Above grade level, on grade level or Behind grade level?

[warriormom]

My husband and I were talking about the advantages of homeschooling. Which classes are your children working above grade level? On grade level? Behind grade level?

 

How do you decide to promote a child in a certain subject?:bigear:

[FairProspects]

Particularly at the early grammar stage I think this can be difficult to determine because it is quite normal for K/1st/2nd graders to be all over the map in different subjects.

 

Generally, we move on when we complete the work or the curriculum. Occasionally we will delay if I feel a concept needs some time or review to be cemented. If I feel we are accelerating too quickly or are too far above where I want to be grade level-wise, I will widen the field of study.

 

As for comparisons to our PS friends, ds is above grade level in everything. Compared to other homeschoolers, I suspect he is right about average in all subjects except perhaps math. Homeschoolers on this board tend to set the bar pretty high :).

 

I think this is much easier to determine in late grammar or early logic stage when there are more skills kids should be able to do.

[mom2boys030507]

My boys are both working above grade level on most things or at least I think they are. Never having been in public school it is hard to tell.

 

My boys are moved to the next book when they have completed and mastered the previous book. I don't look at grade level when it comes to what they are doing - I look at ability. I try very hard to just focus on what my boys are capable of. They are in the grade they would be in if they were in public school. We do this so they can answer the question, "What grade are you in?" and so that they understand why they are in certain groups that are not homeschool related, like AWANA and Cub Scouts. One reason I do look at grade level/age is to understand how much work I can expect from them. Just because my 6 year old, K'er can read My Father's Dragon in two afternoons, doesn't mean that I should be asking him to read for hours a day and have the writing paragraph narrations. No, he can read at that level so I do assign books pushing his level slightly, while writing for him is still all copywork and narrations are done orally.

[Dinsfamily]

Particularly at the early grammar stage I think this can be difficult to determine because it is quite normal for K/1st/2nd graders to be all over the map in different subjects.

 

 

:iagree:

 

We also tend to move on as we finish something. It is easy to see how my ds is doing with the material since I'm working with him each day.

 

I would say that he's above average in math and possibly in reading and spelling. He can read at a 4th-5th grade level but I've met and heard about a lot of 1st graders reading at that level. He prefers to read books at the 3rd grade level for fun because the content interests him. My ds4 is another animal. He was a very early reader but since he's still a preschooler, I don't count it as anything to do with hsing. I didn't teach him, he just figured it out.

 

We also operate similarly to the PP. My ds is a 1st grader. Just because his reading level is high, I don't require him to analyze what he's reading or write about it. He's doing great with the copywork and narration in WWE and I see no need to accelerate it. He does do more math than the average 1st grader but he enjoys it and it comes easily for him. We are still working on catching up to his real level (don't want to skip anything for fear of gaps). I anticipate he'll slow down a bit when we get there. Until then, I make sure to add a lot of fun stuff like Miquon and Zaccaro's PCM. Customization is a huge advantage of hsing for me.

[alpidarkomama]

I actually never even think about it. They're each at a certain point on the continuum. They just learn one thing, then the next, then the next. I keep in mind the minimum I'd like to accomplish that year to keep myself accountable but I just adjust things in my head if our pacing is different. And we don't "promote" per se. When we've finished Book 1, we just go right on with Book 2. We learn year-roundish so there isn't really a time that I think of as the "end" of the school year. I think the advantages to homeschooling lie in the fact that the child's education is designed around their exact needs, and that the family enjoys a unique relationship. :)

[....]

I was wondering this myself and gave my daughter (3rd grader) an older version of the TAKS in January. Based on the results, we are very much above grade level (in fact, it says that she would've gotten some kind of "commendation" from the school district if that had been a real test).

 

Also, I think we cover things in our homeschool that aren't touched on in public school. What 1st grader knows about the Ancient Greeks? :tongue_smilie: And Read-Alouds, Sheesh! I never read ANY of these books that we've been reading. I feel like I never went to school and I have a Bachelor's degree! My son is absolutely addicted to Farmer Boy!

 

As far as promoting into the next subject, my 5 yro will start 1st grade in March because...well, she'll be done with her K curricula and I think she can handle 1st grade lite.

 

As long as they're happy and they're learning...and excited about learning...our homelife is relaxing...and everyone seems even-keel...I think those are my educational goals for now.

 

So far (and I think next year will be our 3rd year homeschooling), I am massively impressed with homeschooling. We really like it. :D

[Whereneverever]

We move forward when we finish a level of curricula- as long as they understand it.

