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    #59779 10/30/09 03:31 AM
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    My DD6 has been frustrated in school.

    She has been going ahead of the class in her work book and writing the answers very lightly under the fill in lines. I think she has been doing this to see if she knows it on her own before they do the work as a class. Since 3 year old preschool, she would take simple work and make it more interesting to increase the challenge. I would consider that a coping ability.

    The reading feels babyish. She is reading some chapter books at home some at 2 & 3reading level. She said she does not raise her hand all the time. She wants to give the other kids a chance to answer. I don't know what to say to that. The teacher suggested she do AR test to challenge her and DD is very proud to do these. She takes a lot of pride in being a school girl. I'm thinking Social and behavior is very good at school. Grades would probably be straight A s. I do talk to her everyday after school so she can let out frustrations that don't show up at school.

    Group discipline is also very hard for her. When she is doing the right thing and the class as a whole loses points she feels frustrated.

    She is very frustrated with the pace of the math, waiting to do it with a group.
    She is doing very well with her Math fact papers at school and for HW. Now the Math facts practice at home is making her mad. She does not want to do the flash cards. I think she could use the practice. I suggested we take out some of the hard flash cards or use dice. She got mad and said she hates it and doesn't want to practice. I did get her to practice Math on her leapster. I have some Math sites and disks she can do that are fun and colorful.

    I'm having trouble knowing what to do with all this frustration. Any suggestions?

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    Has she been tested (by school or outside testing)?
    Can you take this to the school now rather than wait for 3rd grade/some future time for gifted testing? Sounds like some acceleration might be needed.

    My ds was very frustrated in 1st, partly social, partly the teacher was very my-way or the highway, and ds is extremely 'out of the box'. Still, he did well, just became disgusted with school and felt isolated.

    We looked into the gt program to get him with kids more like him, and he has found some through this group as well as in boy scouts.
    He hates rote memorization tasks; games are the main way he progresses with things like math facts. We used timezattack for multiplication, I have also recently heard that Math24 is a good game to get into so we are considering that for him. It has levels from simple arithmetic up through division, I think.

    Good luck, yes I think she needs more, and I wouldn't wait on it.

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    Chris,
    For which grade-levels is Math24 appropriate?
    Thanks,
    Jen

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    I think just telling her you understand she is frustrated would be helpful. I wish my Mom had been that way. I asked my Dad if I could drop out of school in first grade, ha ha. Just let her know there is tons more to learn out there and she will get to eventually.

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    Is there any possibility of her going to 2nd grade for math or reading, if she is so far ahead of her class ? My ds6 is also in first grade - he does have one other child in his class who is on the same reading level as him, so they are a "group". In math, he's on his own, so they have agreed to start next week with him going to 2nd grade for math. He also started this week being pulled out for math enrichment (30 minutes a week) with 6 2nd graders. I'm interested to see how it works out. My son is VERY easy going, and will happily go along with whatever work the class is doing - he likes easy - so I'm excited for this challenge for him smile

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    Originally Posted by onthegomom
    she would take simple work and make it more interesting to increase the challenge. I would consider that a coping ability.
    I agree that this is a coping ability, and something to be appreciated, but I would check very carefully to be sure she is correctly placed. Has she been tested? Very often younger sisters are just as 'out there' as their older brothers, but because they are better at coping and blending, they are overlooked. We parents just breath a sign of relief because they aren't going do the path of the first born. But I think that girls are more vulnerable to 'getting addicted' to being totally in charge and in control. Learning to face difficut challenges is a skill that is slowly aquired over time, and perhaps a change in curriculum would be needed to get her feeling like she can relax and 'not have to be perfec' all the time. I'm thinking that her response to the 'math facts' might be a sign that she is already 'addicted' to learning new things quickly and without effort. Some of us have our whole self image around being 'the best' in the room, and when we are faced with a type of activity that just plain requires practice, our whole world falls apart - because then - who are we?

    Just some thoughts. Say more - has she been tested? Have you talked to the teachers?

    Smiles,
    Grinity


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    I have talked to her teacher and the Vice principal. When I was at a meeting advocating for her brother, The principal asked how she was doing? I told her a few concerns. Maybe I already told her enough. The principal has some gifted experience.

    She has not been tested. She will do her first IOWA test this year and the COGAT.

    I drafted a email to the principal but I'm thinking about whether I should send it because I think the school views me as someone who has called & emailed too much.

    I have been dealing with my DS's issues and it's been a little challenging. I think they are a bit mad at me. I've tried very hard not to put any body down and just ask for more challenges. I'm just not smooth enough. They have taken some things a different way than intended which is sad.

    I'm not sure if this is enough for now.

    Last edited by onthegomom; 10/30/09 11:23 AM.
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    Originally Posted by onthegomom
    I drafted a email to the principal but I'm thinking about whether I should send it because I think the school views me as someone who has called & emailed too much.
    It is always hard to strike this balance. Don't blame yourself for not advocating well enough. Really, the schools should 'get' all this stuff without you having to play 'Lassie' -

    ((Mental Image: 'What's that girl? Timmy's in the well? Timmy needs more advanced reading? cue music from old TV show: "Lassie"))
    Grinity


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    don't feel bad. I personally think that first grade is worthless. I swear it is a wasted year regardless. My dd's amazing kindergarten teacher said it best when we presented ourselves to her, exasperated by our first grade experience, "Oh it's ok. Kids like dd don't learn anything in first grade. They're all about socialization not academics."

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    I feel like our school is very academic but not always challenging enough for my kids. In Preschool, they taught things like the water cycle. She was very interesting in learning science. In K they did some stuff she didn't need. But this teacher was amazing with what she did like Yoga and giving my DD a special challenge as a narrator in a play. The teacher asked my DD to do read what I thought was too hard with words like Bethlehem. Well DD exceeded my expectations not only could she read all the big words but she had it all memorized along with what every other child had to do. After that, I felt like teacher understood what she needed and would do her best for DD.

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