Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy San Diego Quick--what is it?

Have they done STAR testing? That is what they test reading levels with here. Honestly, the San Diego Quick doesn't look all that accurate to me either. Until they get him into an appropriate group, maybe you could just keep giving him the books he is enjoying. As my DS10 has gotten older I've realized how much more important it is for them to enjoy reading regardless of what level they are reading on. My DS likes to read books below where he should be but he is enjoying them so much I don't want to stop him and force something else on him just because it is "on his level". kwim??? So if your DS has found books he enjoys, I'd say just keep on with that. It sounds like you're doing a great job finding what he likes!

Agreed. It's so hard to find books that are appropriately challenging but also appropriate in terms of subject matter! If they're happy with what they're reading--even if it's "easy," then I think that's what really counts.

After all, we can probably all read a grad school textbook, but we probably all pick up something significantly easier to read for pleasure from time to time, don't we? I don't see why our kids should be any different!

That's the first assessment they've done for your son? Wow! That seems kind of slow, but maybe typical for kindergarten? DS has done at least 3 thus far in grade 1 .

Maybe ask your teacher if you could send some books from home? We do that often.

My DS also loves to devour books "below level" for him too. It's like brain candy. Like Geronimo Stilton or Goosebumps.

They don't do STAR testing until second grade. I don't think the Kindergarteners are expected to read at all so it was kind of an extra thing that she tested some of them. She borrowed the test from a first grade teacher.

There are about four kids in his class who can read at all (out of 20). Half the kids can't count to 40 or recognize all the letters of the alphabet. 1/4 are ESL students who speak Spanish, Chinese, Hindi or Farsi. It is very difficult for the teacher to find time to do anything for my DS.

I volunteer every Friday for 3 1/2 hours--I teach at the science station and help the teacher. She had me help her with assessments last week--that's how I know how many kids can count, etc. (Not sure I like the idea of parents assessing the kids, but she asked me to do it...so I did.)

Cathy

I've been assessing kids during my volunteer time for the past 6 years. The kids and I have gotten a great bond because of all the one on one time. Coming from health care, it freaked me out a bit at first because I never was instructed that these scores should be kept private. I do make sure I don't tell anyone else how individual kids did, but no one ever told me not to, which still seems odd.

So much of our poor teachers' time is taken up with testing, I was glad to be able to take the testing off their hands so they could TEACH.

My DS did take the star test when he was in K, but that was because the K teacher wanted to get him started on higher level books. She took him down to a second grade classroom and had him made an honorary member of the class so he could log onto that computer. If you are on good terms with the teacher, you might mention that you wondered how he would do on a STAR test. Maybe you could escort him to wherever he needs to go to get it done during your volunteer time.

Not that I actually think its all that great a test--it's a fill in the blank multiple choice vocabulary test. One of the higher level words my DS got was "narcotics." I think he was in first grade at the time and I just kept thinking what kind of twisted home would my 6yo be from if he actually knew the word narcotics LOL. I was very pleased he got it wrong, actually!

They let your son do the STAR test? They are so strict about the testing protocol here, I would be shocked if they agreed to something like that. The teachers are VERY stressed about STAR testing--which is not good for my sensitive DD

I've also done assessments on children in DS's classroom with small passages and sight words. I do definitely feel like I have info I shouldn't have!

It does sound like your teacher has her hands full! We do have a number of ESL kids at our school. My son had 2 ESL students in his class last year that were so sharp (and I suspect hothoused!). They were better readers than most of the children in the class and were good buddies with DS. Unfortunately, both of them moved away this year.

Good luck! Hope they find something for your DS to engage him.

Probably no one told the teacher that the info should be private, and that's why volunteers are doing assessments without even being instructed to keep it to themselves.

Sad!

It bothers me because the assessments are the only time the kids get one-on-one with the teacher. If she is not assessing them herself, does she really have a clear idea of where they are?

The counting assessment was carried out in an odd way. Here is what I was told to do:

1. Pull a kid out of the group activity (storytime)
2. Ask them to "show me how high" they can count
3. Record the last correct number.

Problems:

If a kid counts to 100 but skips 23 he gets the same score as a kid who counts to 23 and has no idea what's next.

Kids want to get back to the story and just say "I don't know" so they can stop counting.

Kids who can count indefinitely are not sure what to say or where to stop.

Cathy

Acs, I like the story about your son and the sign at preschool.

Here's a funny thing my DS5 said to me yesterday. I was telling him that it was time to stop asking questions (he asks me LOTS of questions) and finish his dinner. He replied, "But Mom, I have to ponder or die!" I guess answers are more important to him than food...

Cathy