DC bored in class, time to confront the teacher...need help with questions to ask

[Anonymous]

DC is much further along academically than the K classmates and I want to meet with the teacher to discuss. I've raised the issue with the teacher several times, suggesting a separate reading group (one other student in the class reads) or advancing to another class for, say, math. Each time I've been shot down. So I plan to schedule a conference, so we can talk with fewer interruptions. In anticipation of the teacher's unwillingness to offer any sort of challenge whatsoever, I'm thinking of inviting the pricipal to the conference. BTW, DC does not have behavior issues, works well with classmates and takes direction well.

I need some suggestions on how to approach this issue. The teacher has advised that the main goal for the class is teamwork. I was thinking of starting by asking what are the goals for DC this year. But I'm, stuck after that. I feel like I need to be ready to debate the issue and strongly request more challenging school work.

Any feedback would be very much appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't the class provide any differentiated instruction? Are you in a public school? My DD is in a public school and kids are separated by abilities. Some parts of the day are for "teamwork" and all kids are together, but not for language arts and math. I think you should ask if the school does any differentiated instruction, perhaps later in the school year.

[Anonymous]

PP here. What I meant was, you should ask NOW if the school provides differentiated instruction at all. Some schools start that in K during the second half of the year.

[Anonymous]

Which school system?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is much further along academically than the K classmates and I want to meet with the teacher to discuss. I've raised the issue with the teacher several times, suggesting a separate reading group (one other student in the class reads) or advancing to another class for, say, math. Each time I've been shot down. So I plan to schedule a conference, so we can talk with fewer interruptions. In anticipation of the teacher's unwillingness to offer any sort of challenge whatsoever, I'm thinking of inviting the pricipal to the conference. BTW, DC does not have behavior issues, works well with classmates and takes direction well.

I need some suggestions on how to approach this issue. The teacher has advised that the main goal for the class is teamwork. I was thinking of starting by asking what are the goals for DC this year. But I'm, stuck after that. I feel like I need to be ready to debate the issue and strongly request more challenging school work.

Any feedback would be very much appreciated.

Wow. I find that an extremely troubling statement! That may be her main goal for the class, but it's hardly an appropriate academic goal for your child as an individual! My DC is in K in a charter school and we have already held parent-teacher conferences in order to create specific appropriate goals for each child as an individual. I don't for a second believe that you should have to settle for less.

[Anonymous]

Op here. This is a DCPS school. The class is separated into four groups, but that hardly seems to make any difference since there is only one other child who is as advanced. But that child has serious behavior issues, so much of the teacher's time is spent re-directing or managing that child's behavior.

The teacher has claimed that DC is provided with more challenging work, but during the time I have spent in the classroom this has not been evident. And when I ask DC, "How did you work your mental muscle today?", the answer is usually, "I didn't." DC really enjoys learning and often asks to do school work after school.

The teacher does not seem interested in my issue at all and has even mentioned that there are "serious" behavior issues in the class. I get the sense from the teacher that since my child has already exceeded the learning standards for the K level, then I should just sit back and be quiet.

[Anonymous]

Do they have a time when they will do assessments of kids' abilities? Or was that already done?

[Anonymous]

Does your child like school?

[Anonymous]

Ask if they have assessed your child's reading level--and if the child has maxed out on the level they test to (say, end of 1st or 2nd grade), ask that they assess your child further. At our MoCo school, the reading specialist did this, and our kindergartner was advanced to a first-grade reading group because the other kindergarten reading groups weren't a good fit. Remember, though, that a kindergarten child reading well ahead may not necessarily be writing well ahead, and reading and writing are often taught in tandem. So even if the school does prove flexible in finding a better placement for your child, it will probably need to take both into account. (And of course, the school may not choose to be flexible, unfortunately.)

Best of luck with your advocacy. If you haven't already, you might want to check out the Hoagies web page (e.g. http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/advocacy.htm)

[Anonymous]

Op here. The assessments have been done for the class. And earlier this week DC (not the teacher!) advised that the teacher did a reading assessment which was not done in the earlier round.

DC loves schools and looks forward to going every day, but also LOVES to be challenged academically. It's seems equal to playing a game, bike riding or playing with friends.

Thanks a ton for the Hoagies site. I'm going to check it out...I need all the help I can get.

[Anonymous]

The class is separated into four groups, but that hardly seems to make any difference since there is only one other child who is as advanced. But that child has serious behavior issues, so much of the teacher's time is spent re-directing or managing that child's behavior.

We had a similar experience in FCPS. Except mine was the poorly behaved child LOL! (And guess what, now that she is in the GT program and appropriately challenged, she's no longer a behavior issue...) But it has been my experience that highly advanced children in K-2 are not well accommodated. A little advanced they seem to be able to do, but not more than one grade level.

But the PP who mentioned writing has a very good point. Reading and writing curriculum are generally tied together and an advanced reader may not have the fine motor control or writing skills necessary to move up a grade. We were basically told in first and second grade that all she would work on was writing. And honestly it sucked a lot of the fun out of school for her.

[Anonymous]

In a DCPS school there are about 25-30 kids per class and many children are not even sufficiently prepared for school and needs a lot of catch up... how much individual attention do you want for your child? Also, I think that your approach may be what the teacher is resistant to not the additional support for your child.

We are less than two months into the school year

[Anonymous]

I have to agree with the PP - OP, look at your tone in the posting title "confront" is a word that I don't find to be particularly friendly, and the idea that you're elevating this to the level where you are considering bringing in the principal.

What is your goal for your child this year in Kindergarten? What do you expect your child's teacher to do that is special for your child?

[Anonymous]

OP isn't demanding individualized instruction for her child. She is asking for APPROPRIATE instruction for her child. If the classroom teacher is unwilling or unable to provide it, then the principal should find her child a teacher who can and will.

It isn't the fault of OP's child that she is already able to reading kindergarten, and only one other child is able to read. No school system should be run in such a way that a child who enters the class having already mastered the grade level curriculum, should just be expected to sit down and read quietly, but not learn anything new all year. Even if she is the ONLY one in the classroom.

Some teachers, you do unfortunately have to "confront" about this. You start by asking nicely, but if they don't change anything.... you have to ramp it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What is your goal for your child this year in Kindergarten? What do you expect your child's teacher to do that is special for your child?

I'm not the OP, but if it were my child, entering kindergarten reading at, say, a first grade level, my academic goal for that child in reading would be to have her advance a year at least in reading ability. I'd want her consistently reading first grade texts, and working on decoding and spelling typical first grade words.