We've asked for different spelling words because that seemed like the easiest thing to change. The teacher has added 5 bonus words like "nocturnal" and "animal" but DD still has to do the other easy 15 words. She said that it was the best way to do it without having to give certain kids a different test.
I went in yesterday to ask for two things: 1) that she go to a 2nd grade class for LA instruction and 2) that she get harder spelling words INSTEAD of the easy ones. Those were the two things I thought of requesting. I'm open to suggestions for more requests. Apparently she's getting some differentiated centers but the teacher agreed that it's not enough. The teacher's hands have been somewhat tied, I think, based on the fact that the class is very diverse in abilities (she has three special needs kids in the class: 2 GT kids and one child with down syndrome, plus mixed abilities in between). Plus, she's been told that she must stay in line with what all of the other classes are doing in terms of the basic curriculum. This is more of a district policy, I believe.
Back to my requests: I didn't get to talk with the counselor because she's out all week doing GT testing. At this point I figure that I'll just wait until Monday.
And you know, I probably would be more willing to pull her out and try homeschooling if it weren't for the fact that I'm a complete wimp. I'm the PTA president of this new school. I generally think the school is great, it's just not currently working for my daughter. Yet I'm so afraid of what the fallout would be of my pulling her out that I'm really trying to make it all work. I'm hopeful that they'll agree to second grade work in LA and then maybe we could ask for a grade skip. I'm really embarrassed to admit that I'm concerned about what other people will think if we made a change. The rezoning has been such a big deal in our community because of the racial and socioeconomic diversity that it has created. Many people were opposed to the way the zoning was done. It's become "that school" in the neighborhood, and I'm determined to prove to the snobby and prejudiced people that they are wrong. I think very highly of the administrators and teachers at the school, and I wouldn't want people to get the wrong impression. I'm not in a position to just silently fade out; I feel like I'd have to explain our decision, and that's something I'm not sure I could do very well without sounding elitist. See, I told you that I'm a wimp.
I'm feeling like I'm not a very good parent right now. I didn't want this position of PTA president; I was the only one who was willing to even try to organize something. I took it reluctantly because i thought that if we were moving to the new school I wanted to make it the best school it could be. Now I feel like that decision is affecting the way I handle things for my DD, and that really bothers me. I'm probably making it too complicated.
Are there any other suggestions for what I should request in the meeting?
Last edited by AmyEJ; 10/23/08 09:27 AM.
