After seven months of constant fights with the school, we've finally made significant progress. During the half the day or so when he is sitting there drawing pictures of Star Wars characters while he waits for everyone else to finish assignments, his teacher is going to get him started on a research project on a subject of his choosing. He wants to do something about cave men, but we'll see how it goes. Secondly, since math is the big thing that has sent him home in tears several times (he LOVES math - but has been upset because the math in his class consists of counting dots and finding patterns), he will be visiting a second grade class for math. He came home today with a fractions worksheet - which is something we have touched on, but not much - and actually excited to do his homework and show his "new" teacher that he can do it. I had forgotten how nice it is to have your child come home excited about school.

Congrats, Treecritter!!!!

You've obviously done a great job advocating!

Thanks! I'm still new to this (He's only in first grade, after all) and was about to just give up. I knew it was bothering HIM, but I didn't realize how much it was bothering ME until I got the email from his teacher today, and actually cried. At work. In front of everyone. I'm hoping I don't have to start from scratch at the beginning of next year, but we'll take one step at a time for now.

Yippee! That great news! Hopefully this will give you an opening to hand-pick his teacher next year and continue the Math subject Acceleration.

One question: Do you think most 2nd graders are doing fractions? My memory is a bit hazy.

Love and More Love,
Robin from Connecticut

Treecutter...
congrats! My dd is also in 1st grade. Congrats on the math grade acceleration. I am so tired of counting domino dots and telling time! Frannie has had math pullouts since they returned from Christmas vacation. There are 4 kids pulled out 3 times a week for an hour each time. It is during this time they work on geometry.. they have done some cool things using 3d shapes. They have also started to work on fraction. The kids pulled out are all in a first/second grade class. I think Grinity spoke about this in a previous thread. This year I like the multi age classroom. I don't know how much I will like it next year.

once again
congrats
Sheila

To be honest, I have no idea if most second graders do fractions. Although I think they should be, because the math curriculum is way too watered down, even for an average student. In any case, DS7 is happy to go to school again, and that's what matters.

At our very good local public school, the kids start learning very superficially in kindergarten about fractions. My second-grader (who tested into the 5th grade as a first grader for math on an achievement test) is "learning" about more complicated fractions.
I remember learning about fractions in 5th grade, but they are definitely learning alot now in 2nd grade. I think in third grade they will start adding fractions with different denominators.