Do You Have a Far-Ahead Kindergarten Reader? Advice Wanted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Give him a book during reading time and let him read on his own. What's wrong with that? I mean you are all excited about his reading level so don't you want him to be reading???

Why should that be OK? Every child deserves to learn something new at school most of the time.

Otherwise, aren't you sending him the message that school is just a gigantic waste of time? Why shoud parents accept that?

To put it a different way -- school is compulsory. State law compells parents to send their child to school. Why is it OK for the state to require you to send your child to school, but not require him to be instructed, at least occasionall, by a competent teacher in skills that haven't already been learned by the child?

A child reading, alone, for the majority of reading instruction, (or doing math problems on a computer) all year long, should not be allowed. Children who are academically advanced should not be left to teach themselves. They matter every bit as much as every other child matters, and they deserve to be educated, not babysat.

[Anonymous]

OP -- maybe this book will have some ideas you can suggest.

http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Gifted-Children-Regular-Classroom/dp/1575420171

[Anonymous]

or this one

http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Gifted-Kids-Regular-Classroom/dp/1575420899/ref=pd_cp_b_1

[Anonymous]

I just conferenced today, in a private , with a mom that thinks her child should go to K instead of PreK because the child can spell 40 words and read the prereaders with about four words in them. Be careful. Skipping ahead in reading is like putting a roof on a house before the foundation is built. The child cannot demonstrate any of the skills her mother says she has in the classroom. When the teacher ask if she would like to read one of the pre-readers her mom says she reads at home she cries and tells the teacher it is too hard. My 3 year old grandchild "reads" Fancy Nancy to us because after it had been read to her once she memorized it. She cannot read but she can recall the story word for word. If you think you child should read ahead spend time at the Public Library. Skipping ahead produces word callers without comprehension. What is the rush?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just conferenced today, in a private , with a mom that thinks her child should go to K instead of PreK because the child can spell 40 words and read the prereaders with about four words in them. Be careful. Skipping ahead in reading is like putting a roof on a house before the foundation is built. The child cannot demonstrate any of the skills her mother says she has in the classroom. When the teacher ask if she would like to read one of the pre-readers her mom says she reads at home she cries and tells the teacher it is too hard. My 3 year old grandchild "reads" Fancy Nancy to us because after it had been read to her once she memorized it. She cannot read but she can recall the story word for word. If you think you child should read ahead spend time at the Public Library. Skipping ahead produces word callers without comprehension. What is the rush?

Sure, in this situation it sounds like acceleration wouldn't be right for the child, but that is not anything like what OP described!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is in a public MoCo school. He started the year reading mid-2nd grade level; as of now, he's been assessed as reading and comprehending at the end of 3rd grade. He's also ahead in all other areas, but not as far. Currently, our school isn't doing much for him. For instance, he still comes home with K sight words and typical K connect the dots. We've got a P-T conference set up for next week. I have to presume that others of you are in this kind of a situation. How are your schools addressing your far-advanced child's needs? I'm looking for ideas that I can come to the table with next week, particularly ones that other MoCo schools are using as fodder for discussion.

Thanks.

Going back to the original posting, isn't it the SCHOOL who assessed your son as reading and comprehending at the end of 3rd grade?
Then maybe you could make a case that he should be put in a more advanced class.
I don't exactly know how subject-specific acceleration is handled, but you could discuss it in the PT conference, if you think is a good idea.

[Anonymous]

NP here. It's interesting that there was a similar thread on the private school board a few weeks ago, where some parent was asking for advice about a child operating 2-3 grade levels ahead. And several posters claimed that public school was the best possible solution, because only publics would differentiate among kids with different skill levels. But on this thread, most opinions so far seem to suggest that area public schools are not doing a great job at differentiation.

I'm definitely not trying to start any debate about public vs. private here. I have no idea what the right answer for OP is. I just think it's amazing how the same question gets such different answers in two different contexts.

I suppose that's a good thing, in some ways.

[Anonymous]

9:46 here. I saw that thread too. My sense is that differentiation in public schools is possible starting at grade 3. Before then, not so much. I can handle - not thrilled about, but can handle - the testing, fewer specials, larger class size. However, if my child is looking at a good three years of boredom and rote work before much happens in the way of really challenging work, then the whole package looks very unappealing.

