Alenee Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I'm not sure this is the right board but I thought since it's dedicated to people who have kids in b & m school, y'all might be able to offer some advice. My 9 and 12 yo dds are going to public school for the first time starting this fall. The 9yo is technically a 4th grader now but because she has a summer birthday, we're going to enroll her as a 4th grader. The 12yo will be in the 7th grade. We've loosely followed the Classical method; I did more with my high schooler though. The 9yo is doing great with what I see our state's goals are for 4th graders. I'm not sure about my 12yo though. Her handwriting is atrocious due to low muscle tone. I'm having her do copy work each day to focus on the handwriting. Her writing skills are great, reading is great, science and math...not so much. Her dad is working through Singapore science with her so she'll have some good knowledge from that; and she is a treasure trove of random scientific facts. But on the whole, I really dropped the ball with her in science. Her math is wishy-washy. I think she'll do well in class, having a teacher explain new concepts to her but right now, I would say she has gaps. She's currently working through LOF decimals and percents but frequently hits a wall. We butt heads with each other on math because she would prefer to give up rather than keep working through until she gets it. VERY independent, yet easily gives up when frustrated. Having said all that, what do you think we should focus on to be ready for the public school? Their high school sister is prepping them on the social and practical aspects so I think we have that part covered. Can you tell I'm nervous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Is the low muscle tone something she has a diagnosis for? It sounds like something that she might be able to get an IEP to let her type in-class work. Catching her up on math should be a high priority. I'd work on Saturdays and through the summer if necessary, and I'd try to get a scope and sequence for sixth grade from the school so you can see what she should know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 If your younger is meeting 4th grade targets why make her repeat? See if you can get provisions for the muscle tone as extra time would help stop her sacrificing quality for speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 The low muscle tone is due to sensory processing disorder. We believe she has some dyslexia too which shows up in her math work but no other time. We're considering getting her an IEP. RE: younger meeting targets- She'd be one of the youngest in her class, it's her first time in public school, and she still has the innocence of a younger girl. Her best buddy across the street is in 3rd this year and they play well. After talking with many parents who've had this choice due to birth dates, I feel it's socially best for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 If you suspect learning issues I highly recommend you get assessments through a neuropsychologist so you can go into meetings with the school based on facts and knowledge. There are a LOT of schools that do not have terribly well trained staff doing assessments and they frequently come at those assessments only from the viewpoint of deficits. Meaning, they may only want to see if she qualifies for help because she is really, really behind in certain areas, not actually seeking to find out where all of her strengths and specific areas of weakness, even minor ones, are so that those can be systematically targeted. The goal is frequently just how to help a child get by, move on, etc. not how a child can truly thrive in the short and long term. And misdiagnosis occurs rather often, along with ineffective remediation/accommodations. Knowledgeable parents tend to have a better chance of effectively advocating for their children, so before any assessment you might read The Mislabeled Child by Brock and Fernette Eide to see if anything in there speaks to you (based on scientific studies and written by a highly respected husband and wife team). Tremendously helpful book for looking into strengths and weaknesses that are frequently not noticed or are misdiagnosed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 The fourth grade makes sense then. But do get assessments first for the older - that way you can go in knowing what you need in the way of assistance rather than having to prove it by having her struggle. If you know someone who is a good advocate or experienced see if they can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 My daughter started middle school this year. Really, she transitioned without any issue. Kids are still all over the map in middle school, so teachers expect it. I would say the only subject we had to work at in the beginning was math. Her homeschool curriculum was not up to par & put her behind the public school scope and sequence. It wasn't a huge deal, as we just watched youtube videos and did mini crash courses in the beginning to figure things out. She still made good grades. But really, that is the only thing I would have changed. As for handwriting, continue with the copywork. That will benefit her for sure. My daughter figured everything out. It wasn't as big as a deal as I'd anticipated at all. :). I was a nervous wreck too! Hugs. It's going to be much easier than you think!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLMom Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Organizational skills and test taking skills. We didn't do much testing at home; we just used narrations so my kids didn't really know how to take tests well. Also, how to write paragraphs--different kids like persuasive, descriptive, expository, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Organisation was important here. Keeping track of possessions and assignments. Knowing what is acceptable as far as social interaction and what is unacceptable (what is normal mucking around and what is bullying, so the child knows when to ask for help). Writing and maths. I would also ask for copies of the text books that have been used this year in class - you might be able to borrow some over the summer - so you can check out any issues. And do ask about accommodations for handwriting - Calvin has use of a keyboard. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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