The other day our first grader son came home from school with a math worksheet to be completed and returned later. When I saw what was on it, I just felt my heart sink. An example of the content: Counting by twos (fill in the missing number). DS said it was preschool math.
Since he recently scored >99% on MAP testing in math for first grade, I assumed the teacher would not bother to send such sheets home for him any longer.
So, my husband and I had a meeting with her about his math level and the work he's to expect this year. We asked for him to be moved up into 2nd grade, to which she said he already was! (This is a non-graded, blended class charter school.) We didn't realize he had been bumped up, and certainly the worksheet didn't seem to reflect that. She said that it was 2nd grade math, though. So, I asked if DS could take an end-of-the-year math test for 2nd grade to see if he knows the material. I emphasized I didn't know what, if anything, he would show gaps in. She said they didn't have a single test that covered all the math that would be taught. I thought this was strange since another teacher there told DH and me during orientation that if an advanced child can pass a test at the end of their book, then they don't have to do that book and can move on. This teacher and DS' have both been working at the school long enough to know the procedure, so I'm frankly confused by the seeming discrepancy.
But here is why I asked about the "red-flag"...She proceeded to talk about how DS isn't able to keep himself from yelling out answers he knows, so he's not mature enough to work with the 3rd grade class. Oh-oh. Didn't I read someplace that teachers throw up the social aspect to quell a parent's enthusiasm for acceleration? I don't doubt that he's been speaking out-of-turn sometimes, so perhaps she's correct in keeping him in 2nd?
Then Teacher went on to say that she can give him work from the 2nd grade "challenge book". When I asked if that would be in place of what he's being given now or in addition to, she said in addition to.
I told her that I didn't want DS to feel penalized with more work than the other kids. To which she didn't offer any solution.
I really want to know what to say from here. We have a formal PTC coming the end of this month.
