Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School 1st/2nd Grade 2010-2011

On our report cards, they only put "above grade level". Grrrr.

They have A-P listed on ours b/c the system they use (matrix grading) is for K-3. They are supposed to circle the letter. 4th grade starts the A, B, C grading.

DS in K got two separate ones, the K and the graded. Maybe you could ask for one?

The entire district goes by this Rubric (they use 1-3+ scale, with 1 being "isn't progressing" and 3+ being "exceeds")... so there are no physical grades to report. Their papers are even "graded" that way.

I wish they weren't graded like that though. In Art, he got a 2, which is progressing towards meeting the standards. So I questioned it because even though he's not Picasso, it seemed based on the Rubrics, he would at least meet the standards. The problem was that the TEACHER didn't get to finish the standards for the first 9 weeks, so she couldn't record 3s for anyone. So on one hand I understand the 2, but on the other hand, it isn't DS6.5's fault, like the 2 suggests.

I was going to mention it higher up the food chain at the school, but a 2 in Art is the least of my concerns. DS6.5 tested out of the water in math and language arts as well. It seems that he should be accelerated again (or subject accelerated), but he fits so well socially that I'm at a loss as to what to do next.

Time to visit that Charter school with "evidence" that he needs to be there.

I just got to see ds7's report card this morning - they have 3 choices in each section - N (needs help), I (improving), and P (proficient). In the specials, they also have E - (exceeds expectations). Ds got all P's, of course. One surprise - he got an "E" in art !! Oh - and an "I" in music, which if you've ever heard him sing, comes as no surprise LOL
Also - he told me yesterday that the last thing they will do in ULE this year (that's the gifted pull-out program) - is "cutting up a frog". He for some reason thinks that will be the coolest thing ever !

NCPMom: Yay! I must say, though, that I'm glad my DS6 isn't cutting up frogs. Tree frogs have been his favorite animal since he was 2. He'd be distraught!

Had to comment on the frog. My mom dropped my DS6 off at my work a few weeks ago, and he rode the bus with me to the faraway parking lot. A coworker saw him, snuggled up on my lap, and said hi and asked him if he was in kindergarten. DS said, indignantly, no, I'm in 2nd grade! She then asked how old he was, he said 6, and she said, being funny, "Really, oh, so are you doing dissection in school now?" DS immediately responded, "I hope we dissect a dog. I would really like to see what it looks like inside a dog." I was equally surprised that he knew what dissection was, and that he wanted to cut up a dog (his favorite animal).

No grades here... I tried to get DS6 to remember his MAP scores when he took them last week, since they pop up on the bottom of the screen when you're done, but he couldn't remember.

That's funny about the dissection, DS6 may know about it..but not sure yet. We haven't gotten report cards yet, but ours are on a number system as well. 1= below avg, 2 = slightly below standard, 3 = at standard, 4 = above standard. Last year all his grades were 4, except in all of the areas of organization and behavior hwere they were mostly 2's and 3's. There are more areas on organizational skills and behavior then there were academics...it's pretty amusing. This year at one of our meetings they were debating how to grade his math since he is taking 4th grade math and weren't sure whether to grade it as a 4th grader or a 2nd. I thought it was a silly argument. I am pretty certain either way he will get a 4 so not sure why it matters. Maybe I am a weird mom but I am looking forward to some 3's someday in the academics (and dreaming of 4's in the organization and behavior areas).

another funny thing about grading. Frequently they have to start students as lower to make them improve. If you started everything high and they stayed the same that would imply they learned nothing, right? So that is the dilemma of teachers (which I find ridiculous). Ironically same thing happened to me in my job when I was rated by my supervisor working in schools. I had to laugh as they explained to me that even though I was doing great in every area they had to give me 3's so that I could progress to 4's over the first couple years. They have to show growth

I forgot to mention that on ds7's report card, the only "black" mark was under "talks at appropriate times". He has a blurting problem - had the same problem in 1st grade, but as soon as I heard about it and talked with him about it, he stopped. I have heard NOTHING this year, until seeing his report card. I asked his teacher about it - and she said it was the sole reason he was not this quarter's "Top Dog" in his class (they choose a child from each class in each grade to be "Top Dog" - have a special assembly to announce it etc). To my son it is a very big deal (he was Top Dog one quarter in 1st grade). In one way, I wish his teacher had told me about the blurting so I could nip it in the bud - and he would've had a chance at Top Dog. On the other hand, I'm kind of pleased she didn't - this way, he'll go out of his way to quit the blurting so he can be Top Dog next time
On the grading - I just realised that in 3rd grade they get letter grades - and he goes to 3rd grade for math - so not sure what will happen with that. Guess I'm slow on the uptake this year LOL