I thought I had hit the jackpot this year when DS9 got a teacher who was all about differentiated instruction. Unfortunately, while he does get to do advanced math, she is also required to make him do the regular assignments with the rest of the class. Okay, no big deal. So he does a mindless subtraction worksheet, then can move on to the cool stuff that he really enjoys, right? Here's the problem: only the regular assignments that everyone does count toward his grade. But he is getting mediochre grades on those, while excelling at his advanced math...which doesn't count. So I'm kind of in a multi-faceted quandry. First, I've always taught him that learning is more important than grades, and that is exactly what he tells me when I try to get him to put some effort into his basic math. If he's learning in the advanced math, but not in the basic, then that means he SHOULD put more effort into it. But I also want him to understand that his grades do matter....especially if it takes so little to keep them up! My other issue is whether or not I should be upset that his advanced math is not being counted. If it was, he would have fantastic grades. But the school system sees it as unfair for the curriculum to be different for different kids. In other words, if someone looks at his grades, it won't show whether he is in advanced classes, and it will look like he is not doing as well as he is. I understand that. But at the same time, shouldn't he be graded on what he is learning?
I feel like I'm talking in circles on this post. But hopefully someone will be able to give some advice on how to get him to put at least a LITTLE effort into his basic math, and how to handle the grade issue!
