Thanks to everyone. Our schedule has been nuts and I couldn't get back. I met with her new reading teacher and she was a previous reading teacher to 4-5th graders. I feel better. Plus she has a very good friend in her class who is actually at her level or above...so there is is one peer. I asked her new "ELA/reading" teacher and she honestly said she doesn't know how to assess these two and is working with the district and the principal to figure things out. But I felt better about the fact that they recognize the difference plus...
They are going to make sure, absolutely sure, she is ok on comprehension, fluency, retelling etc. So that part I like. They are working on expanding her writing. She is a bit of an underachiever...I was too...so she is not acting bored. I am more concerned with her learning how to learn and not take things easy.. That is why I push. I was a complete underachiever.
We love her school for the social aspects (neighborhood school, many kids on our street go there) and we really value public education. Our school has a large % of lower SES and there is definitely a racial imbalance both because of the areas population and people moving about 3-4 grade. Our school system is unique in that it offers contained gifted classrooms in two elementary schools if the child qualifies as gifted in reading, math AND superior cognitive (that started this year). She is an awesome reader and probably gifted superior cognitive, but not sure she would score as gifted in math alone. This is actually a new thing, last year, and is causing all sorts of controversy in the district. The contained gifted class is not in our school.
We have conferences in March. I will let you know what they decided about figuring out "these two". I appreciate all the advice and am going to look into some of the resources.
Kathy K: My understanding is that she is at level "z" for reading fluency and comprehension, but since this is somewhat new to them, I am happy they are making sure her comprehension is there too. Clare is a young first grader..six until June....she is reading and comprehending Harry Potter (first) and the BFG and my childhood favorite Trixie Beldon books, but she is frightened by a lot of the little things that happen in them. She'll sit and read a Judy Moody, Magic Schoolbus, Magic Treehouse book in an hour. She loves non-fiction..National Geographic has great books...her new teacher suggested Ella the Enchanted (we just ordered). I also use the Book Wizard on Scholastic but they just changed it to make it more difficult. You can pick age interest separate from reading level...although I have to say most come back as non-fiction with the young kids.
I'll keep you posted and try to get back more frequently. I appreciate all your thoughts!
