Bright but not gifted children essentially being ignored?

[Anonymous]

So let's assume that the teacher is malicously and nefariously holding your child back in the word study group. (Do they really have separate word study groups compared to reading groups? Weird... but I'll assume that's true too...)

Is your child "essentially being ignored" in the other 95% of the day? Is she appropriately challenged in reading comprehension? Writing? Grammar? Math computation? Mathematical thinking/analysis? Science? Social Studies? Arts? Social skills? Classroom behavior? Public speaking?

If this word study group is really your biggest concern, count your blessings and download any of the millions of free word lists available on the internet and work with her at home if you feel you must.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So let's assume that the teacher is malicously and nefariously holding your child back in the word study group. (Do they really have separate word study groups compared to reading groups? Weird... but I'll assume that's true too...)

Is your child "essentially being ignored" in the other 95% of the day? Is she appropriately challenged in reading comprehension? Writing? Grammar? Math computation? Mathematical thinking/analysis? Science? Social Studies? Arts? Social skills? Classroom behavior? Public speaking?

If this word study group is really your biggest concern, count your blessings and download any of the millions of free word lists available on the internet and work with her at home if you feel you must.

I do not for a second believe that OP is mainly concerned with a "word study group". If so the initial post and title of thread are extremely misleading. But I suppose it doesn't matter. OP has contacted the teacher which is what most of us advised.

[Anonymous]

My child is very bright and also quiet. She does not volunteer her knowledge to her teacher and her academics are inconsistent. When provided work at the highest levels, she's quite capable of doing it. But because she doesn't show off her knowledge and because she's not a 100% student across the board, it's easier for her teacher to keep her where she is as long as there aren't other problems.

My child is not being challenged to the height of her academic ability. But there are things she is working on. She's working on being more consistent in her academic output, she's working on volunteering her knowledge in appropriate situations. We offer her academic enrichment at home and at school she's working on these other skills.

I understand your frustration. Is there a way you can consider the situation so that you can see areas your child is benefiting and just do further academic work at home independently?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have definitely not been expressing myself well since so many of you seem to be missing the point I am trying to make.

I'm not too worried about what the teacher thinks. I haven't told her what I've said in this post. I simply asked her if my DD could move to the next word study group.

Thanks for your advice all the same.

Herein lies the problem. you think she hasn't picked up on this already? of course she has. do you think she is going to help you in any satisfactory way now you've shown her utter disrespect? I seriously doubt it.

You're an idiot. Total certifiable, idiot.

[Anonymous]

I think the Op needs all of you who aren't in FCPS to drop out of this discussion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the Op needs all of you who aren't in FCPS to drop out of this discussion

If you think that then you're a narrow minded fool who probably thinks lots of stupid things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the Op needs all of you who aren't in FCPS to drop out of this discussion

Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have definitely not been expressing myself well since so many of you seem to be missing the point I am trying to make.

I'm not too worried about what the teacher thinks. I haven't told her what I've said in this post. I simply asked her if my DD could move to the next word study group.

Thanks for your advice all the same.

Not to worry OP , you are expressing yourself just fine. It's the bunch of toddlers mommies who have no experience with a child being in school who are derailing the conversation and basically not getting it.

I have been where you are and yes, Word Study was always one of those issues that drove me nuts.

Yes, the teachers are always say there can be movement in the groups but if you question a bit more you find out that in fact they only consider moving kids a couple times a year and that the groups are hardly "fluid". If you want your kid to move to another group, then push for it but know that this means getting the Principal involved.

Teachers can and do keep kids in lower groups for many reasons and many times the last reason is academic. Most teachers have a very poor understanding of what Word Study is and how to use it. Yes, I actually read the book the school used and discovered that my child's teachers in 1 -3rd had little understanding and implemented it very poorly. It's not hard to figure out what book they are using for Word Study - look at the sheet of words that comes home and the book reference is generally there.

I also discovered that there was in fact a standard test in the Word Study book that kids were given to determine the level. I found that the teacher didn't score that test correctly. I discovered this when I asked for a copy and was reluctantly shown it a conference. I then pointed out how and why the test was incorrectly scored.

