The teacher is not aware of my DD's reading level

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Who said anything about a race? I just want my child to be challenged at school. I don't care if she's ahead of your Karla or not.

It sounds like you are in horse race constantly comparing you DD and her number if awards with other children.

Also, as to our four year old friend, can you accept the idea that not four year olds are the same and some might be gifted?

Of course four-year-olds can be gifted. But there is still a lot of Harry Potter that a four-year-old will miss, simply because a four-year-old is four. What is even the most gifted four-year-old going to make of this paragraph, for example?

"It doesn't mean defeating death in the way the Death Eaters mean it, Harry," said Hermione, her voice gentle. "It means... you know... living beyond death. Living after death."

But they were not living, Harry thought: they were gone. The empty words could not disguise the fact that his parents' mouldering remains lay beneath snow and stone, indifferent, unknowing. And tears came before he could stop them, boiling hot and then instantly freezing on his face, and what was the point in wiping them off, or pretending? He let them fall, his lips pressed hard together, looking down at the thick snow hiding from his eyes the place where the last of Lily and James lay, bones now, surely, or dust, not knowing or caring that their living son stood so near, his heart still beating, alive because of their sacrifice and close to wishing, at this moment, that he was sleeping under the snow with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know, I watched a documentary about Finnish schools whose students undergo a sinlgle test throughout the entire school. The reasoning is that the teacher should know without any testing where each student is.

I spend more time with DD than the teacher. Why would you assume I don't know her reading level? I do. I don't need fancy tests to know, but just to prove the point at school she is testing for 2nd grade level.

So why on Earth would you be sending toddler books for her to read? I can only attribute that to a mistake.

I assumed - and still assume - you don't know her true reading level. Parents always spend more time with their children. Parents have also usually spent more time reading with their children. Parent have NOT spent more time reading with their children with a notepad writing down every single word that comes out of the child's mouth, including 'uhs'. Parents are often not taking the book away and saying to the child, "Now John, retell the book to me." If the parent is doing this, most likely the parent is untrained and will accept a SUMMARY and not a retelling. They are completely different.

And...just to prove "the point at school" as you so sweetly point out, if she's "testing for 2nd grade level" then the teacher is already aware of her reading level, no? Schools don't usually test kindergarteners beyond the end of the first grade level. Anyway, you seem to know everything. We were trying to help explain to you how reading levels work, but you go ahead and teach the teacher a lesson or two.

OP, the PP is telling you the DCUM rules:
1) You are not allowed to think that your child is doing anything more than "average" or "grade level". If you think your child is ahead, you must be wrong.
2) If you disagree with a teacher about anything, you are wrong, and you are one of those "snowflake" parents.

But in real life, my kid's teacher has been wrong about her reading level all year. Which I gently questioned and advised about, and she ignored. Then the counselor had the reading specialist work with my child, and what do you know? My kid's reading level was exactly what I thought it was and the teacher was completely wrong. By two entire grade levels.

I enjoy these rules, and kind of which every DCUM poster who has used the term "snowflake" in a post would be permanently blocked from posting. But really, I don't see how you can read the whole thread and not come away with the conclusion that this particular OP isn't hearing what anyone is saying to her.

[Anonymous]

I am sorry to tell you but you are a perfect example of "THAT mom". Your teacher might be not the best around but the way you treat her is just horrible, show some respect for the person your DD spents hours a day with. I was goint to suggest you volunteer, but after reading this, please DONT. If you have so much contempt for the teacher and so much tome on your hands, may be homeschooling is a good option?

This!! OP, I tried really hard to be kind to you initially, but seriously, as this pp suggested, you are THAT mom indeed...ugh. Regardless of skill level, I'm sure that poor teacher CAN'T WAIT to stop dealing with your entitled, disrespectful, I am the expert on everything attitude. If nothing else, both you and the teacher can take solace in the fact that it's almost summer and the school year will soon come to a close. I hope by some miracle, your husband is a lovely, caring man and your daughter takes after him.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Who said anything about a race? I just want my child to be challenged at school. I don't care if she's ahead of your Karla or not.

