I am holding off on the testing for now because of money issues. Despite lots of complaining about Math and reading, I think she can hang in there for this year.
I contacted DD6's 1st grade teacher again. I'm still a bit frustrated especially with the Math. I do think it was my best advocacy conversation. I'm quiet proud of myself. I had sent her a short email outlining my hopes and then referred to the email during our phone call. I actually feel that we heard each other on everything and I got all my questions anwsered. Teacher circled aroung a question once and I got right back to it.
I asked the teacher, could DD skip side B of he Saxon Math page? I felt she did not need all the review. Much of the work seems too easy like write the missing numbers: 53,?, 55, draw patterns, ect. She knew this stuff last year and some the year before. The teacher said she is not always getting 100% on side A and thought skipping side B not good for here. She did not make it into Math enrichment because she did not know multiplication and carring over addition. She said DD could bring in an Math enrichment book but I'm not sure she will have time to do it. If she does the workbook, I think this could help in the future.
DD is top reader in her class. I asked if something could be done with her hard back reader? This is done at school as a group. She said NO. This didn't bother me too much.
DD will start a 20 min a wk, pull out for reading enrichment for 2 months. Let teacher know how this works for her. I can only imagine she will love it.
11 subjects grades are 100%, except math 97%, english 99%, health 97% for this quarter in progress. She says school is too easy.
It seems to me the teachers feels everyone could use all the review no matter what. They also seem to think the students need to get 100% on everything or they don't know it. That is their program.
On the positive side, teacher is talking to DD about ARs, that she is reading above level and feeling proud of. Class also has some reading self choice time. DD is reading, A Little Princess by Burnett, 6 grade AR, which is a challenge for her. Class is given opportunity to test out of spelling test on tuesdays,DD has been successful here. Teacher is also doing some projects with the whole class that are challenging. DD just did a poster about an olympic event, generated from internet research this felt very appropriate. Whole school just did an invention project also wonderful experience.
I have issue with what to believe from DD about school. She has been saying she is not getting enough time to read and has been really upset about it. This makes no sense to me. She has reading time at school and reads 10-15 library books 2-3rd grade level at home each week. She complains in very upset ways, school is too slow and too easy. I tried to tell her she was reading enough and I would like her to play with the other kids instead of reading at recess. She complained she uses her library book up quickly and I offer the idea to bring in her big book she was reading. The it was all ok. I don't really get this.
Teacher only see a happy, suceeding, out going girl at school. I do think she is gifted but don't know level. I think pace and depth are significant issue at school but it's hard to really understand the problem if some things she says don't make sense.
I think I should stop asking for more this year for DD. They already think I'm a pest. Any thoughts on helping things improve for next year?
Last edited by onthegomom; 02/25/10 07:47 PM.