 

Otherwise, my DD1 is ahead, my DD2 isn't old enough to have these questions be valid, really, and the baby doesn't do school. ;)

[bluemongoose]

I think it is normal for kids to be all over the map as far as levels in different subjects. This is one of the many reasons why homeschooling is beneficial for so many! Even PS students are naturally not in one "grade" level for each subject, but this is the way PS run so as to keep it manageable for the teacher to teach a whole crowd of kids.

 

To answer your specific question: my DD just turned 6yo. Had she been enrolled in PS, she would be in Kindy this year based on her age (Dec bday). They do not allow testing in early in our district. Right now she is working on 2nd grade math, 1st grade handwriting, 1st grade writing and spelling, and 1st grade humanities. However, she reads at a 6th-8th grade reading level. She often will read a very challenging book and then read a few way too easy books for her level such as the Magic Tree House Series. The likes the challenge, but also likes a break afterwards.

 

My DS just turned 4yo (Jan bday). He is working on beginning Kindergarten work this year whenever he would like to. I do not make him come and do school if he doesnt want to yet. He can read simple CVC words and is beginning to do very simple addition (1+1, 1+3 etc). If he were to be enrolled in PS, he would not be enrolled until fall of 2012. By then, I am guessing he will be past kindergarten level work.

[Crimson Wife]

My kids are all over the map. Officially they are enrolled in the grade where they would be if they were in PS. I use whatever material is at the appropriate challenge level cognitively but usually have to "tweak" it because their physical writing skills lag. We HS year-round and promote to the next grade at the end of August when the PS starts.

 

My DS may or may not need a "transition" year between K & 1. It really depends on where his writing is. Two weeks ago, I would've said that he absolutely was going to need one because at that time he couldn't even write his name. However, he is currently going through a writing explosion and can now print full sentences (albeit all in capitals). If I can get him up to grade-level on the writing by the time I need to make a decision about "transition" vs. 1st, then I'll go ahead and promote.

[RootAnn]

To me, you've touched on some of the advantages of homeschooling.

- There is no "grade level" per se. We do the next level of math when we finish the previous one as long as the child is doing well. Otherwise, we pause for awhile to go over a rough topic, cement math facts, or go back to the beginning on something that hasn't stuck using the method we've used thus far.

- We can give the child more assistance in areas where they are struggling to increase their understanding or skill.

- We can encourage the child to soar in areas they are already doing well in.

 

In addition, the child can have time to explore areas they are really interested in.

 

My children are (so far) fairly average. One might be ahead of "grade level" in math while behind "behind" in writing skills/grammar. In some respects, though, what do you call a K'er who writes everything completely phonetically in beautiful cursive? Or a first grader who can tell you all about the Minoan culture and draw/color or paint pictures of what archeologists think their buildings looked like? Those aren't "grade level" specific, IMO. Those are the wonderful things that come from letting a child's strengths come out naturally as part of their learning.

[SnMomof7]

All of the above :).

 

DD 7 is on grade level in penmanship, is ahead in reading (but was behind until two months ago), behind in math and spelling because we use a different approach than public school (mastery), and likely ahead in all knowledge subjects because ps isn't great at those.

 

I don't put a lot of stock in 'grade levels' though, we work until she really GETS it, won't move on until she does, then keep going :).

[Mommy22alyns]

I don't think the girls are behind grade level on anything. They're pretty much on grade level for everything but reading, where they're way beyond. Becca does do cursive and has for a while, so I guess that's "ahead" too. Sylvia probably won't start cursive as early though.

 

In their co-op, they are in the grades they would be in if they went to PS.

[LittleIzumi]

Well, dd has a birthday a few weeks past the deadline so as far as her actual year where she would be in PS, she is ahead across the board--she basically gets an extra year on everyone, lol. As far as MOST K'ers being actually 5 and the work she's doing at 5, she's ahead in all except writing/penmanship. There's SUCH a range at this age, but she was I'd say on grade level a couple months ago for reading but she had a leap and is ahead now. Science is her passion and that I think she was born ahead on, lol. I'm just trying to keep up!!

[MissKNG]

Another vote for "all over the map". I definitely know what subject she is age appropriate in (handwriting) and which she excels the most in (math/science). It's a real eye opener to the grade level box that ps kids are stuck in.

 

We also move on when she completes something with understanding. I don't wait until our next school year to start the next level of material.