It sounds like you are in horse race constantly comparing you DD and her number if awards with other children.

Also, as to our four year old friend, can you accept the idea that not four year olds are the same and some might be gifted?

Sweetie, you missed the point. The point was that I didn't push my child--we just read and read to her and gave her lots of opportunities to use her imagination. That was why she did so well. It was not a horse race and the point is that "challenging" your K child to read Harry Potter may not be appropriate and may not mean that she will achieve great things. Meanwhile, some of the kids whose moms were pushing and pushing found that their kids did not later keep up. Like I said, I taught school and I saw some kids who had been pushed. Occasionally, if it came naturally, you'd have a kid who was highly gifted--and those kids could not be held back if you tried.
On the other hand, parents who constantly push their very young children may find that the kids are missing out on other opportunities. You know, missing the forest for the trees.


As for the teacher, maybe she sees something that you do not. If your child is already able to read Harry Potter, bringing home a book below her level is not going to harm her. Do you never read just for relaxation? Maybe you daughter is picking out a book that her friend likes. Maybe she doesn't want to read a challenging book. Did you ask your daughter?

And, just maybe, your daughter is learning lots of other things that kids should be learning in K. Someone wrote a book a few years ago called Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in K or something like that. I suggest you find it and read it. I think you could benefit from it--although the reading level will probably not be a challenge to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


This!! OP, I tried really hard to be kind to you initially, but seriously, as this pp suggested, you are THAT mom indeed...ugh. Regardless of skill level, I'm sure that poor teacher CAN'T WAIT to stop dealing with your entitled, disrespectful, I am the expert on everything attitude. If nothing else, both you and the teacher can take solace in the fact that it's almost summer and the school year will soon come to a close. I hope by some miracle, your husband is a lovely, caring man and your daughter takes after him.

And here we come - personal insults.

I AM an expert on my child and I do think she's ENTITLED to a good education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Sweetie, you missed the point. The point was that I didn't push my child--we just read and read to her and gave her lots of opportunities to use her imagination. That was why she did so well. It was not a horse race and the point is that "challenging" your K child to read Harry Potter may not be appropriate and may not mean that she will achieve great things. Meanwhile, some of the kids whose moms were pushing and pushing found that their kids did not later keep up. Like I said, I taught school and I saw some kids who had been pushed. Occasionally, if it came naturally, you'd have a kid who was highly gifted--and those kids could not be held back if you tried.
On the other hand, parents who constantly push their very young children may find that the kids are missing out on other opportunities. You know, missing the forest for the trees.

Did I say I was pushing DD to read Harry Potter? No. So please don't twist my words. I just want her to read books of her level and not the ABCs.

If you are educated in this area you probably have heard of Vygotsky's theory of proximal development.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP here. Who said anything about a race? I just want my child to be challenged at school. I don't care if she's ahead of your Karla or not.

It sounds like you are in horse race constantly comparing you DD and her number if awards with other children.

Also, as to our four year old friend, can you accept the idea that not four year olds are the same and some might be gifted?

Sweetie, you missed the point. The point was that I didn't push my child--we just read and read to her and gave her lots of opportunities to use her imagination. That was why she did so well. It was not a horse race and the point is that "challenging" your K child to read Harry Potter may not be appropriate and may not mean that she will achieve great things. Meanwhile, some of the kids whose moms were pushing and pushing found that their kids did not later keep up. Like I said, I taught school and I saw some kids who had been pushed. Occasionally, if it came naturally, you'd have a kid who was highly gifted--and those kids could not be held back if you tried.
On the other hand, parents who constantly push their very young children may find that the kids are missing out on other opportunities. You know, missing the forest for the trees.


As for the teacher, maybe she sees something that you do not. If your child is already able to read Harry Potter, bringing home a book below her level is not going to harm her. Do you never read just for relaxation? Maybe you daughter is picking out a book that her friend likes. Maybe she doesn't want to read a challenging book. Did you ask your daughter?

