Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Am I crazy?

Just my thoughts


This is interesting, I understand the teacher's issue, but her solution is worse then the problem of some kids trying to read above their level.

Instead of keeping the harder books away until the reading levels can be determined more levels need to be kept out until levels can be determined. However, this could be more difficult for the teacher to deal with until evaluations are complete. This difficulty may encourage the evaluations to be completed quicker. The teacher is answering the following question, whats worse having readers attempting (with out much success) to read above their levels, or to have readers being bored (and discouraged) reading well below their reading levels. Also, it is absolutely ridiculous for the teacher not to allow you dc to bring in a book. I would feel that she does not value my understanding of my own child's reading level.

Please post after your meeting I am, as I'm sure others are also, curious about what they could possibly say to defend this teacher's decision.

We got the same thing in 1st/2nd grade. It was frustrating as my DD needed a push to attempt something a little longer. She was hooked on "fairies" and she could read those books so quickly...The reason I was given was so they could get "confidence" reading out loud. Very frustrating when she could read most of the newspaper. I ended up signing the reading log and telling her to read silently in case she got quizzed and then just read something else. The outloud reading got old. This is part of the reason I left DD6 at the montessori another year. This all seemed to get a little better by 3rd grade in our Public schools. No more 6 weeks of assessing DRA levels, etc.

Eleanor - I have seen kids act with way. In fact my son got into a 'reading duel' with a boy in his 2nd grade class over the 'Series of Unfortunate Events' books, which had no intrinsic appeal to my son, but one boy was braging about how far he was in the series, and my DS felt that this was a good oppertunity to show off.

((It's been a long and difficult process to wrap my mind around my son's orrientation to peer attention. He is very different from me in some ways.))

Anyway, I think Ioconco's advice is excellent. And I think what is really needed is a reading assesment ASAP. I can't believe that it takes 4 weeks to see where the children are reading, but I don't know anything about the inside of classrooms.

Try tomorrow to get an agreement that the assesment will continue to find DS's actual level, and not just stop when he reaches the highest level in the building or some artificial ceiling. Try to get them to be excited about providing him with some peer in reading so he can get the same opportunities to learn in a social context as everyone else. You might want to steer it towards looking for a skip or subject accel, with some temporary relief from the current teacher while the testing is being done.

Best Wishes,
Grinity

A little more background on the situation. The school has a complete file on our DS that includes a psychological evaluation from his Kindergarten year, including achievement testing, IQ (140 on the WPPSI), and a battery of other tests. His achievement testing showed better results than the IQ. The teacher told me she was given the file at the beginning of the year and she chose not to read it. I get that she was trying to form an unbiased opinion of DS, and yes, the report is older now, but after you see behavioral problems and complain that the child " can't attend to anything" you think she would be more interested. I'm actually more concerned with the math he is being asked to do than the reading because that is where he really is a superstar.

Also, last year his teacher did reading assessments and said he tested to the O level. I asked her if that was where he hit the ceiling or where she stopped the test. She said her book only went up to O and the very next day she sent DS to the reading specialist who said he was at an R or beginning 4th grade, I think. He actually didn't even enjoy reading last year and it wasn't until we cracked the Percy Jackson series this summer that he really got into it.

This is a public school in a district that has no mandate, funding, or even recognition for gifted education. My plan is to get the grade skip I've asked for in the past or get him complete and total differentiation in math. The school subscribes to an on-line math program and every child is eligible for a username and password. She does not use this in her classroom however, and when I asked if it was an option for him she didn't respond directly, which gives me hope, as she didn't say no outright.

The principal knows me and my child. I've made it a point to be a stalwart volunteer at the school. We'll see if it helps! Stay tuned....

Good for you for asking about the ceiling issue. It so amazes me to watch teachers makes statements like 'he tested to O level' without batting an eye, sadly this is normal moral behavior from a teacher's perspective.

Good for your particular teacher that she got the reading specialist on the job so quickly - in school time 'the next day' is truely amazing, and like '30 seconds' in your life. She didn't have to do that, she could have stuck to her position defensively, which is a really good sign.

Still I hate it that if you hadn't asked, she wouldn't have done it own her own.

That whole 'unbiased' approach thing is frustrating, but can work for certian children. Still I agree that once the issues arose, it would be nice if she had taken a peek. What I hear as translation is: "I don't really understand what's in those folders, so I don't open them." Which I can sort of understand.

The big question is 'how far up would he have to go for reading to find a room with a reading group that's working at an R level.' I know Math is on your mind, but don't ignore Reading. Kids like this can 'jump ahead' wildly and unpredictably, and deserve to learn with readiness-peers in every subject.

((shrugs and more shrugs))
Looks like you are on the right path.
Grinity

<<Sigh>>

When I was that age I was reading a lot of Farley Mowatt/Jack London books but the class was doing "See Spot Run" books. The teacher decided that I needed to do the "See Spot Run" books with the rest of the class. It was very frustrating.

After a bit of drama when I walked out of the school and could not be found - and some discussion with the school, I then got to go to the library for the first hour and then sat in the back of class reading, taking tests as required.

--

Mr W was evaluated at his Montessori School and we found that they just did the "three year" old stuff as the ceiling. When we looked at the evaluation form, which went all the way through K, he had almost all of it. Their response was that they just stop at three because he was just turned three.

As his new school, he will be evaluated in a week and we made sure they will use the test ceiling rules, not an age ceiling.

I wish I had a nickle for every time I've heard that story. It seems to be 'unAmerican' or something like it to want the simple courtesy of being seen for who you are at a particular moment in a school setting.

((shrugs))
Grinity

Quote ("Good for you for asking about the ceiling issue. It so amazes me to watch teachers makes statements like 'he tested to O level' without batting an eye, sadly this is normal moral behavior from a teacher's perspective.

The big question is 'how far up would he have to go for reading to find a room with a reading group that's working at an R level." )end quote

This sort of not testing to see where the child really is frustrates me tremendously!!! And not providing challenging books to read is especially hard to understand because it is so easy to do.

At the end of GD7's Kindergarten year we were given her reading level as "I" which we knew was not realistic. When the teacher was asked she said the district did not allow them to test more than 2 grade levels ahead. At the end of 1st grade her reading level was stated as "V" with 184 wpm fluency and perfect score on comprehension. I'm not sure if she even hit a ceiling there or that was as far as they could test. A recent homework assignment was to read and name a book that was difficult for them last year - GD said she couldn't do that one because there were not any difficult ones for her last year. Of course there are books that would be hard for her but none she tried to read.

Last week her 2nd grade class was reading Henry and Mudge books. Fortunately GD still enjoys them even though she read them 2 years ago. She is identified as GT in a mixed ability classroom. She now gets math enrichment homework worksheets which completely lack challenge - she finishes them in no time.

I keep hoping the differentiation will improve as we get further into the year. Good luck to you.

Good Luck GM5. Has anyone contacted the gifted coordinator about this question? Seems like some home-adult needs to crank up the school machine and see what can be gotten out of it.

Shrugs,
Grinity