I generally noted that Word Study did very little to actual increase spelling and vocabulary and reading. It wasn't just my child, I noticed when viewing writings of other kids in the class that were on display. When I viewed kids who were in the highest Word Study group (the groups were written on a white board in descending order from highest group to lowest btw so this is how I knew what group each kid was in), then viewed their writings on display, I noticed that most kids still were misspelling quite a few basic words.

Keep pushing forward OP and keep insisting. Ask which manual they use for Word Study, ask which tests they give, etc. Once the teacher realized that I now had the exact same knowledge she did in regards to Word Study, she backed off. She could no longer just insist that she knew and I didn't. All I had to do was bring out the book and say "Ok, show me."

Lastly, it's important to know that things like Word Study are not taught in college/grad school. The teachers are not learning how to actually implement these kind of programs while in school. They learn this through getting the book and being told to do it once they have a job and they also go to workshops that might last a couple hours. That's it. They really have no more knowledge many times about these specific type programs than anyone could get from reading the book.

[Anonymous]

Actually, most of the posters here are obviously parents of kids in older elementary. She has also received a lot of spot on advice that she does not want to hear.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have definitely not been expressing myself well since so many of you seem to be missing the point I am trying to make.

I'm not too worried about what the teacher thinks. I haven't told her what I've said in this post. I simply asked her if my DD could move to the next word study group.

Thanks for your advice all the same.

Not to worry OP , you are expressing yourself just fine. It's the bunch of toddlers mommies who have no experience with a child being in school who are derailing the conversation and basically not getting it.

I have been where you are and yes, Word Study was always one of those issues that drove me nuts.

Yes, the teachers are always say there can be movement in the groups but if you question a bit more you find out that in fact they only consider moving kids a couple times a year and that the groups are hardly "fluid". If you want your kid to move to another group, then push for it but know that this means getting the Principal involved.

Teachers can and do keep kids in lower groups for many reasons and many times the last reason is academic. Most teachers have a very poor understanding of what Word Study is and how to use it. Yes, I actually read the book the school used and discovered that my child's teachers in 1 -3rd had little understanding and implemented it very poorly. It's not hard to figure out what book they are using for Word Study - look at the sheet of words that comes home and the book reference is generally there.

I also discovered that there was in fact a standard test in the Word Study book that kids were given to determine the level. I found that the teacher didn't score that test correctly. I discovered this when I asked for a copy and was reluctantly shown it a conference. I then pointed out how and why the test was incorrectly scored.

I generally noted that Word Study did very little to actual increase spelling and vocabulary and reading. It wasn't just my child, I noticed when viewing writings of other kids in the class that were on display. When I viewed kids who were in the highest Word Study group (the groups were written on a white board in descending order from highest group to lowest btw so this is how I knew what group each kid was in), then viewed their writings on display, I noticed that most kids still were misspelling quite a few basic words.

Keep pushing forward OP and keep insisting. Ask which manual they use for Word Study, ask which tests they give, etc. Once the teacher realized that I now had the exact same knowledge she did in regards to Word Study, she backed off. She could no longer just insist that she knew and I didn't. All I had to do was bring out the book and say "Ok, show me."

Lastly, it's important to know that things like Word Study are not taught in college/grad school. The teachers are not learning how to actually implement these kind of programs while in school. They learn this through getting the book and being told to do it once they have a job and they also go to workshops that might last a couple hours. That's it. They really have no more knowledge many times about these specific type programs than anyone could get from reading the book.

[Anonymous]

Long winded PP, your untrained teacher might be an exception or perhaps your district or school is an exception.

In fcps the teachers are generally very strong, well trained, expereinced teachers OR very well mentored new teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, most of the posters here are obviously parents of kids in older elementary. She has also received a lot of spot on advice that she does not want to hear.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have definitely not been expressing myself well since so many of you seem to be missing the point I am trying to make.

I'm not too worried about what the teacher thinks. I haven't told her what I've said in this post. I simply asked her if my DD could move to the next word study group.

Thanks for your advice all the same.

Not to worry OP , you are expressing yourself just fine. It's the bunch of toddlers mommies who have no experience with a child being in school who are derailing the conversation and basically not getting it.