And, just maybe, your daughter is learning lots of other things that kids should be learning in K. Someone wrote a book a few years ago called Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in K or something like that. I suggest you find it and read it. I think you could benefit from it--although the reading level will probably not be a challenge to you.

I love when Condescending Granny chimes in. So entertaining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

As for the teacher, maybe she sees something that you do not. If your child is already able to read Harry Potter, bringing home a book below her level is not going to harm her. Do you never read just for relaxation? Maybe you daughter is picking out a book that her friend likes. Maybe she doesn't want to read a challenging book. Did you ask your daughter?

I wrote earlier that the teacher explained it that she "doesn't have time to listen to them read". So she asked for parent volunteers to come and listen and assign books. Some mom came and mixed up the books, and sent wrong books for the whole class. So the mystery is solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As for the teacher, maybe she sees something that you do not. If your child is already able to read Harry Potter, bringing home a book below her level is not going to harm her. Do you never read just for relaxation? Maybe you daughter is picking out a book that her friend likes. Maybe she doesn't want to read a challenging book. Did you ask your daughter?

I wrote earlier that the teacher explained it that she "doesn't have time to listen to them read". So she asked for parent volunteers to come and listen and assign books. Some mom came and mixed up the books, and sent wrong books for the whole class. So the mystery is solved.

But you failed to write and say, "Gee, I'm feeling sheepish that I jumped the gun and just assumed that my DD's teacher didn't know her reading level. Kind of silly of me to think that since "the school assessed her at a 2nd grade level," [albeit on a fluency, not a comprehension test." Instead, you continually wrote things like not needing a formal test to know your own child's reading level. Before you started this post, I guarantee you had zero idea what goes into assessing a child's reading level yet you can't even acknowledge that, nope, maybe you don't know her true level. Try this: give her a true second grade level nonfiction book. Have her read it aloud. Take it away. Have her retell it to you from beginning to end, in order. Stop being such a know it all. You make it seem like the "mystery" here was just that the books came home a single day that were beneath your kid's level, but in truth you've posted several responses in this thread that clearly let us know you know more than the teacher, you don't need to "formally test" your kid to know her reading level, that a highly criticized fluency test (which you didn't spell right) is an accurate reflection of her reading level (though presumably that test was given by the same teacher whom you claim doesn't know your kid's reading level). I could go on but you're exhausting me being right all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As for the teacher, maybe she sees something that you do not. If your child is already able to read Harry Potter, bringing home a book below her level is not going to harm her. Do you never read just for relaxation? Maybe you daughter is picking out a book that her friend likes. Maybe she doesn't want to read a challenging book. Did you ask your daughter?

I wrote earlier that the teacher explained it that she "doesn't have time to listen to them read". So she asked for parent volunteers to come and listen and assign books. Some mom came and mixed up the books, and sent wrong books for the whole class. So the mystery is solved.

But you failed to write and say, "Gee, I'm feeling sheepish that I jumped the gun and just assumed that my DD's teacher didn't know her reading level. Kind of silly of me to think that since "the school assessed her at a 2nd grade level," [albeit on a fluency, not a comprehension test." Instead, you continually wrote things like not needing a formal test to know your own child's reading level. Before you started this post, I guarantee you had zero idea what goes into assessing a child's reading level yet you can't even acknowledge that, nope, maybe you don't know her true level. Try this: give her a true second grade level nonfiction book. Have her read it aloud. Take it away. Have her retell it to you from beginning to end, in order. Stop being such a know it all. You make it seem like the "mystery" here was just that the books came home a single day that were beneath your kid's level, but in truth you've posted several responses in this thread that clearly let us know you know more than the teacher, you don't need to "formally test" your kid to know her reading level, that a highly criticized fluency test (which you didn't spell right) is an accurate reflection of her reading level (though presumably that test was given by the same teacher whom you claim doesn't know your kid's reading level). I could go on but you're exhausting me being right all the time.

