Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Concerned about new reading program - Treasures

Hi, I am new here and would like some advice please. Has anyone had any experience with this program or similar basal reading programs Open Court, Journeys, Story Town etc.) at their child's public school?

Prior to the implementation of this program my child (who just finished kindergarten) could pick out his own books to read in class and write in his writing log and enjoyed doing this. However, with this new program the children are limited to the books available in the "beyond level" selection that comes with the program. Unfortunately the "beyond level" selection is made up of really skimpy books for children reading at just above grade or perhaps the grade level above, while my son reads at about 2-3 levels above grade. My son said he is bored and is not learning anything from the program which now takes up a good chunk of class time. He had never complained of boredom before but instead took advantage of his classroom time writing little stories and reading books he found interesting. My son has been reading since he was 2 1/2 years old.

Just wondering if anyone else is familiar with this program or similar ones and what the teachers in your children's school do to meet the needs of gifted children when such programs are implemented in their school. I found on the internet that a school district in Maryland Anne Arundel which uses Treasures also implements a program call "crosswalks" for gifted children but could not find any details of it. My child's school does not have a gifted and talented program but perhaps if I knew what others do to overcome this problem his teacher may be willing to implement it just for him and others in a similar situation.

Our district implemented Journeys this past year and the teachers identified this same problem with the program. There are a number of kids who are beyond the "beyond level" selections. Our school plans to supplement those selections next year with a larger, more advanced selection.

Sorry, I know that probably doesn't help you in your particular situation, but I just wanted to share that issue has been identifed at least in other schools as well.

Lucy

Have you talked to the teacher about this yet? I wonder if they have some flexibility to give other curriculum to kids whose needs aren't being met. I know that my son's school adopted a new literacy program last year, and all the classes were supposed to use it, including my son's HG program. The teachers do have some flexibility though, and I think they used it for a month and then set it aside. A lot of reading programs are not geared toward gifted kids, unfortunately.

I recommend first talking with the teacher, explaining how last year was so successful when your child got to select his own materials. If you get the sense that the teacher doesn't feel there's any flexibility, I would bring in the curriculum director/GT coordinator/principal for a powwow about what to do for the kids who are beyond this program.

MurphysMom, thanks your post. It does help me see what other schools are doing to address this issue. Perhaps that is something the school will be willing to consider in the library purchasing or using existing books that are more advanced that match the themes in the reading program for the year.

st pauli girl, I don't who his teacher will be for the next school year. I spoke to his current teacher (that is for the school year that has just ended) and she expressed some exasperation with the program and said I was correct that the beyond level books are not at his level at all. I got the impression that she was not given any flexibility in implementing the program and that she could only do something about it if she was asked to do so by the principal. I agree I would need to have a meeting with the principal and curriculum director however would like to be prepared for the meeting. There is no GT coordinator for the school.

I would like to be able to make some suggestions to them based on what other schools are doing, because they may not even have considered what to do with children that are reading well beyond grade level.