thing happens with reading. I am seriously starting to think he learns in spite of school and certainly not because of it!

So what books does the school have in his 100-book-challenge bag? I can't imagine not allowing a Magic Tree House book? Or Secrets of Droon? Seriously???

Our schools always had copies of those books in our school library - does the teacher just not have any in her room so the other kids can't choose them, or are they a higher level than the other kids, but the teacher is afraid the kids will want to read them anyway? I don't really understand that personally - I have a child who is a struggling reader (4th grader) and the kids in her class read whatever they want to during independent reading time - most of the kids in her class are very advanced readers and reading things there is no way she's ready for, but there aren't any issues with it - not with the teacher, and not with the kids either.

Argh!

pbear

Oh Irena! I am so sorry! This sounds like something our teacher would have done... This is why I left. I just can't stomach the damage being done to my child while he is forced to NOT learn for 6+ hours a day. I hope you can soon get things working for your son. It's tough to try so very hard and feel like you are punished (or worse your child!) for it. My heart goes out to you...

I'm sure you have already though of this but is it at all possible there was a sub who didn't understand during reading? It is unreasonable to punish a child for doing as he is told. This isn't HIS issue.

It's unbelievable, really!

No it wasn't a sub - apparently this is been going on for a few weeks and he didn't tell me. He was "sneaking" the Wizard book and that's why she told him she would take it away permanently if she caught him reading it again (he kept getting in trouble for reading). Then he tried to read Secrets of Droon and got his "ticket pulled." Sorry but it's down right moronic!

Here I am putting the book in in his bag all of the time, wondering why he took it out and wondering why he isn't reading it anymore

And they spend so much time trying to convince me that DS "isn't ready" for higher level reading and higher levels math but when he's taken somewhere else or permitted by me to have free reign he really rises and he rises fast. The 100 book challenge book arguments I used to have with them (teachers) were about how he's "sneaking" higher level books that "he isn't ready for;" but at home when I would let him read higher level books that he was interested in his reading levels jump like crazy. Now he's high enough that there are "somewhat" interesting books on his level so the fight isn't about the level anymore but now it's just "he's just not allowed unless it's from the basket." (and by the way the basket is a bunch of used books DONATED to the school!) It's the same with math. I was against going to math places until May when his teacher spent an entire meeting trying to convince me DS really doesn't understand addition and "re-grouping" meanwhile at home I could see he did and he was mastering multiplication. I realized then I need to start doing something where he was allowed to move ahead when he really was ready and he is doing phenomenally.

I called the teacher and told how appalled I am that he would be punished for reading magic treehouse and secrets of droon. And how unfair that is to my child that he be punished for being on a higher level than most of the class and for being interested in adventure and fantasy books.

I've heard of this happening (school creating a ceiling to hold child back, school trying to prove child is not smart), even with a DYS who started college at age 15. I am so sorry to hear this type of thing is still happening, with gifted ed having been around for some 50 years now... so many teachers/schools/programs are working at crossed purposes with an appropriate education, both in curriculum placement & pacing, and cluster grouping with similar readiness & ability. In fact, on an ever-increasing scale, more schools may be about holding an "ahead" child back... NCLB could be No Child Learning Brilliantly.

You have my empathy. You may wish to ask your child on a daily basis what the best thing was about school, and what the worst thing was about school. This will keep the lines of communication open, he will know you don't blame him, and you will stay up-to-date.

Try advocating by sharing with the school, the positive research as found on the Davidson database, and also positive practices which are being done elsewhere.

Good idea, MON, I mentioned in my voicemail that I would be more than happy to provide the school with several copies of several magic treehouse books, secrets of droon, etc. I can even do the leveling and put the red tape on the side of the book for them (contrary to what she told DS, a 'reading specialist' is not the only who can level the books the books are leveled on the website and there is chart of correlations with other leveling systems... it's really not that a big mystery nor does it necessitate a 'specialist.') However, I am slightly annoyed that I already pay lie 12,000 in school tax alone, plus all of the fees and such and in addition I have to pay for mathnasium to get my kid taught proper math, pay for chess club at another school b/c DS can't go in school's chess club until 3rd grade, and now I have to provide books? Geeze. But I am more than willing to do it.... Amazon has used paperback books for pennies.

Exactly! Wow - so I am not imagining this! I am hoping the gifted support person and gifted program will help a little with this... I do expect it to change now that the gifted support teacher will be at the iep mtg and DS in that program.

DH and I have been referring to it as "No Child Gets Ahead" for years.

A clever friend once dubbed it "No Child Learns, Bummer" and it really stuck with me. I chuckle inside every time I see the acronym now.

So, I spoke with the teacher this morning. It was not a pleasant conversation, which was mostly my fault because quite honestly I am losing my patience with the stupidity... Anyway, it was about "obedience" and he was "disobedient" and this is to "teach him to follow directions." He was told several times he could only read books from the basket and he disobeys by reading the books I sent in from home and books from library exchange. I told her that was unacceptable, the books are on his level (because God forbid there is challenge or encouragement to go above your level) and they are appropriate and he should be permitted to read them. I also told her this should not be about "following directions" or "obedience" - it should be about READING and encouraging a love for reading.

I told her I would send in books as a donation for 100 book challenege basket for him (and others) to read. I told her I would level and label them too. In the meantime, he can read his Ice Wizard book. So I just spent over $30.00 on books for 100 book challenge basket. I am sure I'll have to do the same again when he moves to "white" level in a few months. (Gonna visit the Goodwill before then to get some books hopefully!)