Hi GG!
let me quote you from a previous post, because I think it's exactly what I want to say to you:
snip -
I do wish you luck, Mary, and pray that the teacher will be receptive and understanding and wise.
What is DS saying about school? Does he hate it, or not want to go? We switched schools for our DD recently because she clearly expressed that she was unhappy there and "wished she could go to another school." Do you have any back-up options for your son if this school is not willing to work with you?
Keep us posted.
-snip
Also -
-snip
It's not the *ideal* situation for DD. I know
this school and this district will never do a grade skip and probably will never let DD do subject acceleration in another teacher's room at a higher grade level. I know this teacher doesn't really truly "get it" and that DD will have to sit through some boring material she's already mastered. In most subjects she still will have to do the same curriculum as the rest of her class, even though she could be working ahead in every subject. I know that a lot of her potential will not be realized, and that saddens me.
HOWEVER--it is a better situation than what we had! And DD seems much happier, so
I am grateful for anything positive. In Reading, at least, she is able to do accelerated and independent work. The teacher started her out at a Grade 4 level in Reading homework and said she won't have to do "reading group" with the rest of the class.
I am hopeful that as the year goes on, this teacher will be willing to make some other accommodations for DD.-snip
OK - Here's my take on this. Your DD as a 1st grader is a bit of theatre. She's like ready to do 4th grade-ish material with maybe 2nd grade-ish skills, yes? I know that in the past you though that the district would never go for SSA or GS, but I think it's time to ask again. You can tell them that in-class enrichment only works when the child is within a year or two of the "best fit" academics. So, you choices are
1) homeschooling
2) another year of private school "just for the gradeskip(s)"
3) In-class Acceleration (not enrichment) That means to give up entirely the first grade curriculum unless it's already differentiated, such as in the reading, and let her work independently in every subject at her own level. Math can be with a book in the back of the class or online with ALEK. The Para can work with her on presentations in Math and Social Studies the are tangentailly related to the topics the other kids are studying (Check out School Wide enrichment model - renzulli for lots of details) Basically you want the Para to Homeschool DD while she's in the classroom, working at her own currricula, because anything less than that is a dangerous joke.
How is your daughter on touch typing? This is what made the difference for DS10, when he finally started being able to stop "learning the tool" of keyboarding, and was able to use the tool to do other work. Remember children are in school learning skills (neat handwriting, keyboarding, math facts), learning content, and learning critical thinking skills. For every area, figure out what the learning goals are, ask yourself if it's a skill, knowledge or thinking that is being mastered, and see where she is. The skills are tough, because sometimes they just won't be mastered until the body is ready. The trick is to try to meet your daughter's needs on each of the three tracks - and they will vary! This is why schools hate GS. Until the touch typing is in place, it's very difficult for a child to keep up with homework, written product at their intellectual level.
I liked the look of the website you mentioned for writing:
http://mentisonline.com/index.html Perhaps your daughter could actually do that during the day at school?
Bottom line: Get the para to work on touch typing. Design a homeschooler's curricula that can be done online during school time and get the teacher's agreement to let ignore the regular 1st grade curricula.
this all depends on how DD sees it. What does She want to do with the Para?
Love and More Love and great big hugs -
Trinity
P.S. How's the Young Scholar Program Application comming?