OP came back and posted several times that the teacher just totally flubbed the reading levels and books for the class. Why should she apologize to the teacher, when the teacher actually didn't know OP's DD's reading level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As for the teacher, maybe she sees something that you do not. If your child is already able to read Harry Potter, bringing home a book below her level is not going to harm her. Do you never read just for relaxation? Maybe you daughter is picking out a book that her friend likes. Maybe she doesn't want to read a challenging book. Did you ask your daughter?

I wrote earlier that the teacher explained it that she "doesn't have time to listen to them read". So she asked for parent volunteers to come and listen and assign books. Some mom came and mixed up the books, and sent wrong books for the whole class. So the mystery is solved.

But you failed to write and say, "Gee, I'm feeling sheepish that I jumped the gun and just assumed that my DD's teacher didn't know her reading level. Kind of silly of me to think that since "the school assessed her at a 2nd grade level," [albeit on a fluency, not a comprehension test." Instead, you continually wrote things like not needing a formal test to know your own child's reading level. Before you started this post, I guarantee you had zero idea what goes into assessing a child's reading level yet you can't even acknowledge that, nope, maybe you don't know her true level. Try this: give her a true second grade level nonfiction book. Have her read it aloud. Take it away. Have her retell it to you from beginning to end, in order. Stop being such a know it all. You make it seem like the "mystery" here was just that the books came home a single day that were beneath your kid's level, but in truth you've posted several responses in this thread that clearly let us know you know more than the teacher, you don't need to "formally test" your kid to know her reading level, that a highly criticized fluency test (which you didn't spell right) is an accurate reflection of her reading level (though presumably that test was given by the same teacher whom you claim doesn't know your kid's reading level). I could go on but you're exhausting me being right all the time.

OP came back and posted several times that the teacher just totally flubbed the reading levels and books for the class. Why should she apologize to the teacher, when the teacher actually didn't know OP's DD's reading level?

Did you flunk reading comprehension? She said that a volunteer parent was in there and got the book levels sent home wrong. So she began her original post saying, "teacher isn't aware of DD's reading level" but later said that her kid was assessed by the school at a second grade level (albeit, that wasn't at a true reading level). So the truth is that the teacher DOES know the kid's reading level (using the OP's assessment of the test the school administered). She still posted ridiculous things about how she doesn't need a "formal test" to know her kid's reading level. You don't see how preposterous that is? She thinks she can just be at home and listen to her kid read a book by decoding it and then know her kid's reading level?

[Anonymous]

Her kid is a prodigy obviously. Lol.

[Anonymous]

OP the only thing you can do is allow your child to explore reading outside of the classroom, trips to the library (you no doubt do this already) and bookstore etc.

The frustrating thing is - the K teacher isn't going to help you and the resentful, bitter and stupid banshees who dwell in DCUM aren't either.

Go forth, read, enjoy. Everyone will catch up eventually - around age 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
But you failed to write and say, "Gee, I'm feeling sheepish that I jumped the gun and just assumed that my DD's teacher didn't know her reading level. Kind of silly of me to think that since "the school assessed her at a 2nd grade level," [albeit on a fluency, not a comprehension test." Instead, you continually wrote things like not needing a formal test to know your own child's reading level.

No. I still don't know if she knows my child's level because she doesn't have to listen to her read and some random parents are doing it. She sent another book - DRA 18 if you are interested.

Before you started this post, I guarantee you had zero idea what goes into assessing a child's reading level yet you can't even acknowledge that, nope, maybe you don't know her true level. .

I don't want to do complex assessment of DD's level. I keep it simple. We read books. If she reads it fluently and can talk about the story we move on. If she stumbles we read it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[q So the truth is that the teacher DOES know the kid's reading level (using the OP's assessment of the test the school administered).

How do I know that the teacher paid attention to the test results? She's so overwhelmed she wasn't able to tell me her test scores at parent teacher conferences.

Besides this test was months ago.