Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Advice on how to approach dd's teacher

My suggestion is to reframe how you're thinking of this meeting just a bit - at this point in time, you haven't talked to this year's teacher about math yet (if I'm understanding your post correctly). So look at this meeting as an opportunity to ask question about this year's math curriculum, learn what the teacher is doing in class and what the plans are for the rest of the year. Then move the discussion to what you think your dd needs. If you start off by asking questions and showing interest, you are less likely to put the teacher on the defensive, but if you start off by stating your dd needs more (before you've really heard what is already in the works for this school year), that may set off a defensive reaction on the part of a teacher if he/she is inclined to react defensively. You also *might* be pleasantly surprised and find out that what's ahead will be what you're looking for.

Since you mention that you want your dd to work on word problems, and the class is going through rote math calculations at the moment, then what you need to show that your dd *doesn't* need to work on the same math calculations is proof of mastery and proof of ability to do them quickly. I've found the same thing Ashley has re what's needed to convince teachers - data that is outside of work a parent has given their children works effectively, whereas work shown from a parent can be construed as tiger-parenting and pushing. There are different places/ways to get "data" to show what your dd is capable of - both outside and from the school. I'd suggest that when you get to the point in the conversation that you want to request "more" for your dd, and the teacher may respond with "she needs to learn x first", you reply with she already knows x (if she does), and then ask that the school test her to show that she does have that knowledge/mastery. If the school doesn't want to test her, pull out any independent data you have to show mastery (could be completed work, could be outside testing, could be a previous year's testing from school, whatever). If you don't have anything the school sees as proof, let us know what you are looking for and we can give suggestions about specific testing etc.

I suspect this teacher is striving for her students to develop "fluency" in terms of speed and accuracy before moving on to conceptual math - our teachers like to see fluency before students move on to higher level math so that they aren't getting tripped up by spending time on figuring out facts and are instead focusing on the concepts. It will help to ask your questions first because then you'll understand the teachers motivation and can then address your suggestions for solutions based on that framework, rather than based on frustration.

Best wishes,

polarbear