It is hard and we've been so lucky that we've not had problems, but I know not everyone is as lucky as us. Would you be happy to leave it for next term, perhaps look at getting some tutoring for Evan to try to help? Next year might be better to give both boys a fresh start at a new school. With the readers that my kids get from school, they look at having them on a level 15 by the end of Kindergarten (we're in NSW too so the readers should be similar) and on 25 by the end of year 2 I think.
see I wouldn't even know what level they are on? They don't tell us that sort of thing. One thing I do know is this term they offered only to yr 1 (all of 5 kids.. yep small school) a reading recovery programme & one of the kids (parent I have been talking too) was only on level 3, she said she should be on level 20... I wonder if the readers he brings home have any indication on them what level he is reading.... be back..
Oh & yeah I wouldn't do anything till the new year I think. Other then suss out the best options as far as other schools.
Yeah, the little readers that they bring home should have on them somewhere what level they are - either printed on it as part of the book itself or written on it.
To be honest, I would be worried about a whole grade, even 5 kids, was given the reading programme... its designed for students with reading problems ,and those who fall behind.
To give it 5 kids from any grade, even in a large class would be a lot, but 100% of the class??
Exactly! Mind you I think out of this 5 kids only 3 are doing it as the other 2 are above average kids. 1 is new to the school only started here a few months back so came from another school. The other her mum has had tested & came back as "Gifted". Her older brother is also very smart.
See this is what worries me.. These kids are on the 2nd year with the same teacher(s) (they have 2 for K/1) & if what I hear is right about the classes next year Glenn will be stuck with these 2 AGAIN. I feel this was a big part of Evans problem as he also had the same 2 teachers for Kindy & yr 1.
Eta - See & even the "Gifted" childs mum gets "average" report cards & comments even though she is clearly well above average & she questioned the teachers at the p&t meeting she was told they don't like to "talk the kids up". She said thats crazy as the reports are for the parents to read not the kids (even though her daughter could read & fully understand teh report LOL)
Last edited by *Efjay*; September 23rd, 2010 at 05:36 PM.
hmmmm Ok, They bring home the Reading a-z leveled readers. Gelnn (in Kindy ) brings home the level A books & Evan in yr 2 brings home the level G books. Im just on the website for the readers trying to work out the levels.
This may seem a little out there but are you in a position to consider homeschooling? My next door neighbour has started doing it this year with her 7 & 5 year old and she says they are now starting to blossom in areas they were struggling with at school. I understand its not for everyone of course. However school can be a 'one size fits all' approach and some kids just don't seem to fit. Something else to consider is the Steiner approach to reading/writing etc. They focus more on the creative aspects of learning in the early years and don't begin reading until the age of 7. They catch up to the others soon enough...
I worry about the amount of pressure on young children to perform to a set level these days - it just seems so rigid and arbitrary.
I'm sure your child has strengths in other areas that the system is not adept at focusing or developing....
I hope you can get the answers you are looking for. Just thought I'd offer a different perspective.
Your sig made me laugh by the way - congrats on all those years breastfeeding. Thats admirable!
Spoke to the school today. Glenn is on level 1 & should be around level 6. Evan is on level 15 & should be around 24.
I found Evans teacher to be rather defensive but the school has a guy in atm doing a reading recovery programme for the yr 1 kids & I spoke with him for about an hour on way to help the boys. He said not to worry to much with Glenn just yet as he will do the programme with him next year but I should be worried about Evan. He gave me some great tips that we will try & put into place over the holidays. He thinks if we can stick with it & get Evan keen to do it we should have him up to level 26 where he should be by the end of the year.
I can't believe he is on 15 & the school thinks that is ok. He is a whole year behind FFS how is that ok?
I have been thinking about this today and I think that the way he feels about school is directly related to the way he is being taught. Kids will thrive if they have teachers that have passion and are determined to help the child learn, but when they totally lack those qualities it shows and it makes the kids not want to learn too. If they can be so blase about where he is at academically, then he needs to be in a new school.
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