Do You Have a Far-Ahead Kindergarten Reader? Advice Wanted

[Anonymous]

DS is in a public MoCo school. He started the year reading mid-2nd grade level; as of now, he's been assessed as reading and comprehending at the end of 3rd grade. He's also ahead in all other areas, but not as far. Currently, our school isn't doing much for him. For instance, he still comes home with K sight words and typical K connect the dots. We've got a P-T conference set up for next week. I have to presume that others of you are in this kind of a situation. How are your schools addressing your far-advanced child's needs? I'm looking for ideas that I can come to the table with next week, particularly ones that other MoCo schools are using as fodder for discussion.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

What are you looking for from the school?

[Anonymous]

My son will be in the same position when he starts K in the fall. I'd ask his teacher what options they have to teach to his current level. If there are other kids at or next his level, she can accommodate them in class and form a reading group. If he is the only one in his class, sometimes he can be pulled out by a reading specialist to be taught by her/him with other K students. If he is the only one in the entire grade, he might be able to join a 1st grade group for LA who is reading about grade level. They really should've made these accommodations by now though. GL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is in a public MoCo school. He started the year reading mid-2nd grade level; as of now, he's been assessed as reading and comprehending at the end of 3rd grade. He's also ahead in all other areas, but not as far. Currently, our school isn't doing much for him. For instance, he still comes home with K sight words and typical K connect the dots. We've got a P-T conference set up for next week. I have to presume that others of you are in this kind of a situation. How are your schools addressing your far-advanced child's needs? I'm looking for ideas that I can come to the table with next week, particularly ones that other MoCo schools are using as fodder for discussion.

Thanks.

They're not. Been down this road all this year with teacher, principal, reading scecialist, etc. Pulling my kid out and going to private school in the fall for 1st grade. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is in a public MoCo school. He started the year reading mid-2nd grade level; as of now, he's been assessed as reading and comprehending at the end of 3rd grade. He's also ahead in all other areas, but not as far. Currently, our school isn't doing much for him. For instance, he still comes home with K sight words and typical K connect the dots. We've got a P-T conference set up for next week. I have to presume that others of you are in this kind of a situation. How are your schools addressing your far-advanced child's needs? I'm looking for ideas that I can come to the table with next week, particularly ones that other MoCo schools are using as fodder for discussion.

Thanks.

OP, your post confirms my suspicions about the fit of MCPS for our child. Our DC sounds similar to your DS. We recently toured our MCPS elementary, and we definitely got the vibe (no, we pretty much got the direct answer, polite but direct) that getting work that far above grade level was not going to happen. We of course didn't apply for private for next year, because our ES seemed like a good choice... until we toured.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is in a public MoCo school. He started the year reading mid-2nd grade level; as of now, he's been assessed as reading and comprehending at the end of 3rd grade.

Doesn't sound like school is holding him back. In half a year, he's moved 1.5 years forward in reading, right? Does he like school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is in a public MoCo school. He started the year reading mid-2nd grade level; as of now, he's been assessed as reading and comprehending at the end of 3rd grade. He's also ahead in all other areas, but not as far. Currently, our school isn't doing much for him. For instance, he still comes home with K sight words and typical K connect the dots. We've got a P-T conference set up for next week. I have to presume that others of you are in this kind of a situation. How are your schools addressing your far-advanced child's needs? I'm looking for ideas that I can come to the table with next week, particularly ones that other MoCo schools are using as fodder for discussion.

Thanks.

OP, your post confirms my suspicions about the fit of MCPS for our child. Our DC sounds similar to your DS. We recently toured our MCPS elementary, and we definitely got the vibe (no, we pretty much got the direct answer, polite but direct) that getting work that far above grade level was not going to happen. We of course didn't apply for private for next year, because our ES seemed like a good choice... until we toured.

Sorry to hear people's bad experiences. I know these matters vary quite a bit by school. We had much better luck at our MCPS elementary getting DC into a reading group with other kids at the same level. The administration can make this sort of choice--our DC ended up with a 1st grade reading group in kindergarten. OP, I would definitely inquire about whether your son is being instructed at his instructional level--and if not, why not. Our child's reading could have warranted a higher level, but the writing also has to be at that level, which is something to consider. For our child, the 1st grade reading group provided some challenge in writing, and if not challenge in reading, at least more advanced materials than a typical kindergarten reading group.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like he is making progress, whether through school or on his own. Does he like school, or is he bored and acting out?

Our experience was somewhat similar. Our oldest could read quite fluently, with comprehension, before starting preK, and was also advanced in math. Our public school (DCPS), which we seriously considered, advised that they wouldn't/couldn't do much of anything to ensure that they met her on her level. That in itself may not have prompted us to go private, but when we learned how much of the day was spent on reading and math (nearly 100%), we balked, knowing that she would be bored for nearly the whole day.

