So over 21/2 weeks later, and quickly approaching him in person on Weds., I got a response late last night. Here it is:
Ms. Eibbed,
I was able to meet with Ms. E our Math Support Teacher today to discuss DS5. We have agreed to do some additional assessment next week to focus on some big picture math concept areas. We will not be giving him the full first or even second grade assessment. In addition, we are fortunate to have Ms. W and Ms. C co-teaching his math class. Ms. C is a member of our math team and will provide additional information about him as a math student.
In talking with Ms. W, she continues to encourage DS5 to explain his thinking, to think in multiple ways, and to think beyond just the surface level. Our goal is to push the class to go deeper with the concepts to truly understand the foundations while being able to truly explain their thinking.
We would like to meet to review the information we collect as well as to review what we see within the first month of being in Ms. W's math class during conferences. Ms. E, math support teacher, is available on Wednesday or Thursday evening of conferences, so hopefully we can schedule a conference on either Wednesday 13th, or Thursday, Feb. 14th.
Ms. ____ our front office secretary can assist in scheduling this conference.
Thank you!
Principal
So what do you think?
I find this response very disappointing.
1. They will not test him to the level that I requested and do not sound like they have any intention of trying something new or different with him. I should feel lucky that a math team teacher comes in sometimes,I know it's not every day because I have been in the classroom, to co-teach.
2. They do plan on really discussing this with me because the meeting is to be scheduled during P/T conferences and those are just 15 min. long. It does not sound like this will be a team meeting but just the math support teacher telling me how he is fine where he is.
I just don't understand what they have against true, thorough, assessment. Why don't they want to know where DS is? This class that I'm suppose to be so thankful for is where a teacher almost fell over in shock when one of the students knew what an odd number was. How could these kids know that? It hadn't been taught yet! DS has understood odd and even for a couple of years now.
I fear that this is going to leave us in the exact same position we are in now and without any additional information to make further decisions. I wanted this assessment not only so that they would really see DS5 but so that we would have acceptable and credible, in their eyes, data to discuss what options there may be? If he were to test at a 2nd grade level and there was no way to just subject accelerate him do to schedules I would like to know that. We could then have an informed discussion about in-class differentiation or maybe even talk about what other options may be out there. If we never get appropriate assessment it will always be a parent said/school said type of situation. I want to make an informed decision about subject acceleration, grade level acceleration, school change, homeschooling, or the status-quot.
I know I am rambling now but I'm at a loss. I want DS to have an answer besides "it's too easy, I know it already" when I ask him how math class was and what he learned today!
