Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy DRA Reading help

Irena - I don't think he can be failed if he doesn't read those specific books. Maybe set up a special reading challenge for him at home; let him set a target of books and read them. Take them to school etc. You can tell him quite bluntly that those levels are unnecessary to monitor his personal progress, that he should read for enjoyment rather.

you are not failing him this way, he is not stagnating - he will be moving ahead faster than on the DRA levels, and you can thereby explain to him that the levels are unnecessary for him and that you want him to pick books based on his interest rather than the school's perception of where he should be at now. The teacher should be happier because he isn't asking for more challenging readers, so win-win for everyone I'd say.

It took me ages to get Aiden reading again after this exact same issue with the DRA levels. He got so frustrated when he wasn't progressing in the levels and I wish someone had told me earlier to just subvert.

Someone here once said something about advocacy for the general gifted populace being awesome - just not at the expense of his/her child. I didn't get it at the time. I do now.

Thanks Sweetie. I got it.

Thanks Madoosa. It is easier at this level because there are interesting books for him at this level - unlike when thety would try to keep him at the lower levels. I am going to see if they can re-tests him or what. I already sent the email. Not sure how far I'll get. Hoping to get a teacher next year that actually likes DS!

She would love my DS. DS's teacher mainly just works with him on math one-on-one but teaches him very advanced concepts (right now he's learning how to solve problems like (-18)-(-29)=. DS tells her he already knows how to do this and actually sometimes tells her she's wrong and argues with her about answers! I don't think his tone is necessarily as rude as that sounds, but still! DS is so sweet and quirky it's hard for anyone to get mad at him. But I don't know what happened to my quiet passive little guy. He will also say things like "That work is way too easy for me." when he sees the regular first grade stuff. She said she's kind of annoyed by that and has been working on it with him, but she's not judgmental and crabby like your teacher.

Wow so jealous - my DS would love that!

I do understand not wanting him to make other children feel less than or being boastful. God knows we have ourselves been on the other end and it so hurts (I do remind DS of that). In fact, I think that is why he really wants to work on and excel in the subjects he does do well and why he is proud of them. And why it means so much to him earn his levels in reading and math. Gotta remember this kid is the only kid in his class who can't write. At ALL. Every day, all day he is reminded, as are all of the other kids, that he can't write . He writes letters and numbers backwards - still. He is the only one. You know how that looks and feels... All the other kiddos write with ease and write well - really well. My kid just can't, and every day he knows it and all the other kids do too... Now his little brother is writing. So maybe she could go a little easier on him - find a way to remind him to be a bit more modest without the public humiliation - sheesh!

I think they really need to do something about he math. He can't go for another 4 weeks without learning anything? Or can he? I guess he can.... I told him to read when he is finished his math but he gets in trouble for that because he has to be doing math work in math. Sigh. he asked if I could send in a math packet for him to do when he gets bored so I guess I'll do that.

DS's teacher thinks that the next teacher is just going to carry on next year the way she has and teach him whatever he needs to master next. She said "I'm teaching him the negative integers because that's what showed up on computerized test as an objective." It's wonderful that she has done that, but I'm not sure what planet she is on. From everything that I've read here and my experience with the other school, what she is doing is not normal.
DD hasn't learned anything for a good long time. The teacher tried reading groups for about 2 weeks and then gave up. So everyone does the same reading. DD says that someone pulled them out to assess them and now they each have a "letter" but it's up to them if they want to read and what book they want to read. If they have any reading instruction, the whole class gets instructed on the same thing. So your school looks like a dream compared to that. Just to put it in perspective.

Okay, so we're going to have conference. Looks like it will be with DS's reading teachers (the teachers rotate groups) and principal. The dir of specEd was cc'ed also, not sure why or if she will attend.

So I am going to approach it as we discussed, i.e., that this is a problem b/c DS is not making appropriate progress. I am sure that they will argue he is making progress even though he didn't pass the test. They will say he improved in fluency and his summaries are good, he just didn't pass the test. Any ideas how to counter this? Also, I think I would like him re-tested to make sure he wasn't just having a bad day (when he told me what his teacher said that he e missed on the test, he commented that he may have accidently skipped a page when he was reading (you know two pages get stuck together or something). He may just have been having a bad day. (Allergies are bad and he's all drugged up, etc. it's a bad time of year.) Can he be re-tested (obviously with a different text)? Should I ask that they re-test him prior to the conference so that we are sure we are talking about lack of progress? Or, should I wait to discuss that at the conference? Any ideas would be so appreciated.

If he should be ending the year at level 38 (presupposing appropriate growth and progress), I want to try and get him there. Obviously, it's not the end of the world, but he gets so demoralized by this stuff and he gets resentful that his level does not correspond with his work and effort. So, if it's just them being jerks about the above-grade level - I would like to get around that if I can and have him at his appropriate level. Also if he doesn't get recognized at the appropriate level then he doesn't get taught at the appropriate level and that is disastrous b/c he is bored and irritated, etc. On the other hand, if he really isn't learning the skills or doesn't have the skills he should be gaining at this level, I want that addressed. (and maybe tested again at the end of the year after some remediation).

Any help would be appreciated!

I would have been furious if a teacher had deliberately humiliated my DS- and involving other kids is inexcusable.

I know that this thread is about the lack of growth shown on the DRA and the teacher who sounds kind of like a bully, frankly.

My DS7 took the DRA earlier this year, and I know that understanding the characters (motivations, growth, etc.) was what kept him at the 3rd grade level. I give him mid third to fourth grade options for "realistic fiction and characterization." I read some classics out loud that emphasize different people, motivations, character traits. Right now, we're finishing up "Black Beauty." I highly, highly recommend reading it out loud and talking about it.

Books that are fantasy, plot driven, etc. DS goes all the way up to middle and high school provided that the themes aren't too mature. Right now, he's valiantly trying to get through 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (his reading choice-ideally, this one could have waited).

I give DS math at home rather than wait for the school to get with the program (he's in private). I don't know how sustainable this will be long term. At some point, I may find that we have to homeschool or request more accommodation. We switched schools primarily because of math, but also because the reading wasn't up to par. My DS scored nearly four years above grade level in language (the school's own test!) and they insisted upon keeping him at a 1st grade reading level. "See Spot Run" at school and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" at home.

This is terrible! My older DS has such a low tolerance for this - he would have been acting out like crazy.