Community› The Bump Local Boards› Georgia Babies
Georgia Babies
New Discussion

Teachers - question about getting ahead

noyoucomeherenoyoucomehere
in Georgia Babies

Audrey is bored to death at school. She struggles every morning to get ready and says she hates school every day in the car. It sucks because she LOVED school when she was in Montessori. Some of her complaints are that she's bored, she has to listen to one person talk and talk and she has to sit on the same spot everyday. lol

In Montessori, she got to choose which work she did as long as it was challenging work. She got to choose whether she worked with someone else (and who that was) and where to set up shop. She was given a lot of freedom and flexibility that she no longer gets.

I'm having a really hard time with public school because I feel like her boredom is going to lead to future behavioral issues and a general lack of excitement when it comes to learning.

They are sent home with weekly homework (writing and reading). The writing homework is just writing a capital/lowercase letter and coming up with some words that start with that letter. They only do one letter per week. There were explicit instructions sent home that they were NOT to go ahead in their writing journals. This goes for the reading homework as well. They get one book per week and have to read the same book every night. I don't understand this at all. Is there something I just don't get about how kids learn or something? Audrey knows all of this stuff already and it seems like the teacher isn't keen on letting her go ahead of her classmates.

Report Reply to Post

Re: Teachers - question about getting ahead

  • ebearwifeebearwife member
    Maybe you need a conference with the teacher to express your concerns.  If that does not have a satisfactory outcome then go to the principle.  Have you had her tested for gifted?  Maybe if she is classified as gifted then she will have some opportunities to do more challenging work.  But I don't know if I would hang out in that teacher's class if you think they are moving to slowly for A or if its not a good fit.
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • myrallmyrall member

    I'm having difficulty trying to figure out how the teacher can dictate what work the child does outside of the classroom. I would say that if DD is comprehending the book (which is probably why it's being read every night for a week), set her free on something else! I read voraciously at that age AND my dad made us write a page a day. The teacher cannot keep you from teaching outside of the classroom.

    And I agree with PP, have her tested for gifted. If anything, it'll give her one day a week where she can pursue more critical thinking skills and creativity. 

    Lil' G was born April 25, 2008! Big C was born September 28, 2011! Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Report Reply
  • yellowtulips80yellowtulips80 member
    Request a conference with the teacher.  I'm sure the teacher will hear you out on your concerns.  Gifted testing doesn't start until first grade in many places.  But you can do stuff at home. 
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • maykatmaykat member

    throwing this out there as a way to challenge her with the reading: (this is for a pre-k class but concept might apply)

    Regarding the assigned book--Alec's teacher really focuses on the how and why questions with stories.  Often she will read the same story over and over but different versions.

    Example: Goldilocks and 3 bears, Goldilocks and the 3 aliens.

    She will then ask the same questions with each story.

    Why do you think the first bear was upset to find someone in his bed?  How do you think Goldilocks felt when they found her?

     

     

    Report Reply
  • seansgirl2006seansgirl2006 member
    I agree with the PPs.  Talk to the teacher about your concerns.  Definitely give her some more things to do at home on your own.  Is her comprehension good?  That is why she wants her to read the same book.  Also, this is just me and from a teacher's point of view but I would be careful about how you approach the Montessori v Public school with the teacher.  I do think you should tell her where your DD is coming from so that she understands but you don't want it to come across as she wants the freedom to do whatever she wants and doesn't get to now.  I would ask the teacher how she is acting at school.  I know she says she is bored but sometimes I have had kids say that to their parents and it is not the case at all.  Their parents come in saying 'My kid is bored because you don't challenge them enough." but what I was seeing in the classroom was very different.  Not saying this is for sure with your situation but you never know until you ask. 
    imageLilypie First Birthday tickers Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"