Oh Debbie,
I'm so glad you got to see it in action. I bet you barely recognised your own child! I'm glad the principle was there also! Remind me, is this a public or independent school?
Ok - Here's your homework between now and the meeting. Try to assess your child in three distict areas of school performance: Skills, Knowledge Base, and Critical Thinking.
If you school has a website or a brochure, get access to the "scope and sequence" for the grade levels. Look at the grade level the child is in, and the next few grade levels. Put a S next to the Skills, K next to the information the child is suppposed to learn, and a C next to the integrative type products that would demonstrate critical thinking the child is supposed to achieve.
Then next to each S, K or C, try to figure out how you can demonstrate where the child is in contrast to the school's teaching goals.
Here are some examples:
1) Skills - find those Saxon end of year tests, and have him fill them out, for the next few grade levels, with camcorder rolling if possible. You want them to SEE how quickly he moves along. Figure out which Math fact he has automatisity on. Write it down.
Get handwriting samples, both 1st draft and final product type writing, printing and cursive. Get permission to show samples to the teachers and get a feel for where you child is.
Reading Comprehension - there are cheap internet reading assesments ((Help - someone get a link?)) Or try and find the lexile number of the books your child reads at home, by googling Lexile and the book's title. Make a list of 5 books your child has read lately and their lexiles.
Social Skills - see if you can get some observations of your child on playdates with older children of various ages. Again, if you can get it on tape, that's the best, but it's tricky.
Knowledge - See what topics are being covered in Social Studies and Science. Ask child to write, type or dictate what they know about the covered topics. Take your time, have fun.
Critical thinking - I'm foggiest about this one. If you have the IQ/WJ/ or Talent search tests that can help. Camcorder your child talking about a "unit studies" type project or collection they have at home. Keep a log of "profound" things they say around the house. Ask them to make a sample "public service announcement" about a topic that interest them. ((Help - any free or cheap internet assesments?))
Try your best to assign grade levels to all these various topics. Get an overall picture of what your child is ready to learn. Get on tape what your child looks like when you teach something in the correct "readiness" level.
This sounds like a tall order. I believe that it will pay off in terms of your confidence to guide the school, and minimize mistakes that will cost your child emotionally. It's great when the school steps forward and offers to do their share, but in the end, the ultimate responsibility rests squarely on our shoulders. Not fair or appealing, perhaps, but come here for support and vent when it feels like "too" much. Don't do any of it until you can think of a way to make the next part fun.
Readiness! Our new watchword!
Love and More Love (because that's what it takes)
Trinity
