Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Meeting with teachers, advice please!

So, next Tuesday 12/12 is our meeting with the two first grade teachers. Son is bored with the math and has already told his teacher "this math is way too easy." His reading seems to be moving along at school, and I don't have much issue with that. Anxious to find out how the teacher sees his ability, though, as he still doesn't seem to be challenged much by reading.

My concern is math. I want to ask them to test him using some of the Saxon program assessment pages to see just where he is in terms of the curriculum. Then I have a couple of possible solutions. 1)Try second grade math class. Maybe do a week or two as a trial and see how he does. If he does well, then move him into 2nd grade after winter break. OR 2)use ALEKS in the classroom and let him do the 1st grade group activity then work on ALEKS while the other kids do the Saxon stuff. OR 3)Give him time with the resource teacher to do math at his level, at his speed. Could be using the ALEKS program or doing the Saxon curriculum but modified to eliminate much of the repetition that he just doesn't need.

What do you think? Sound like reasonable ideas? I really want to impress upon them that the goal is to have him do math at his level, not just add to what he is doing already and keep him doing the "way too easy" stuff that is making him crazy!

Debbie, check out www.beestar.org before the meeting and see if it can be useful. They only require about 10 minutes each day and as far as math you can do regular or gifted curriculum. I do not know much about it yet (am still in the learning phase), but it is free (for math anyway). Exercises are in such a fromat that they can be easily printed, there is regular and gifted curriculum. But, I don't think you can progrress as fast as you want. Check it out.
Ania

Good luck Debbie,
I would go in with a list of your "must haves" and your "negotiables." It sounds crazy, but ask for about twice what you want. It's just human nature. As I see it, the biggest hurdle is getting the teachers to give up making him do age-level Math. Perhaps you can draw up a release excusing them for evaluating him in Math. Honestly - a teacher friend of mine said: "But how would I grade a kid like that?"

I would also have an alternative plan availible in case you don't get your "musts." All of us have the tendency to want to "get along" and "be liked." It's much easier to think clearly in advance of the meeting than during it.

Best Wishes,
Trin

Thought I'd share the update as to how the meeting went. The teachers presented some info and examples of where DS is performing and what they are working on. Reading is going fine I think. The teacher even mentioned that he and the other two first graders may run out of first grade level work soon. So I take that as a sign that the teacher is moving them right along!

In math, I pointed out how he is not really learning new concepts and shared what I "teach" at home and what he does at home. I also shared his attitude at home ("this is way too easy", "I'm the smartest in my class" stuff coming out). So far the teachers are not seeing this at school. Good. But in math the teacher does notice the antsiness and physical activity level (signs of boredom, I think) and that he consistently works ahead of the group on the worksheets. He does seem to enjoy the enrichment stuff she gives, more hand on problem solving.

I shared some thoughts about competency testing, using ALEKS, perhaps a trial in 2nd grade after the holidays, and the teachers were pretty receptive. I also shared that DS picked a CTD course called "Math Challenges" that he will be attending for 8 Saturdays in Jan. At that point, the principal spoke up and put the brakes on! He doesn't want to make any changes to anything at this point, preferring to wait until the end of the first semester. Ugh. He kept going to back to how important the repetition is in the Saxon program. I tried to point out that DS doesn't need that much repetition. But principal just stated that he will be anxious to get feedback from the CTD teacher about how DS handles that type of class.

I guess that's better than nothing. At least the principal wants to keep meeting. He wants to get together again in early Feb. after the semester ends. The teachers were interested in ALEKS, so I gave them all the info and they said they were going to check it out. Maybe they will pretest him on some end of the year stuff. With the holidays and vacation around the corner I guess I'll just sit tight. At least he's not a behavior problem yet at school.

Oh, and I finally got the DI YSP application done. I don't know that he meets the criteria, but figured it's worth a shot for some help now and in the future. Wish us luck! Now waiting for the teachers to turn in the recommendation forms, so we won't know until January.

Thanks to all for the advice and support.