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I don't even think skipping grades is done here, but I agree that it can be crippling socially and educationally, and not something I would do based on what I know right now.
My only fear is waiting a couple of years may mean just more years of her sitting in class not learning and hating school. I've waited this whole school year just to see if she could get into the GT program for 1st grade, figuring after that point things would change. Since she's not, I'm just trying to see what her options are now for 1st grade, if it's going to be more of the same sitting around waiting for classmates to catch up, or can she finally begin learning something herself.
Thanks, you've helped a lot
I think those fears are greatly exaggerated in most cases. Lots has been written, but I've seen few kids over the years who are "bored" with school b/c they are too far ahead. It's usually the kids who get behind who say school is boring. Just to keep the responses to this at a reasonable level, I have known a few who got in trouble for talking, etc, b/c they finished assignments early.
IIRC, by 2nd grade schools do programs like "Jr. Great Books" and the like. It may be another year before she gets into a lot of advanced stuff.
There are different reading groups, but even the highest level group is boring to her. I don't think they spend all day doing letter sounds though. They do journaling, different stations, and they can pick their own books to read. So maybe I made it sound worse than it is. Certain things, like the journaling exercises, she's fine with and enjoys. The worksheets she quickly and then sits there bored, or doesn't bother to do them at all and writes other stuff all over them instead. The books they have available, she reads quickly and is looking for more. When she has to work in a group, she gets impatient and bossy with the other kids because they're not working fast enough. I do think that her teacher tries to keep her engaged, but is finding it difficult for whatever reason.
I see a few problems here - first, if journaling is the only writing exercise, then this teacher is woefully behind the times. Most of the teachers in my school replaced journals with more interesting activities at least 6 or 7 years ago. Activities that are integrated with reading, which then makes the reading more interesting. Moreover, if a student is too high for the highest group, then they get their own group. If she's that high, she doesn't require much one-on-one time. It sounds like the school is lacking in resources - like books. I have worked in schools that didn't have great resources for reading groups and in-class use. This is a real problem. There should not be ANY worksheets. Ever. That's also a problem. However, getting impatient and bossy is something your daughter could work on. Being that far ahead is an opportunity to develop leadership skills. She could be a good mentor, for example. That is also a valuable learning experience, and one that she should take advantage of.
What options are there for kids who are above average, but not considered "gifted?"
My dd6's kindergarten teacher recommended that she be tested for the GT program, since she is reading at a 3rd grade level and there's really nothing to teach her in kindergarten. She tested, but her CoGat scores were surprisingly low. So it looks like she will be stuck at her neighborhood school, learning nothing, and bored to death.
There's little that her current teacher can do. She has tried requesting that dd go to a 1st or 2nd grade room for reading subjects, but apparently there's restrictions on classroom size that won't allow this. All she can do is throw an extra worksheet in here or there, but she simply cannot keep my dd engaged enough to learn anything new. In the meantime, my dd, who loves learning and has always been excited about it, is bored and hates school. I don't expect the teacher to plan a curriculum around my child alone, and realize that there's not much she can do but try to teach the entire class. But in the meantime, my kid falls through the cracks.
It seems the only option may be private school, which I really cannot afford but will have to make it work if that's my dd's only hope. But for kids in public school, who are somewhere between gifted and average, and don't fit into either category, what can a parent do to ensure they get an education and don't get lost in the crowd?
You might be missing something. Kindergarten isn't about learning traditional school type knowledge. The biggest benefit of Kindergarten is a child learning how to socialize and moderate their behavior in the presence of others. Take that way and you end up with a Sheldon Cooper, smart and maybe even brilliant (as depicted) but clueless when it comes to interacting with others.
You might be missing something. Kindergarten isn't about learning traditional school type knowledge. The biggest benefit of Kindergarten is a child learning how to socialize and moderate their behavior in the presence of others. Take that way and you end up with a Sheldon Cooper, smart and maybe even brilliant (as depicted) but clueless when it comes to interacting with others.
Nowadays, though, Kindergarten is not about this at all. It would be nice if it were, but the curriculum from 1st grade has moved down into kindergarten.
Does your school have a reading enrichment program or teacher? My youngest daughter was pulled out of her kindergarten class to attend reading enrichment sessions, and she is doing this in first grade as well. The reading enrichment teacher provides more challenging material.
Even without that benefit, nearly all reading series provide advanced material options that any teacher can utilize. If the school does not physically have the books, they can be accessed online. For example, my daughter's reading group is given advanced readers from the Scott Foresman and Open Court series. Many of the Scott Foresman booklets in particular are available online, and they often contain comprehension questions at the end that can be utilized. You could encourage the school to look into such things. The school should be prepared to deal with advanced readers.
Another option may be to pay for private educational testing. A full profile may give you a better idea where your child stands rather than just the CoGat test. This may help you make better decisions about the future.
In addition, you can look for outside enrichment classes. My middle daughter is having a bad year because of a poor teacher, and I have enrolled her in an enrichment class provided by one of our local gifted and talented centers (run by a university). That class is helping keep her love of learning alive. These enrichment classes often are available for children as young as five.
