Teachers - should I be asking for outside help?

[Anonymous]

If you have a 2nd grader who was assessed as a reading level 6, should the school be offering extra services? His teachers tell us every year that our son is "just fine, just a little behind, but doing great, he'll catch up soon!" but it turns o ut he's a second grader reading at the Kindergarten level! Is this normal? Do I need to talk to someone about getting him evaluated? Shouldn't they be offering to have the reading specialist work with him or at least give him some one on one time with his teacher? I'm very confused - is he just fine? Or is he two years behind where he should be? Why can't they just be straight with me?

[Anonymous]

He doesn’t see a reading specialist or sped teacher at school? Are most of the kids in second grade at his school reading at a k level too? If most of the kids are on level then I feel like they spend some extra time working with your child. If most children at this school are two levels below grade level then I’d imagine they just make sure the classroom teacher teaches to the level the majority of students are at.

You can try to push for an IEP if you don’t think the curriculum in the general education classroom is helping your child read on level. My school had the gen ed teachers use Lucy Calkins Unit of Study for ELA, but the special ed teachers use Wilson and Orton-Gillingham (which I think every kids should get but that’s just not what the admin what’s gen ed teachers to use).

With an IEP you wouldn’t be spending your money on an O-G tutor or anything like that. They could age out of the IEP too, so it doesn’t have to be forever. But that extra time with a teacher either 1:1 or in a small group might be exactly what your child needs! I’m sorry education isn’t so crazy!

[Anonymous]

And for what it’s worth, I teach fourth but have kids reading at kindergarten and first grade levels. They all have an IEP and see a special ed teacher for reading and/or writing. They work in small groups or 1:1 for reading and/or writing. It’s like 4 kids in my class... so it happens.

[Anonymous]

^so many typos! Education IS so crazy! Haha

[Anonymous]

Change your style of speech. Stop saying "Is Benjamin doing okay?" and start saying "Benjamin is struggling and still behind three years in. I don't want him to keep falling farther and farther behind. I would like him to work with a reading specialist this year - how can we make that happen? Do I have to email my request to somebody specific? "

Use more assertive language.

[Anonymous]

He may not be that behind, now. The academic regression from February has been huge.

[Anonymous]

OMG yes. Talk to the school about getting extra help. Hire a tutor. Do what you need to but this is not good.

He is 2 years below in reading in 2nd grade. 3rd grade is when things hit the fan and it gets really hard for kids who are way behind. Because then it’s not learning to read. It’s reading to learn and if you can’t read, it will be very difficult to catch up or do well.

Get him help ASAP.

[Anonymous]

I would listen to his teachers. I had one kid reading chapter books on their own in kindergarten, and one who didn't read until second grade. Both are voracious readers now. I agree about asking the teacher what you can do to support his reading, and help encourage and improve it. But you don't want this to become a battle.

[Anonymous]

OP here, but every time I say something or ask what we can be doing to help him, the teacher just says "he's fine, he's progressing quickly, he'll be caught up in no time!" Do I need to go over the teacher's head to get the reading specialist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, but every time I say something or ask what we can be doing to help him, the teacher just says "he's fine, he's progressing quickly, he'll be caught up in no time!" Do I need to go over the teacher's head to get the reading specialist?

You need to be more pushy. You're clearly not Jewish, huh? "He's NOT progressing quickly though, Katherine. He's still at the same level he was at in kindergarten. I would like a reading assessment done please. Do I have to put my request in writing or email someone else? What is the next step to get him assessed?"

[Anonymous]

We use a different reading leveling system but I looked up that level and it looks like the beginning of 1st grade so a year behind. Where was he before school stopped in person last March?

[Anonymous]

Welcome to a cold urban area. As someone who has a child with dyslexia let me give you my experience. Public schools are on a ‘wait to fail’ model. Their goal is to delay services - and frankly to do their level best to prevent you from receiving services. (Even though your child has a federal right - FAPE). Right now, you will be victim shamed - be pushy! Be assertive! - because it is a deeply corrupt system. And many of these folks are guilty employees of the system - they are actively ignoring your child. Here’s the deal - this is your child. First get him tested - a neuropsychological exam. See what’s going on. Then take steps to correct it. The school will most likely be your adversary. Take it one day at a time. And channel GEN Mattis: be polite, be kind but be prepared to fight. (Paraphrase there). Do not for a moment forget the public schools are your adversary but you first need to figure out what’s going on. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

If you teacher says he is fine, LISTEN. Be patient. Your teacher knows, as they are working with your son. Just ask the teacher what you can do to help and support your child with reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you teacher says he is fine, LISTEN. Be patient. Your teacher knows, as they are working with your son. Just ask the teacher what you can do to help and support your child with reading.

Totally disagree. I was dumb enough to think this when my son was in first. Then in second, he didn’t catch up, and he ended up with a long term sub. Then Covid, and here we are in fourth, and he can’t read a lot of the online material.

[Anonymous]

OP, as a k teacher, I would be concerned about a student reading at a 6 in 2nd grade. What is the school situation like where your son attends? In person? Hybrid? All virtual? Do you know what the approach to guided reading is?
For what it’s worth, I think the reading specialist should absolutely be working with him regardless of what the format is at this point. Unfortunately, that’s not happening so...
I think if I were in your position I would:
1) get a tutor immediately (ideally a former or current teacher in your district)
2) Reach out the the reading specialist at your son’s school to ask for tips, resources for his tutor to work on. You can ask the teacher too so that you’re not seen as going around her.
3) after a few sessions with the tutor, get their assessment and recommendations moving forward
Finally, I’m sorry OP. This sounds very frustrating; you are doing the right thing by starting with the teacher and assuming positive intent. But now is the time to collect your own information.