javamoma Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 My daughter spent her preschool years at a montessori school and because of that set up she was allowed to advance in math at her own pace. During her kindergarten year at the montessori school she was doing 3rd grade and even some 4th grade math with ease. Staying at the montessori school was not an option because this school did not offer higher grade levels. So we switched her over to a classical education school this year for 1st grade. Of course she is bored out of her mind in math. She has a 3rd grade math book to work on at her desk once she finishes the first grade work. And this keeps her busy but this is not a long term solution. We talked to her teacher about bumping her up to 2nd grade but her teacher felt like she would breeze through that as well and the 2nd grade teacher would have the same problem keeping her challenged. My daughter is just one of those kids that if she sees it once, she's got it. The teacher's solution was to tutor her after school and let her just take off on her own pace. That way she can do 5th grade math in the 2nd grade and we don't have to worry about constantly figuring out what grade to physically move her too each time. What are your thoughts? Do you think this is a good solution? I am in desperate need of wisdom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenbrdsly Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 I think she should be allowed to go up to the 5th grade class for math. My son is in first grade and is going across the class for third grade math. It took really cooperative teachers and administrators to make this happen, but it's working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Would the school be amenable to having her do EPGY or something like that online, in lieu of the math class? I can't see placing a 1st grader in a 5th grade math class-even assuming that 5th grade has math at the same time, simply because of the amount of writing 5th grade math is likely to require and because of the social differences between a 6 yr old and an 11 yr old. And she absolutely should NOT have to do 1st grade math and then do 4th grade math. I think that would make me hate math pretty fast! We ended up homeschooling after K for exactly this sort of reason-it just wasn't possible to find a good placement for DD within the school that would meet her academic needs and her physical/emotional/social ones because they were too far apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 She has a 3rd grade math book to work on at her desk once she finishes the first grade work. Why on earth does she need to do first AND third grade math? Are they suggesting afterschool self-paced tutoring and classtime being used specifically for homework from the tutoring? Because I think that's one of the better solutions -- but I really wouldn't like the idea of having to do 'baby math' (which is how I would have seen it when I was that age) in school and then doing more at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 The teacher's solution was to tutor her after school and let her just take off on her own pace. That way she can do 5th grade math in the 2nd grade and we don't have to worry about constantly figuring out what grade to physically move her too each time. What are your thoughts? Do you think this is a good solution? I am in desperate need of wisdom! You have a teacher willing to teach your dd, at her challenge level, one-on-one after school?! JACKPOT! How nice! You might want to discuss the possibility of your dd skipping the sitting in the chair and doing the first grade math, though. Maybe she could do her "homework" from the tutoring sessions during that time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 You have a teacher willing to teach your dd, at her challenge level, one-on-one after school?! JACKPOT! How nice! You might want to discuss the possibility of your dd skipping the sitting in the chair and doing the first grade math, though. Maybe she could do her "homework" from the tutoring sessions during that time? :iagree: If she has to do first grade math, THEN the higher grade math, she may eventually realize that she's having to do more work than everyone else and resent that. My friend's brother even started acting like he wasn't gifted, because he figured out that if he did too well in school, he just got extra work. So he dumbed himself down to avoid the extra work. I had the same issue with math and reading for my son, and first grade is when I gave up and started homeschooling. I think that's the best option for the child, but if it's not possible for you, having the teacher work with her after school and give her homework to do during the first grade math time (instead of first grade math) is the second best option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2smartones Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I'm going to agree with the others. She's being punished for being a quick learner. She absolutely should NOT be doing math twice. It's a waste of time, and she'll learn to hate learning. She'll learn to do just enough to scrape by. She either needs to be accomodated at her level, or she needs to be removed from that environment completely. You could do all the teaching yourself, or you could find a university modeled school that allows you to choose classes as you see fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javamoma Posted November 6, 2011 Author Share Posted November 6, 2011 Doing 1st grade math really isn't the issue. Right now it's just a place-holder until we figure out a plan. That's why she has the additional 3rd grade workbook at her desk, because it takes her all of 5 minutes to do 1st grade math. I like the idea of doing the online class. I'm not familar with EPGY. Is that something she could do on a lap top any time of day? It would be great if she could do that in the classroom while the other kids are doing their math. I'd love to know more about their program. If something online doesn't work out then I think we will do the tutor after school. And yes, she would do the work for that during math class time. I just hate to pay for more school on top of private school. Of course we will do whatever we need to do. Thankfully our school is very accomadating and willing to work with us in any way they can. Thank you for all the replies. This really is helping my brainstorming process. She is our oldest child so we are really newbies to the world of school (beyond preschool :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javamoma Posted November 6, 2011 Author Share Posted November 6, 2011 I just realized I misspelled "dilemma" in the title of my post! Sorry, it seems I can only edit my text but not the title of the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.