I have been where you are and yes, Word Study was always one of those issues that drove me nuts.

Yes, the teachers are always say there can be movement in the groups but if you question a bit more you find out that in fact they only consider moving kids a couple times a year and that the groups are hardly "fluid". If you want your kid to move to another group, then push for it but know that this means getting the Principal involved.

Teachers can and do keep kids in lower groups for many reasons and many times the last reason is academic. Most teachers have a very poor understanding of what Word Study is and how to use it. Yes, I actually read the book the school used and discovered that my child's teachers in 1 -3rd had little understanding and implemented it very poorly. It's not hard to figure out what book they are using for Word Study - look at the sheet of words that comes home and the book reference is generally there.

I also discovered that there was in fact a standard test in the Word Study book that kids were given to determine the level. I found that the teacher didn't score that test correctly. I discovered this when I asked for a copy and was reluctantly shown it a conference. I then pointed out how and why the test was incorrectly scored.

I generally noted that Word Study did very little to actual increase spelling and vocabulary and reading. It wasn't just my child, I noticed when viewing writings of other kids in the class that were on display. When I viewed kids who were in the highest Word Study group (the groups were written on a white board in descending order from highest group to lowest btw so this is how I knew what group each kid was in), then viewed their writings on display, I noticed that most kids still were misspelling quite a few basic words.

Keep pushing forward OP and keep insisting. Ask which manual they use for Word Study, ask which tests they give, etc. Once the teacher realized that I now had the exact same knowledge she did in regards to Word Study, she backed off. She could no longer just insist that she knew and I didn't. All I had to do was bring out the book and say "Ok, show me."

Lastly, it's important to know that things like Word Study are not taught in college/grad school. The teachers are not learning how to actually implement these kind of programs while in school. They learn this through getting the book and being told to do it once they have a job and they also go to workshops that might last a couple hours. That's it. They really have no more knowledge many times about these specific type programs than anyone could get from reading the book.

The above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Long winded PP, your untrained teacher might be an exception or perhaps your district or school is an exception.

In fcps the teachers are generally very strong, well trained, expereinced teachers OR very well mentored new teachers.

Nah, most have a few years experience and it's actual teaching experience where they learn how to teach.

College and grad school teaches theory but like all theory it has to be turned into practice. So each school district uses certain packaged curriculum that then requires training for the teachers to use effectively. No need to believe me on this - google is your friend. Every publisher provides training on their product both initial and on-going.

It would be impossible for colleges/grad schools to train future teachers on these products. It's up to the individual schools and districts to provide that training to a teacher to implement the product. So a teacher can easily implement the product poorly for a couple of years before he/she really has enough experience to know and understand how to use it and use it well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the Op needs all of you who aren't in FCPS to drop out of this discussion

Shouldn't she have posted in Va Public Schools, then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the Op needs all of you who aren't in FCPS to drop out of this discussion

Shouldn't she have posted in Va Public Schools, then?

When did OP say they were in FCPS - the initial post didn't. I guess I missed that. My bad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long winded PP, your untrained teacher might be an exception or perhaps your district or school is an exception.

In fcps the teachers are generally very strong, well trained, expereinced teachers OR very well mentored new teachers.

Nah, most have a few years experience and it's actual teaching experience where they learn how to teach.

College and grad school teaches theory but like all theory it has to be turned into practice. So each school district uses certain packaged curriculum that then requires training for the teachers to use effectively. No need to believe me on this - google is your friend. Every publisher provides training on their product both initial and on-going.

It would be impossible for colleges/grad schools to train future teachers on these products. It's up to the individual schools and districts to provide that training to a teacher to implement the product. So a teacher can easily implement the product poorly for a couple of years before he/she really has enough experience to know and understand how to use it and use it well.

This is not our fcps experience.

Each grade has a team leader who is a well estabkished teacher. They pull activities from many sources and don't just follow a canned curriculum. We have had two new teachers (1st & 2nd year) and what you describe (regurgitating a canned curriculum with no understanding of how to properly imolemet it) is not typical for the two fcps elementay schools my kids have attended.

What district are you basing your experience on? One of the Maryland districts?