Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School Expectations?

Thanks for the peek into your dd's classroom, ljoy. My ds' class is certainly moving much slower.

Melessa...

Thanks for the encouragement. I don't think (or can't fathom) that ds only qualified for B level reading...but not sure how far she pushed ds to go beyond just a few levels more. From my little knowledge I have...I think ds is reading more at an N. I'm so in the dark how AR works at this school. I know my ds told me that his teacher told him he was the best reader in class (I guess she said this a few weeks ago...that's how much ds could care less about this stuff). I don't care whether ds is the 'best reader' either. I just want him to be able to work at his level and be challenged to advance.

I am so glad that we are meeting with the principal. One of the crazy things about this school (from other moms I know) is that the K curriculum is very slow-moving (as if kids have never had PreK) but that the work gets very intense in 1st grade. Kind of a bummer that they can't find some sort of balance with more challenge in K and an easier transition to first.

I think getting with the principal now and having a "now" plan and a "then" plan would be really helpful. I hate feeling like I'm in the dark. I think the schools around here do an AWFUL job with assessing where their students are coming in. If you don't know where you are, how can you teach? Hmmm...I know the answer. They teach the curriculum no matter what. To the detrimant of the far behind and far ahead.

If I were you, I would ask them how they assess reading and what skills they are looking for when they place a kid instructionally.

What we found with reading at our school is that the initial placement decision is made based on a QRI (qualitative reading inventory) and the reading specialist requires that the kid read the passage out loud to check for decoding errors. I used to administer the QRI and you are supposed to stop read aloud at (I think) a third grade level.

Our kid never went through a stage of reading out loud, and is really uncomfortable doing so, and won't read anything out loud if he thinks it is a test.

so, he made a ton of miscues, but answered all the comprehension questions correctly at a third grade level, and they decided that meant he was instructional at a second grade level for decoding. Except that he reads and comprehends 6-8th grade level texts at home when he reads silently.

thankfully, the gifted specialist believed us and they administered additional tests that backed up our assertion and he is more appropriately placed now.

Thanks for the advice, mom of 1. I know my ds said he had to read a "baby" book ("with only one sentence on each page, Mom!") to his teacher. Not sure if he was offered herder material. DS is an aloud reader - in fact I had yo remind him recently to read to himself!

rofl.... Freud loves ya!

Baaaa....baaaaaa....I smell sheep

Seriously though, I give a global apology for my typing. The Kindle keyboard and auto word correct is awful (but my only option as laptop died).