Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy concerned parent

I also have to wonder if it is Everyday Math curriculum or something like that. There are questions that specifically ask you to solve a problem using a certain methods. Most of these methods seem very odd to me, but if you treat it as a "game," it might be more bearable.

Would your son be wiling to first solve it his way, and then solve it the way his teacher asks to prove he can?

At this point, given the school's attitude on acceleration, might it make sense to ask for pre-testing and curriculum compacting (only teaching the concept he needs to know and doing some challenge math or something else in the other time)?

Actually, even some very good math curricula, like Singapore Math, ask fifth-grade students to solve two equation/two unknown problem using bar diagrams. When I worked through SM with the first child, my sibling and I were simultaneously going through the same level with our respective first children and both had the same reaction--why not just teach them algebra? Having gone through it with a second child (both of us, actually, again at the same time) it has become more clear that it has some value as a means of teaching problem solving, and providing a better conceptual basis (vs the procedural fluency/conceptual ignorance prevalent in North America).

If a teacher is not sufficiently deep in his or her own mathematical understanding to know how to probe students for -their- understanding, he or she will not be able to judge whether a student's use of algebraic language and procedures is an indication that they have already surpassed the level at which they need to develop conceptual grounding, or is just a sign that they have been hot-housed into knowing a few manipulations.

At one point, our first child was in a similar, though much less severe, situation. My approach was to talk about the value of understanding multiple ways of approaching, understanding, and communicating problem solving. Even if it's obvious to you, someday you might want to explain it to someone else, and having a few strategies might be helpful. Conveniently, that's our child who wants to teach.

Thank you for all the responses. I think the underlying message is that they just don’t want to accelerate this child. In all seriousness, how can you deny or even have a discussion about acceleration, when the child’s school won’t test him and ignores the results of independently administered test?

Escalate up the chain in the school district.

In my opinion, your newest concern is nothing to lose sleep over. The ability to deliver solutions within the requested parameters is invaluable. There is nothing to prevent your DS from solving problems using algebra as well even if his teacher doesn't want to take the time to discuss that with him. In my experience, it may sometimes be more challenging and thought provoking to use less sophisticated tools to reach a solution. I occasionally challenge my children to provide solutions using different approaches as a way to reach deeper understanding and teach perspective.

Your greater concern is that your DS needs acceleration. You appeared to have partially met that need by the independent Algebra I study. If the issue is that your DS needs that acceleration during school hours, then you need to move up the chain. If the decision is political in the sense that acceleration is forbidden to one and all, then you may be without recourse unless the district is somehow violating statutes or rules. If the decision is political in the sense that they are discriminating against only your DS despite his meeting of all criteria, then try to gather up information regarding other accelerated students (particularly if they appear less qualified criteria-wise) and move up the chain of command.

This is so true. My ds 11 hated problems last year that made him solve the equation then he also had to put the equation in Slope-Intercept Form. For some reason it made him think different. He said it is such a waste of time. He finally got over it and kind of liked it once he got faster at it. He said it was like drawing a picture.

If I understand correctly, there may be three separate concerns you've articulated:
1) Testing (school won't test, school won't accept outside results)
2) Acceleration (school won't accelerate, possibly due to concerns of mixed age classes)
3) Math (student solves algebraically, school seeks visual-spatial solutions)

There is an art to staying in a conversation long enough to obtain the answers you are seeking, including clarifications to your understanding of what the teacher/school/district has said. Taking notes can help. For example, note taking can keep things moving, focused, and on topic. At the same time, note taking can also slow things down enough to "buy time" for a person to count to 10 (thereby avoiding a flash of anger in a response which may guess at motivations or sound accusatory or emotional); This may afford the opportunity to formulate a clarifying question or allow a person to rephrase what they understood.

This child? Or any child? Or... not accelerate any child more than 1 year? Etc? The more clarification a parent has, and the better an objection is understood, the more prepared a parent may be to advocate.

Not every battle is worth fighting. For example, when school district's testing practice does not meet a parent's expectations, only that family can decide whether the disappointment about testing is worth investing effort to hopefully bring about a change. If the family perceives a large potential impact on their child (or many children), and believes the issue is worth putting forth effort to make a change, the family may wish to prepare for individual advocacy efforts and/or work to amend school district policy.

If a family is determined to proceed, they may first wish to consider what managed their expectations about in-school testing and/or the acceptance of outside test results. For example, was there something in State law? ...in school district policy? ...mentioned by school district personnel in a meeting? Or possibly something posted to a forum indicating how another school district handled testing?

To prepare for individual advocacy efforts, parents may wish to:
1) become familiar with any applicable State laws and determine whether current school district actions follow applicable State laws
and/or
2) become familiar with school district policies and prepare to discuss whether current school district actions are in line with published district policies; parents can hold schools accountable to abide by their current published policy statements (for example, policies regarding identification/testing)
and/or
3) become familiar with the school district objections to the acceleration or placement you are seeking and determine whether you have sufficient material (research studies, statistics, facts, personal anecdotes) to overcome objections

Parents may also gather with others for strength in numbers and submit written suggestions for policy changes (often based upon what other districts may be doing). Finding and reading the policy and practice statements of other public school districts may be a good starting point for gathering ideas as to how a local school district's policy statements may be improved.