SorrelZG Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Surely this has been discussed but I could only find a thread on the protocol for asking questions regarding higher leveled materials and curricula then your child's age would typically warrant. I really enjoy those huge threads that pop up at around the beginning/end of the school year or even the small ones that pop up randomly about what your X grader is doing or going to be doing. I love reading them even knowing children are all over the place and so different and the parents have different goals and philosophies although I do pay special interest to those more closely aligned with my own but ... sometimes I wonder if others really feel the same so I've wondered at various times ... As parents of children working, at least in some areas, above grade level and especially when your child's comprehension is beyond grade level/age mates, do you participate in such threads and if you do, which ones? Do you respond based on age or "grade level"? How do you avoid appearing pretentious in either case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 As parents of children working, at least in some areas, above grade level and especially when your child's comprehension is beyond grade level/age mates, do you participate in such threads and if you do, which ones? Do you respond based on age or "grade level"? How do you avoid appearing pretentious in either case? I've always responded based on grade level, and avoid mentioning my kids ages. I don't put their ages in my signature. Over the years, I've decided that nobody really needs to know that my oldest is very young for her grade, unless it specifically applies to the question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I either name the curriculum without the grade level (e.g. AAS, Singapore) or I talk about what curriculum I like at X grade level (regardless of what actual grade I used it for). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 Ooh, I like the level-less idea. I was thinking, if your child is way advanced in something but at age level in another, is it just better to appear to others as if they are remediating in that area rather than that they are accelerated in the other? Leaving out levels would prevent either, though .. I'm kicking myself for not thinking of that myself.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Maybe you already saw this thread when searching, but it touches on your question. When I participate in those threads, I just go ahead and post what we are doing. I used to be really concerned about coming off like I was bragging. My pov has changed now that I have a kid that sits somewhere between normal to behind. I have no problem listing what he is doing, he is right where he needs to be. I figure, why should I treat my other kids any different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 (edited) I answer both. If it's one of the "what's your first grader doing this year?" threads, I'll answer without levels. If someone asks a question about a specific level of a certain program and it is a level we have worked through, I'll give my two cents. What irks me, though it shouldn't but it does :tongue_smilie:, are the handful of posters (especially on the K-8 board) that always feel the need to mention that their K aged kiddo is doing some 1st grade work. The thread could be about puppies and rainbows and they still manage to slip in that their k'er is doing some first grade work. Sorry, please don't throw rocks at me for that one but it truly makes my eyes roll! Edited November 9, 2012 by MissKNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 Maybe you already saw this thread when searching, but it touches on your question. When I participate in those threads, I just go ahead and post what we are doing. I used to be really concerned about coming off like I was bragging. My pov has changed now that I have a kid that sits somewhere between normal to behind. I have no problem listing what he is doing, he is right where he needs to be. I figure, why should I treat my other kids any different? No, I didn't find that one - thank-you for linking it. That is really, really helpful. It should be a sticky post. I can appreciate your point of view also. My daughter has had some motor delays while her brothers have advanced fine motor skills (for either gender - my children seem to be totally irregular). I don't want to treat them differently and I value your boldness in your POV on posting even though I'm feeling myself inclined towards treating them all the same by just not sharing details. :001_unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 What irks me, though it shouldn't but it does :tongue_smilie:, are the handful of posters (especially on the K-8 board) that always feel the need to mention that their K aged kiddo is doing some 1st grade work. The thread could be about puppies and rainbows and they still manage to slip in that their k'er is doing some first grade work. Sorry, please do throw rocks at me for that one but it truly makes my eyes roll! :lol: I understand. I can't remember if I did that when DS was in that K/1st place. Maybe I'm blocking due to embarrassment. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I really enjoy those huge threads that pop up at around the beginning/end of the school year or even the small ones that pop up randomly about what your X grader is doing or going to be doing. I love reading them even knowing children are all over the place and so different and the parents have different goals and philosophies although I do pay special interest to those more closely aligned with my own but ... sometimes I wonder if others really feel the same... I love those threads too. As long as the question is for my DS's grade level and up, I find I learn a lot. Even if the question is for a younger grade level, I sometimes will have a look because I am always curious about what's new on the curriculum market. As parents of children working, at least in some areas, above grade level and especially when your child's comprehension is beyond grade level/age mates, do you participate in such threads and if you do, which ones? Do you respond based on age or "grade level"? How do you avoid appearing pretentious in either case? I think I've only participated in a couple of those. There are times when I've felt that the OP would benefit from more details from someone with an accelerated kid in a similar age range as the OP's kid, so I usually elect to PM the OP instead explaining the specific circumstances why I'm writing privately and why I feel the way I do about the subject. If anything I type sounds pretentious to me, I don't submit the message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 It depends on how the question is asked. I think we are all adults and we can understand that there is a range of abilities. Cutting data off either end of the range is not helpful if someone is trying to get a feel for what is, well, within a range. If a parent's feelings are going to be hurt by the knowledge that some kids are way ahead of her kid, that is a personal problem. I give people the benefit of the doubt that they would not ask for information if they did not want to hear it. Some people do ask the question as, e.g., "what is your average 6yo reading," in which case I tailor my answer to suit their purpose. Although I have an advanced dd, lately my more challenged dd is taking up most of my school-related energy, so I haven't felt the desire to hang out much on the whiz kid board. And yes, reading about kids needing high school material at age 6 can make the comparison of my dd with her peers seem more stark. But that's my issue. I can always adjust my behavior to deal with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I love those threads and post on them according to the ages of my dc. Ie, ds8 is a third grader. I really enjoy seeing the wide range of levels for dc the same age. Since my dc aren't in the same grade level for any subject, I get a lot out of several posters' responses. I don't post on threads where dc older than mine and working on the same level are having difficulties with the material. My experiences with my dc are usually not insightful in that situation. What irks me, though it shouldn't but it does :tongue_smilie:, are the handful of posters (especially on the K-8 board) that always feel the need to mention that their K aged kiddo is doing some 1st grade work. The thread could be about puppies and rainbows and they still manage to slip in that their k'er is doing some first grade work. Sorry, please do throw rocks at me for that one but it truly makes my eyes roll! :iagree: There are times when it is beneficial to note that a dc is advanced so the OP can have a frame of reference, but those threads are few and far between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 PS...I meant DON'T throw rocks at me, I typed out "do" throw rocks at me!!:lol: Thanks for the concussion guys! :tongue_smilie: By the way, my dd3.75, who is doing postdoctoral work, says hello! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I never know what to do on those threads. For those of us with 2E kids, we are remediating some with crazy different materials and speeding ahead some with crazy out of level materials. Throw in the fact that we red-shirted, b/c I literally don't know 1 person at our income level with a summer birthday boy in our region IRL that did not red-shirt, and you basically have one hot mess that doesn't fit anywhere. It just makes me want to :willy_nilly:. It's probably completely non-helpful to others, but I sometimes post anyway b/c it helps me to see it all written out so I can personally make adjustments about what is actually achievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 By the way, my dd3.75, who is doing postdoctoral work, says hello! Err, better wear a helmet? :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 Err, better wear a helmet? :tongue_smilie: :lol: One would think it would be standard attire between the 3.75yo and the typos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I post a wide range of responses. Since my own kids cross a broad spectrum of abilities, I have taught grades below and above grade level (even simultaneously w/the same child.) I try to offer what I think is a helpful perspective. Posts that leave me :confused: are mostly the ones on AoPS which suggest that AoPS is not really just for strong math students. Throw stones at me if you like, but I think it is a disservice to present AoPS as accessible to most students. Even strong math students that don't want to spend the required time pondering the problems will ultimately not want to progress through the higher levels b/c of the time commitment required. I can't imagine the level of frustration for weaker math students.