DS5 (first grade, early entry) is complaining at home much more about having to do "kindergarten math" at school, fussing about doing the repetitive Saxon math program at home (but eventually does complete the two math pages for us) and now is refusing to read "those stupid preschool books with easy words and stupid stories".
I had sent a book to school for his teacher to see, that he is able to read at a higher level, a book on Hurricanes that he had picked out. I asked if he could read that one at school as his extra book. She sent back a note that he "needs to stay with the group. Little Bear lends itself beautifully in teaching quotations and we will be doing an activity on that soon." When I told DS that the note said he needed to read the assigned books he stated "I'm not going to read anymore stupid stories. I think it is way past time for me to go to second grade!"
My husband and I are getting frustrated again. In Dec. the principal wanted to wait and see on the math. Now the teacher doesn't seem to understand the need for more complex stories. And son is getting turned off school already! He keeps saying things like how he reads better than other kids, that he knows all the math, that he doesn't need to go to school because he already knows everything they teach there. Yet as of Dec. the teachers were not aware of his unhappiness. They said they have not seen any attitude problems or had refusal to do work. In fact, they pointed out that he "is learning to wait for the others and not read ahead/do the worksheet ahead of us." Both his teachers noted that they praised him for his patience. UGH!!!!! Slowing him down in NOT what we want!!!!!!
We are supposed to meet again at the end of this semester, at the principal's suggestion. That will be the end of Jan/early Feb. I have a feeling that nothing is really going to change until DS becomes a behavior problem at school. I'm sure it is just a matter of time before he starts disrupting the class and refusing stuff at school. Is there any hope that advocacy can head that off?! I'm sorry to ramble and vent, but I thought we were doing so well. Maybe this is just a bump in the road? Can someone give me hope?!