We went private not because we thought they'd do that much of a better job differentiating the reading/math curriculum--although they do some--but because much more of the day is spent on art, music, foreign language, etc., ensuring that at least some of her day is enriching. We've been happy with our decision, although it is a ridiculous financial sacrifice for our very middle-class family. She loves school, and fwiw, by first grade, she was reading with comprehension at the 7th grade level. Throughout these early years, teachers have sent home additional writing projects, and they have more or less kept pace with her interests and abilities, although her reading group books are things she could have read years ago. (But she enjoys them because she likes being in a group!)

Good luck with your discussions with the teachers, and with any future decisions on your child's behalf.

[Anonymous]

My child is in FCPS, not MCPS so it may be different, but at our school language arts is more than reading. Is his writing/spelling also above grade level? If so, it may be appropriate to work withthe 1st grade class. But if only his reading is above level, then he may be appropriately placed for the other aspects of language arts. My child is in this situation. Her reading is much better than her writing and spelling.

[Anonymous]

What's the deal with the "my child can read at a 3rd grade level in K so the school better do something" attitudes???

What exactly do you parents want the school to do?

Great, your kid can read. So reading the sight words worksheet should be no problem.

Give him a book during reading time and let him read on his own. What's wrong with that? I mean you are all excited about his reading level so don't you want him to be reading???

[Anonymous]

Can your son skip a grade and go to 1st grade?

[Anonymous]

What exactly do you parents want the school to do?

Well, it would be terrific if they provided instruction at their reading level. Silly me, I thought that was what schools were supposed to do. And given that a large proportion of a K kids day is spent "learning reading" all the more reason that they get appropriate level instruction during that time.

My kids is also in FCPS, but I think the caution with moving ahead a grade is that, like the PP pointed out, while they may read well, it is common for their writing skills to not be at the same level. That's a fine motor skill that just needs time to develop.

What I really didn't understand was why they could not give them books with more advanced language, but keep the writing assignments simple. They don't even need to give long books, just have them read picture books with advanced vocabulary (Sylvester and the Magic Pebble vs Biscuit Takes a Walk) or early nonfiction. But DD's second grade teacher finally clued me in as to why this doesn't happen, at least at our FCPS school. The "language arts" instructional packets are developed by the reading specialist at our school, not the classroom teacher, especially for K-2. So the teacher did not really have tons of freedom for customization unless they developed their own packets, and frankly they don't really have the time. The packets that are developed by the reading specialists assume writing skills at the same level as the reading skills.

Anyway, I found this insight useful. Mildly distressing, but useful.

Anyway, DD is in the GT center now and finally getting appropriate level instruction. It just took until third grade.....

[Anonymous]

I'm the OP. He is writing and spelling above grade level. I don't yet know how far ahead; I'll ask that question at the conference.

He's not acting out at school, but he is starting to ask every day if he has to go to school tomorrow. So, the situation is not ideal for him, either.

What do I want? I want him to go to school to learn not just have a babysitting service and busywork. Now, how to make that happen? That's why I'm asking for ideas. I get the impression with my school that if I at least can suggest some solutions, there may be more of a chance of getting him what he needs. But maybe I'm in my own dream world. We may ask to grade skip him directly to 2nd grade next year, but our school's principal is dead set against grade skipping. And I've applied to the TPES magnet for him, so, if he gets a lucky lottery number, then I'm hoping we'll be okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like he is making progress, whether through school or on his own. Does he like school, or is he bored and acting out?

!)Our experience was somewhat similar. Our oldest could read quite fluently, with comprehension, before starting preK, and was also advanced in math. Our public school (DCPS), which we seriously considered, advised that they wouldn't/couldn't do much of anything to ensure that they met her on her level. That in itself may not have prompted us to go private, but when we learned how much of the day was spent on reading and math (nearly 100%), we balked, knowing that she would be bored for nearly the whole day.

We went private not because we thought they'd do that much of a better job differentiating the reading/math curriculum--although they do some--but because much more of the day is spent on art, music, foreign language, etc., ensuring that at least some of her day is enriching. We've been happy with our decision, although it is a ridiculous financial sacrifice for our very middle-class family. She loves school, and fwiw, by first grade, she was reading with comprehension at the 7th grade level. Throughout these early years, teachers have sent home additional writing projects, and they have more or less kept pace with her interests and abilities, although her reading group books are things she could have read years ago. (But she enjoys them because she likes being in a group

Good luck with your discussions with the teachers, and with any future decisions on your child's behalf.

This was exactly our situation as well. (We are in MoCo.) We ended up going private (a huge stretch for us, barely possible) for the same reason--so that much more of the school day would be on other things than reading and math. The private also does better differentiation than we were going to find in public.