[Anonymous]

My sense is that differentiation in public schools is possible starting at grade 3.

I'm 12:33. This was our experience. She was very bored K-2, but at 3rd she got into the GT program and it's been night and day. Better stuff, appropriate level and challenge, much faster pace.

I also read that thread with interest, because I am always on the lookout for potentially better options. But for us private would be a HUGE financial stretch and I took comfort in that thread that it probably wasn't really worth it to pursue private if my goal was more acceleration. I'd love all the other bonuses: more and better specials, better facilities, etc. but to *me* those aren't worth stretching our family finances to the limit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. It's interesting that there was a similar thread on the private school board a few weeks ago, where some parent was asking for advice about a child operating 2-3 grade levels ahead. And several posters claimed that public school was the best possible solution, because only publics would differentiate among kids with different skill levels. But on this thread, most opinions so far seem to suggest that area public schools are not doing a great job at differentiation.

I'm definitely not trying to start any debate about public vs. private here. I have no idea what the right answer for OP is. I just think it's amazing how the same question gets such different answers in two different contexts.

I suppose that's a good thing, in some ways.

So much depends on the school. There can be 2 ES in the same county or even in the same neighborhood and one will make arrangements for kids like the OPs and the other will do nothing. It is possible that the teachers can teach to the child's instructional level during reading groups, etc but then send homework home that she assigns the whole class. Lots of times the reading program does not have homework for the teacher to copy and send home for that specific reading group.

[Anonymous]

We actually moved to MoCo because our NW DC public school was completely not differentiating. Our 1st grader is reading above grade level (assessed by MCPS as 3rd grade, which is lower than DC assessed her in K). She receives differentiated reading and math instruction and the homework is not quite at her level but the teacher does hand out different homework for different levels (ie there is easier homework she doesn't have to do). We have been very pleased with the change but don't think that our child is being stretched to the limit. That said, she complained about being bored in DCPS and is very happy in MCPS. I would say that my child is learning many useful reading skills (using textual support for making an assertion, for instance) rather than pushing the upper envelope of her reading ability. For awhile I really just wanted to see them assigning reading materials that were at the ability level I see her reading at home but I've come to appreciate that she is learning quite a bit (spelling, writing, text features, etc.) and really love her teacher -- who makes many efforts to differentiate. I'm actually scared to see what happens next year because I actually think this year's teacher is spectacular, and I still have reservations.... But we are really not interested in private so are hoping to make this work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP -- maybe this book will have some ideas you can suggest.

http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Gifted-Children-Regular-Classroom/dp/1575420171

Tx. This looks really useful and interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. It's interesting that there was a similar thread on the private school board a few weeks ago, where some parent was asking for advice about a child operating 2-3 grade levels ahead. And several posters claimed that public school was the best possible solution, because only publics would differentiate among kids with different skill levels. But on this thread, most opinions so far seem to suggest that area public schools are not doing a great job at differentiation.

I agree with the other posters -- this type of differentiation does happen in most public school districts but not until about 3rd grade, when the official Talented and Gifted programs (or center schools) start. If I recall that thread correctly, the parent was discussing an older child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the other posters -- this type of differentiation does happen in most public school districts but not until about 3rd grade, when the official Talented and Gifted programs (or center schools) start.

At 3rd grade, does differentiation occur outside the gifted and talented programs? Or is differentiation only available to those who succeed in entering the gifted and talented programs?

[Anonymous]

At 3rd grade, does differentiation occur outside the gifted and talented programs? Or is differentiation only available to those who succeed in entering the gifted and talented programs?

I'm 18:31 above. Even before 3rd, there was differentiation. It just wasn't high enough IMO. That is, my DD was in the top reading group, but the span of reading abilities of the kids in her group was pretty wide. So there might be kids reading 1 grade level above to kids reading 3-4 levels above.

There is still differentiation going on at each level. The third grade has reading groups, etc. Just based on talking to other parents at my school, the ones with kids who were reading around grade level seemed to be pretty happy with the program.