DS6, in second this year, is supposed to have enrichment/differentiation in math and language arts. In TAT (Teacher Assistance Team) meetings last year, it was planned to have criteria for the differentiation in place by the end of the year, but it wound up not happening, with the new teacher entrusted with developing the differentiation plan for this year.
This year's teacher has no GT experience, so we've been a little worried, especially since she delayed getting back to us initially and after that did not have time to meet for a while. Our DYS family advocate sent a letter offering help to the teacher, the principal and my son's guidance counselor, but the teacher has not followed up yet to contact the advocate. (This was all understandable, as here the teachers don't come back from break until just before class starts. In addition the teacher has been busy with her own initial assessments. Here these things take a number of weeks to finish, and she may also be waiting for the results of the initial MAP tests.)
Last night was curriculum night. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend due to lack of child care support, but my wife went. Some highlights from her report:
1. The teacher "gets" him, and says she's never taught anyone like him, so she wants to make sure she does right by him. She says she has some other advanced children, but that DS6 is far different from them. She believes he has a photographic memory (I don't think he has a
full one, at least), and said that he only needs to be shown something once to learn it (this is also something I take with a grain of salt, and chalk it up in large part to him not being shown anything yet in class that he doesn't already know; he certainly learns quickly, but not always instantly).
2. The new vice principal is a former GT coordinator for an entire school district (in California; in our New Hampshire school district there is no GT program), and has asked to be present at our next meeting with the teacher to discuss differentiation options.
3. DS6 been placed in the highest reading group, but it's not enough for him, according to the teacher (true). The second grade math is also a waste of DS's time, according to the teacher (yep). According to her, even third grade math would likely not be enough (probably true conceptually, though at least he'd get some calculation practice out of it).
4. The teacher is not sending home math homework until the math differentiation gets resolved. She is worried about losing DS6, since she says that she already sees him spacing out when he gets bored.
5. DS6 gets 100% on spelling pretests, but then can also get 100% on challenge word lists with no study. She's suggesting that instead of spelling, she give him vocabulary and grammar work. This will probably be the very first differentiation he gets.
6. The teacher's hesitant to recommend pull-outs for anything, even math, because she would like DS6 to stay with his peer group as much as possible, and he would stick out like an even sorer thumb in third grade (his current classroom already has some kids two years older, and he's on the young side at six with a July birthday, and is not on the large side for his age). This makes me wonder what sort of full-contact math they're practicing in higher grades.
But for better or worse, there is apparently a fair bit of resistance to subject pull-outs at our school.
7. The teacher never looked at his IQ and achievement test report, because she wanted to form her own opinions of him first. My wife mentioned that the report has some potentially useful recommendations, and the teacher says she's ready to read it and will do so. The teacher also said she is ready to ask our DYS family consultant for advice.
I continue to like this teacher, and hope for the best. For now, DS6 is academically bored though enjoying the social aspects of school. MAP testing is next week, then we will have the meeting with the teacher and VP, then in October have a follow-up scheduled with the TAT team.