There are different reading groups, but even the highest level group is boring to her. I don't think they spend all day doing letter sounds though. They do journaling, different stations, and they can pick their own books to read. So maybe I made it sound worse than it is. Certain things, like the journaling exercises, she's fine with and enjoys. The worksheets she quickly and then sits there bored, or doesn't bother to do them at all and writes other stuff all over them instead. The books they have available, she reads quickly and is looking for more. When she has to work in a group, she gets impatient and bossy with the other kids because they're not working fast enough. I do think that her teacher tries to keep her engaged, but is finding it difficult for whatever reason.
Glad to hear you are having a meeting with principal and teacher next week.
As an early elementary teacher, your child needs differentiated instruction. If she is reading the books that are available quickly and is looking for more, she needs a book bag filled with books from the school library or upper grade levels that are not only at her reading level but also at her emotional level.
She needs a language arts packet every week at her level so she does not have to do letter-sound worksheets. Even if you provide a 1st grade workbook from a teacher store.
She needs a math packet every week at her level so she is not just tracing numbers or such.
1. book bag with books at her level
2. language arts packet at her level
3. math packet at her level
I don't agree that you need to be enriching at home. Oh, of course read together; however, the SCHOOL needs to be providing enrichment for your child, not you. As a single working mother you should be having quality down time together, not evening homeschooling.
Does your school have a reading enrichment program or teacher? My youngest daughter was pulled out of her kindergarten class to attend reading enrichment sessions, and she is doing this in first grade as well. The reading enrichment teacher provides more challenging material.
Even without that benefit, nearly all reading series provide advanced material options that any teacher can utilize. If the school does not physically have the books, they can be accessed online. For example, my daughter's reading group is given advanced readers from the Scott Foresman and Open Court series. Many of the Scott Foresman booklets in particular are available online, and they often contain comprehension questions at the end that can be utilized. You could encourage the school to look into such things. The school should be prepared to deal with advanced readers.
Another option may be to pay for private educational testing. A full profile may give you a better idea where your child stands rather than just the CoGat test. This may help you make better decisions about the future.
In addition, you can look for outside enrichment classes. My middle daughter is having a bad year because of a poor teacher, and I have enrolled her in an enrichment class provided by one of our local gifted and talented centers (run by a university). That class is helping keep her love of learning alive. These enrichment classes often are available for children as young as five.
Great idea regarding working with the reading specialist.
How true that all modern reading programs have above-grade-level recommendations now.
Not only your daughter's school library, but that public library you already visit weekly (good for you!) can be a great resource. Ask the children's librarian (make sure you get the right person, not everyone behind the library desk is a librarian) for booklists, books for parents suggesting good books for kids, and for librarian-recommendations for independent reading plus read-alouds you and your daughter can share.
Also, look at the arts and crafts section, ask about summer reading programs and current weekend or evening library activities for school-age kids.
See if your daughter's teacher will agree to her reading appropriate material which is her own selection but not necessarily from the classroom or school library during independent reading time. She certainly shouldn't be limited to worksheets during this time. She could also write book reports on her independent reading (but don't overdo this - I absolutely hated written book reports as a child, though I was a passionate reader - having to write a book report meant less time for reading!), or draw a picture of her favorite or the most exciting episode in the book, etc.
Nowadays, though, Kindergarten is not about this at all. It would be nice if it were, but the curriculum from 1st grade has moved down into kindergarten.
It is still their first experience in an organized social environment not orchestrated by their parents, in most cases. Therein is the value. Not giving a child that opportunity prevents them from establishing important social skills. Take a look at some of the kids who not classified as "gifted" have parents who simply have to push the point and then look at how those kids turn out. Lots of them have issues not related to their intelligence or what their parents think their intelligence levels should be.
Behind some of the most brilliant minds in history were parents who didn't meddle too much.
It is still their first experience in an organized social environment not orchestrated by their parents, in most cases. Therein is the value. Not giving a child that opportunity prevents them from establishing important social skills. Take a look at some of the kids who not classified as "gifted" have parents who simply have to push the point and then look at how those kids turn out. Lots of them have issues not related to their intelligence or what their parents think their intelligence levels should be.
Behind some of the most brilliant minds in history were parents who didn't meddle too much.
In today's world many, many kids attend preschool. Nearly all the children in the kindergarten classes at my kids' school were in a preschool before entering the kindergarten. Therefore, it is not often their first experience in an organized social environment.
Much more importantly though is that I get the sense that the OP's child is pushing for more, not necessarily the parent. I have met parents who think their children are gifted and push for more and more. The tone is different in those situations. Their children might actually be happy. It is the parent that is not happy.
In this case, it seems like the child is unhappy. You don't want a child to dislike school when he/she is only in kindergarten. If a kid wants more challenging work, then I think the school should work with that. Some kids actually enjoy being challenged, and they may even act out if they are not given the opportunity to stretch their minds a little more.
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