smart kid not really being fostered at a JKLM; what to do?
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Anonymous
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My kid is a 4th grader at a JKLM. Smart but not a particularly strong self-starter. Doesn't read for hours, etc. Never does homework unless forced (by me). Spends most of his/her time playing a travel sport.
We just got the PARCC back and kid scored at 98%/99% for the JKLM and 99%/99% for the city in the two categories. So kid is learning. But I wonder how much more the kid could learn if he/she was challenged or pushed which the JKLM doesn't do. They teach to the mean. They help the stragglers but any requests for advanced work (not made by me but other parents I know) haven't really been addressed. Plus, I don't know what sort of advanced work I want my child to be doing in 4th grade. Up to this point, the only thing that has somewhat been thrown around (again, not to my kid but to others) is a more advanced set of spelling words. I definitely get the distinct impression that my child blends into the classroom at school. No one is particularly looking out for how to make her/him grow or thrive. They are happy that my child is a well behaved kid. My question is--if you had a kid who was (in theory) at the top--or the 99% of the JKLM cohort and just sort of coasting by would you push for private school? We could afford it in theory but have always thought we would use public from K--12. Can a child like this really thrive and be fostered at Deal and Wilson? Is this the type of kid who will fall through the cracks the entire way? Would things be different at private school? Any thoughts? |
Anonymous
| which school is this? |
Anonymous
| have you thought about montgomery county? that is what my friend did who was in a similar situation |
Anonymous
| I can't imagine Deal will be any better... |
Anonymous
| Speaking as a child who scored in the highest percentiles in my public school tests, there was no differentiation until we were tracked for math in 6th grade and English for 7th grade. Was I bored? Often. Did it harm me? No. I scored high on all standardized tests and went to the college of my choice. My parents offered private school starting in 6th grade, but I thought it was better to be the top easily than possibly average or fighting for the top at a private. |
Anonymous
| I think you as the parent have to supplement if you want more. Or do private. |
Anonymous
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I've reread your post twice now and still don't understand what the problem is - your child is apparently a high performer at a high performing school and you are concerned about what again?
My 4th grader spends most of his time complaining that he is bored so if you are critiquing his education based on that this strikes me as some baseless paranoia - your kid is fine and based on what you posted have nothing to be concerned about. |
Anonymous
| If your child isn't being adequately challenged are you asking about any additional programs (and they don't have to be anything, fancy, expensive, outlandish) are being done to better challenge him/her? For instance, does your school have Junior Great Book groups? |
Anonymous
| And, this is why people pay for private schools. |
Anonymous
| I have been in your position. I moved my kid several times in an effort for him to be challenged. In hind sight, I should have just encouraged him to read a lot, develop and pursue his passions and enjoy his childhood. Middle school will differentiate. |
Anonymous
| Put him in the lottery for BASIS next year. |
Anonymous
Wisdom here. |
Anonymous
| No one is getting 99% on parcc |
Anonymous
They are actually percentiles. My kid scored better than 99% of 8th graders who took the ELA test, and better than 97% of those that took the math test. |
Anonymous
| You have to do outside supplementing if you want more. Hire math tutor for once a week, foreign language classes, do a Writopia class. |