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarango Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I post according to the grade level of the work and not my dd's age when she completed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Somebody mentioned kids being taught at a grade level that is different from their age level. Usually I keep my answers to grade level, but there was at least one time when I felt it more helpful to speak of my kids as "of KG age." Again, it depends on what the OP seems to be looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I try to post just on specific curricula that we've used, without stressing grade level. I'm now to the point where I often get more helpful information about things I'm considering from the High School board than from the K-8, but then the amount of writing is a real concern. I am starting to think that "Being relieved when someone else's DC is ahead of yours in a subject at the same age" should be an indicator for giftedness, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 No, I didn't find that one - thank-you for linking it. That is really, really helpful. It should be a sticky post. I can appreciate your point of view also. My daughter has had some motor delays while her brothers have advanced fine motor skills (for either gender - my children seem to be totally irregular). I don't want to treat them differently and I value your boldness in your POV on posting even though I'm feeling myself inclined towards treating them all the same by just not sharing details. :001_unsure: To clarify, I only feel that way in the "what is your ____ grader" doing threads that are the fun, let's share variety. I don't usually post at all in the "I'm worried about my child, are we on track" variety. I try to be mindful of what the OP is actually looking for. In more general Singapore, TOG, HOD, whatever threads, it is usually easy to just answer the question w/o discussing levels. As a general rule, I don't post if the OP is asking about a child older than mine and levels are inevitably going to be involved. I have thought about getting rid of my siggy so I wouldn't have to worry, but it is good for me to have rules that regulate my post count.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I post on grade level threads, if it's something like, "What are you using for X grade this year?" My child is X grade, so I say what we're using. I think last time I didn't put levels on the curricula lists, but I can't remember for sure. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. Having had one kid be a bit of a late bloomer, I have had no problem posting what that kid can't do yet (or what DS1 can't do in the writing department, since he's pencil phobic). My 6 year old is not reading Tolstoy yet, nor even reading Dr. Seuss yet. That's ok. He's working very hard and making good progress, which I'm thrilled about. I don't get offended by someone else's kid reading better or writing pages and pages at a young age, etc. I'm happy for those kids! They're not struggling with those things, so that's great! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I don't get offended by someone else's kid reading better or writing pages and pages at a young age, etc. I'm happy for those kids! They're not struggling with those things, so that's great! :) Aw, Boscopup, do you have to be so well-adjusted? It makes the rest of us look bad. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Aw, Boscopup, do you have to be so well-adjusted? It makes the rest of us look bad. :lol: :iagree:especially with regard to writing. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mukmuk Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I'm never sure how to answer on the grade level threads because my 2E son has never been where he should be grade-wise, either way. We've had awkward stop-starts sudden acceleration-deceleration, and are all over the shop. Hmm, kind of like a race car driver gone bananas. :auto: What I do love is the sense of frankness and willingness to help on all the boards. The accelerated kids on this one just blow me away, and I'm inspired by the parents who protect, make it happen, and are generous enough to share what they go through. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Aw, Boscopup, do you have to be so well-adjusted? It makes the rest of us look bad. :lol: :iagree:especially with regard to writing. :D Sorry guys! I think it's the optimist in me. I get it from my dad, who incidentally, appears to have been like my middle son as a kid. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mélie Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I've been unsure about this as well, but I haven't been homeschooling long enough to really give advice, so I don't have to worry about that too much yet. I don't list the levels that my kids are using, but I'm sure I look like a tiger mom just from my lists. Maybe I should take their ages out too? I try to post just on specific curricula that we've used, without stressing grade level. I'm now to the point where I often get more helpful information about things I'm considering from the High School board than from the K-8, but then the amount of writing is a real concern. I am starting to think that "Being relieved when someone else's DC is ahead of yours in a subject at the same age" should be an indicator for giftedness, though. I'm starting to become more convinced in my son's giftedness, and you're right - reading about kids who are "ahead" of him are definitely comforting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 I've been unsure about this as well, but I haven't been homeschooling long enough to really give advice, so I don't have to worry about that too much yet. I don't list the levels that my kids are using, but I'm sure I look like a tiger mom just from my lists. Maybe I should take their ages out too? Yes, you probably should. Four math currics for a five year old? At least wear a helmet. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mélie Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Yes, you probably should. Four math currics for a five year old? At least wear a helmet. :D Gone. I'm pretty sure he has no idea that LOF is supposed to be a math curriculum. To him, it's just a goofy bedtime story. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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