To the poster who was on the committee, can you tell me what were the important things. And how did you view WISC or SB scores. Did you care about them?

Anonymous wrote:The teacher should be grading based on how consistent the student is in demonstrating grade level material. The teacher should NOT be grading the child based on her being 1.5 years ahead. So, if the child consistently demonstrates knowledge of the standards being assessed that quarter, it would be a 4. If she usually demonstrates competency of the standards it's a 3.

A teacher should not assign 2s and 1s because not everything was taught yet. We are only assessing what was taught, NOT was was not taught. Does that make sense? If the teacher doesn't feel enough was taught under a particular standard in order to assess it, then the teacher should mark "NA" for not assessed.

This is what I thought as well. I LOVE her teacher for pushing her as much as she can...and she does do that...but I am concerned that her report card is assessing her at her ability, not what the grade level material is.

The teacher should be grading based on how consistent the student is in demonstrating grade level material. The teacher should NOT be grading the child based on her being 1.5 years ahead. So, if the child consistently demonstrates knowledge of the standards being assessed that quarter, it would be a 4. If she usually demonstrates competency of the standards it's a 3.

A teacher should not assign 2s and 1s because not everything was taught yet. We are only assessing what was taught, NOT was was not taught. Does that make sense? If the teacher doesn't feel enough was taught under a particular standard in order to assess it, then the teacher should mark "NA" for not assessed.

Your child's report card has no bearing on their aap acceptance (served on selection committee in the past). Unless of course their test scores, GBRS, and portfolio are also weak.

Our first grade teacher gave out 1's and 2's because not everything was taught yet on a particular skill, so I think grades vary from teacher to teacher and they are still trying to work through the new grading system.

Our teacher pointed out that a 3 means "mastered the skills" and a 4 means "mastered and can teach the skill to a peer," and that in some cases, a 3 would be given because there had been no opportunity to show the additional "teach" element.

Also, please relax a bit. It is not necessary to have "straight 4s" for AAP -- or anything else in life.

Kindergarten 4s are not the same as 1-6th grade "4s". I know it's very confusing but they mean something totally different.

In kinderg., the scale is 1-5 with 4 being "end of kindergarten level" and 5 being "exceeds kindergarten level." A child would be perfectly on target to get 1's and 2's the first half of the year and then 3's at the end of the third quarter and then, hopefully, 4's at the end of the year. Some kids, however, could get 4's from the very start of kindergarten and pretty much stay there or just move to 5's.

In first through sixth grade, the child is being assessed on how well they learned what was taught THAT quarter. So, if a child is getting 1s or 2s, it means they aren't fully grasping the material that was presented. If they are getting 3s and 4s they've learned what was taught. But, that could change the next quarter when the topics in each subject are different.

Kindergarten should be progressive in the ratings. First through sixth wouldn't be progressive. They are just a rating for that quarter's materials.

3s and 4s in first grade will not negatively impact your childs AAP chances. Likewise, getting all 4s (which my child did) will not guarantee a slot in AAP. It's more about the screening tests and what the teachers have to say about creative or advanced THINKING, not just being a good student (but that probably helps some).

While in kindergarten my child had all 4s. She is now in first grade and has received mostly 4s with a few smatterings of 3s. The smattering of 3s are purely in the reading and writing sections under which the teacher wrote a single word: "ABOVE." At the parent teacher conference in the fall she explained that she is grading my child based on her ability which is about 1.5 years ahead. It concerns me as it relates to a POSSIBLE AAP slot that her report card is not showing her grades for what she is expected to be learning while in first grade and the single word "above" isn't descriptive enough to explain to others that she is being graded based on late second grade work.

Thoughts?