We moved our kids to a new school that has lots going for it, but we are having a problem with both our 2nd grader and 4th grader in math. The school is new and is trying to figure out how to differentiate instruction. Both our kids "walked to math" in their previous school, walking to the next grade level. Now they are repeating the same curriculum as last year.
There are a handful of kids affected, and the school decided that rather than advance the kids a year they'd "go deeper" with differentiation. I've talked with the kids' teachers and they are really working to figure it all out. But they've got their hands full with a huge range of abilities and attempts to apply the school's values (self direction and group work) in math.
I think they will ultimately figure it out, but in the interim what do I do for my kids? My 4th grader tests very high in math, likes it, and picks up just about whatever you give her. The school encourages the use of Kahn at school and home and my daughter likes it.
But I feel like she shouldn't just be tooling around Kahn but have some focus and practice in specific areas. I can look at what she is doing now and scan for some practice at the next level (or few levels) of difficulty....but then what happens next year? Would she be constantly ahead of everyone and never getting instruction, just kind of working it out with me and figuring things out for herself with Kahn as an instructor? That doesn't seem good. Like we could mess up her foundation somehow and not even know it.
She's happy at school and developing in other areas and is challenged by her piano teacher....maybe I should not worry about her treading water in math for a year. Will it really hurt her, or will her natural abilities in math pick back up when she needs them?
My younger daughter isn't as advanced but is still repeating what she's done before. I trust the top notch staff of this new school to figure it out, they know it's not working yet and they don't need me breathing down their necks.
What would you do?
Thanks for any input,
Namaste
