Question about additional resources in K?

[Anonymous]

My 5 year old is reading at a 3rd grade level but is bringing home vvery basic books that are used for his reading group. They have about 4 words on each page. The teacher knows his reading level but I'm assuming that in reading groups. they have to use books that all the kids are able to read. What should I be doing to make sure he's still challenged?
Anyone been in a similar situation? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

There should be a reading group for the kids who can read, at least in my experience with kindergarten. Perhaps you could e-mail the teacher and ask about this?

But as for what you should be doing to make sure he's still challenged -- that's easy: Give him interesting things to read at home.

[Anonymous]

Interesting. Our school has books by level in the classroom. Each level in a different bin. The kids pick out of the "just right" (for them) bin to take home.

But yes, you should be reading outside material at home regardless of what your child brings home. So you can tailor it according to his abilities.

[Anonymous]

There also seems to be an issue with some of these early readers in that their ability to decode is way higher than their comprehension levels. That could be what the teacher is working on.

[Anonymous]

+1000. Luckily, the DC area has an amazing public library system. We also have a DC who is reading more complex chapter books and we just take him to the library every week and check out a few books he can read by himself or with me after school.
We haven't started doing this yet but my friend who is a teacher suggests after each book or chapter or some amount of reading, ask your child some basic questions like: can you summarize the plot, who are the main characters, what was x trying to achieve when he waved his magic wand at the dragon, etc.

Anonymous wrote:But as for what you should be doing to make sure he's still challenged -- that's easy: Give him interesting things to read at home.

[Anonymous]

Where is your school? It's weird for the highest reading group in K to be reading books with four words a page.

[Anonymous]

I have been in this same situation with my son who is now in 3rd grade.

Its possible that they have not started reading groups yet and the books you are seeing are general class books.

Before they can start reading groups I think they give all the kids an assessment (called M-Class I think). At our school in Kindergarten they stop testing at level 16. Beyond this level you have to have a written response, so this is what the kid in the top reading group are supposed to be working on.

In any case, even a level J book (the level after 16) is really easy. Its really taken until 3rd grade for my son's writing skills to catch up to his reading.

You may also want to look at back of the books your son is bringing home. There should be a letter or number on it. This is probably what he tested at.

At home I would let your son keep reading what he wants. If you want to work with him aI would concentrate on writing about what he reads.

[Anonymous]

You're lucky. My k student who is reading like your son hasn't brought a single thing home and from the little feedback we've gotten from the teacher, my child won't be either. Frustrated by the system to say the very least.

[Anonymous]

You are unhappy because your kindergartener doesn't have homework? My kindergartener did have homework, and I wished she didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are unhappy because your kindergartener doesn't have homework? My kindergartener did have homework, and I wished she didn't.

All kids should be reading at least 15 minutes a day, whether assigned by the school or not. But it's helpful to parents if they see what the child is doing in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are unhappy because your kindergartener doesn't have homework? My kindergartener did have homework, and I wished she didn't.

No, I'm unhappy because there seems to be zero differentiation for instruction in the class right now, for math or reading or otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Do you understand that the goal of the Montgomery County Schools isn't to teach your gift snowflake at an accelerated rate, but to get all the kids who aren't up to speed up to speed so they can pass the standardized tests down the road? That the schools don't give a damn about your kid wanting to go to school everyday or learning to love learning or anything. It is also about the tests and if your kid is already going to pass the tests you are SOL.

[Anonymous]

As someone that has been there I can tell you that K is going to be disappointing from an academic perspective for a kid that is ahead at that age. This was the case before Curriculum 2.0. Its disappointing but I do see in retrospect that its not that big of a deal. Especially if your kid is happy. Just make sure you keep up reading and writing at home. First grade is better for reading but also not challenging for math. 4 years later and we are still waiting for a math challenge.

Also BTW, by MCPS standards your kindergartner is probably "reading" at a 3rd grade standard. This is because to read like a 3rd grader you have to be able to write like one and that involves a lengthy written response.

[Anonymous]

PP again. Meant to say that your kindergartner is probably NOT "reading" at 3rd grade level.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- Thanks for the various responses. We're way on top of it about reading at home. He goes finishes a chapter book (like Magic Tree House) on his own every couple days and we read chapters together every night. And I don't think he's a "snowflake" (in fact, he can be a real PITA sometimes ) but I want him to be challenged in his reading at school. Studies say the majority of kids are all at the same level of reading, even out, by 3rd grade. But is this in part b/c the ones who were advanced in K, haven't been pushed and didn't grow as much as they could?

We do a lot at home but there's also a reason I send him to school. sigh...