Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Math Issues/Common Core/Our Rights

Our d's started 1st this year. We were assures he has an amazing teacher.

We were told only papers with red numbers (such as 5/7) went in the grade book. I was informed he took a test (on a day he was having a very hard time) and he didn't know about 1/2 his numbers 1-30. Our district spent 1-3 days reviewing K material and immediately started with new info.

We received a report note yesterday that he has a D in math. My thoughts are that only 3-4 assignments created this score. Our school is firmly adhering to common core and has large class sizes. I was not given any info on what the objectives for math for first 1/4 were (I have some idea after he failed his test). We daily are swamped with reading books, timed reading, sight words and spelling words but have had zero math homework or suggestions.

What are my rights? He has a 504 and is in title I but is there not assistance offered for math? He is doing very well in reading/spelling but sometimes flips his b and d. He also sometimes flips two digit numbers. However it's never been a huge issue, and he's been tested for dyslexia. I'm told that the amount of letters he flips is common in 1st grade.

We have no private school available but I'm always in tears with our district. Our d's is so bright and a D in no way represents his capability. I feel like the burden of his education is on me. I spend a lot of time on reading and language arts because they provide us with info. Haven't worked on math since they didn't provide anything. I think it explains the disparity in his grades. With "school only" help he has a D. They spend so little time actually working with them.

I'm beyond frustrated....

Your school gives "letter" grades in 1st?

Have you contacted his teacher and asked what is up? This should the first thing you do. I usually go to the teacher and tell them I don't understand or I'm confused. Could they please explain what is going on and give them at least one chance to explain. Perhaps your son is just not completing the assignments for a number of various reasons. Or in not turning them in. Or refusing to do them because it's too easy. Any number of reasons.

I'm with bluemagic. Ask the teacher to explain. I am hoping that "D" means something like "developing" and the other "grades" are like I for "integrating" and "M" for mastery." We had something like that last year for K. Our district has switched to Common Core for this year, though, so maybe I'm in for a nasty surprise.

Best of luck. I would NEVER tell your son about this "D" if in fact it is an ABCDF grade. First grade is not the place for that. Period.

The common core objectives for first grade math are listed here (see link below), and they probably are also listed with the Department of Education website for your state and possibly on your school's website or handbook.

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/1/introduction/

The common core does not dictate, so far as I can tell, what grading system is used.

I would also write an email to the teacher asking what the grade means, what it is based on, and so on. If the answer to that email does not help, ask for a conference.

I assume that you are in a public school system. In ours, both the district and the school has a website that details the grading system and the scoring rubrics. So, if you dig around in the school's website, you will find how the grading works. Or email the teacher or call the school front office and they will be able to give you the information.

As for what your rights are, you should get in touch with the teacher and let her know that your son's performance in math concerns you and that you would like a meeting with her to see how to improve his math proficiency. In the meeting, explain your concerns and ask for the action plan on how to get more math instruction for your son.

As an aside, please check out Miquon math - it is an excellent resource for that age group. Also the free math program MEP: http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/primary/
You can use these to after school math.

Good luck.

To all - thanks. Yes it is an official D as in 65%.

He has a 95% in reading and 89 or some such in "language arts". He has 12 spelling words per week with the test on Thursday. As well as "spelling dictation" where he is dictated two sentences. Failure to capitalize the first letter and punctuation are why he doesn't have an A, as his spelling is very good. Typically if he does miss a spelling word, it's because he flips his lowercase d into a b.

I've sent the teacher a letter. Loathe would be too soft a term to describe how I feel about the choices of our districts administration. I called a neighboring district yesterday to see if they accepted tuition students (which they do not) because I feel that strongly about it. DH refuses homeschooling option and our private religious schools (2) aren't a good fit. Parents are very unhappy about many things in our district but politics rule and our children suffer while the administration tries to make a name for itself. (End of rant) Thnaks for the tolerance here.

If they change the menu in the cafeteria, you can be sure Common Core will get the blame.

Goodness, I didn't realize schools graded 1st graders like that anymore, with letter grades and %s and all that business. Who grades 1st graders on capitalization and punctuation, especially do early in the year? It sounds like your district, and your teacher, are both well behind the times. Sounds like they're all trying to make a name for themselves as dinosaurs.

FWIW, common core probably has little to no impact on that 65% grade. There are gobs of different textbooks that all claim to adhere to common core; some are great, some are terrible. I wouldn't be surprised if your district has a terrible one.

In the school district we are in they do not use letter grades, they use Above Level, at level, needs to improve and Unsatisfactory. The grades show the mastering levels of the CCSS.

The districts online gradebook when looking at my child work will show me percentages in each subject.

For a first grader to get an "E" on writing papers, capital letters need to be used always,needs to have a topic sentence always, at least one supporting sentence and one closing sentence always.
Periods used correctly all the time, added details..proper nouns,descriptive adjectives,vivid verbs, etc.
Sight words need to always be correct and phonics rules always have to be used when writing out words.

The teacher only allows 3 sentences to be written during writing.

I was sent home a First grade writing rubric. Things have changed from just 3 years ago when my oldest was in first grade.