[Snowfall]

I would put them in the next level of a curriculum whenever they've mastered the one before it. I wouldn't move my DD onto 2nd grade math if she hadn't mastered what was in the 1st grade curriculum yet, regardless of whether or not we were starting a new school year. We call her whatever grade she'd be in if she were in school, so right now she's in first grade and in August she'll be in second grade. Unless you have a profoundly gifted child, there's no reason to say they're in a grade ahead of where they are based on their age, and if you do have a profoundly gifted child, that still serves no real purpose. Kids will be ready for college whenever they are. If they're so gifted they finish high school early, they'll do phenomenally well on their SAT or ACT and the universities won't care much about the rest. :)

 

Oh, but to answer the other question...I think she's about on target for reading (maybe slightly behind, but I don't think so), slightly ahead in spelling (she spells better than she reads), slightly ahead in math, very ahead in science, and ahead in geography.

 

My children are (so far) fairly average. One might be ahead of "grade level" in math while behind "behind" in writing skills/grammar. In some respects, though, what do you call a K'er who writes everything completely phonetically in beautiful cursive? Or a first grader who can tell you all about the Minoan culture and draw/color or paint pictures of what archeologists think their buildings looked like? Those aren't "grade level" specific, IMO. Those are the wonderful things that come from letting a child's strengths come out naturally as part of their learning.

 

Beautifully put!

[siloam]

I focus on mastery and don't worry about where we are in comparison to grade level.

 

Heather

[boscopup]

Like everyone else, we go to the next level when we finish the previous level. For example, my son is in first grade. He just finished the first grade math book today. We're taking off next week to play math games (working on facts), then taking the following week off school. When we finish our break, we're starting the second grade math book, but he won't be labeled "second grade". He reads around a 4th grade level, but he's not ready for 4th grade literary work. I just give him books that are his reading level, but I only ask first grade level work from him (some basic narrations on occasion).

 

Everything else, he's probably right on target for his grade. Hard to tell. But this disparity is exactly the main reason why we are homeschooling. In school, he was bored because he was ready for more math and a higher level of reading than what his class was doing. Now he can go at his pace. I also am not requiring creative writing like his school was, so while they are writing paragraphs in his class right now, my son is not doing that. I don't consider him "behind" though, as I don't think that's a developmentally appropriate thing for a first grader to be doing.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Fourth grader is probably on level for math, a little ahead in reading, behind in writing and advanced in history and science. First grader is at or above grade level pretty much across the board. Maybe a little behind in writing because she does copywork vs creative writing.

[foxbridgeacademy]

DS,4th grade, is ahead in math, science, and history(doing 5th -7th grade work). Behind in all LA (3rd grade grammar/reading )due to LD, but we're working on it. DD, 2nd grade, is ahead in all language arts, science, history, and behind in math(still in the 1st half of 2nd grade). Makes for interesting days. I'm not overly concerned about most of it. DD can and will "get it (math) " eventually. DS does worry me a bit, mostly because of the LD. Even though I stress about him I try not to let it show. I don't want to cause him anxiety, he will only struggle more. So for them no matter what grade level they're working on, come May they'll graduate to the next grade with lots of praise.

[Hedgehogs4]

My husband and I were talking about the advantages of homeschooling. Which classes are your children working above grade level? On grade level? Behind grade level?

 

How do you decide to promote a child in a certain subject?:bigear:

 

my philosophy is they are on their grade level. Whatever that means. who cares? My children are progressing steadily. Progress is the key. They have a love for learning. I have no real way of comparing unless you consider standardized tests, which I personally do not.

[Tracy]

My dd5 is working generally 1 grade level above, so much of her work is 1st grade work. In math, she needs to be one grade level above simply so she is not bored to tears. Her spelling program (SWR) does not really work in grade levels. She gets a diagnostic test, and that is where we place her. She is reading at least 2 grade levels above, so I don't have a formal reading program. She just reads to me whatever she wants. She turns her nose up at books that are too easy, so that is her choice. We started a history rotation a year early, because she loves the subject.

 

I have purposely held back on a formal writing program. Although her handwriting is beautiful, she doesn't like to do it. And I am trying to keep from pushing her too hard, too early. So we will probably start WWE in the fall, so she will not be ahead in that area.

[Aurelia]

I think Ariel is fairly solidly ahead. She meets the cutoff for 1st grade, but has a spring birthday, so most of the parents in our area would have "redshirted" her and put her in K this year (where she would be bored out of her mind). Most of her work is on a late 1st to early 2nd grade level.

[Homeschooling6]

All my children are behind, above and at grade in some subject or another. They are all over the place.

 

I don't have one child that is all above, all behind or all at grade level ;)

[WiseOwlKnits]

DD is ahead in everything. I decide based on where she is in the curriculum we're using. We're finishing 1st grade either this week or next (depending on the subject). DD is so excited to start 2nd grade and she's definitely ready. She would be in 1st grade if she were in public school, although she's a summer birthday and most summer birthdays here start a year behind.