The report card doesn't reflect what I know

[Cadam]

Dd got average scores pretty much across the board. Mostly 3's (they use a 1-5 scale, as if I don't know that's a "C").
Mostly I agree except that it means she is below grade level and I don't quiet think that. Average, yes, but not below.

A 3 means - "developing skill, does not yet meet grade level standards for these skills, errors and inconsistency detract from overall performance".

My main issue is with math though.

This child is rather profound when it comes to math. She sees patterns everywhere and loves them. She does Singapore math for fun. She is an engineer at heart. She has done MUS Alpha, Beta and Gamma as well as Singapore 2a, 2b and 3a. She is working on 3b and then she will do Delta.

Keep in mind that this is the child who is very oppositional toward me, so all of these math books were voluntary.

I really don't think I am one of those parents who put their kid on a pedestal and thinks they are amazing when they really are not. I don't think she meets the definitions of gifted, but she is very good with numbers. She can do muli-digit multiplication, simple long division and basic work with fractions. Of course, this is only at home. At school they haven't moved past adding and subtracting.

Could it just be the change in math program? Could I really be this deluded? Could she be losing skills?:confused:

What do I do about this? Her teacher conference is on Monday. I am afraid if I bring this up I will just be one more homeschooling parent that couldn't hack it and dropped their poorly performing kid into ps, but still thinks the child is a genius.

Help!

[Renai]

Dd got average scores pretty much across the board. Mostly 3's (they use a 1-5 scale, as if I don't know that's a "C").
Mostly I agree except that it means she is below grade level and I don't quiet think that. Average, yes, but not below.

A 3 is not equivalent to a C, simply because papers are not graded that way at that level. "Developing skill...etc" means she is on grade level. Those standards used are what the student looks like at the end of the school year.

Having said, if she's doing all that math at home, then she's probably bored in class. How well do you know the teacher? (to bring up, or show, what your dd is doing?)

[Sara R]

Mostly I shrug my shoulders when I see my children's elementary school grades, especially in reform math. I've already got a good idea of where their skills are. Sometimes I know that the grade does not reflect their abilities; in my experience often the grade given by the school is actually higher than my child's abilities. Elementary school grades don't count for anything. It's nice for them to get in the habit of getting good grades, and to know how to test well, but some of these math assessments are ridiculous.

[Cadam]

A 3 is not equivalent to a C, simply because papers are not graded that way at that level. "Developing skill...etc" means she is on grade level. Those standards used are what the student looks like at the end of the school year.

Having said, if she's doing all that math at home, then she's probably bored in class. How well do you know the teacher? (to bring up, or show, what your dd is doing?)

Good to know about the grades, thanks. The teacher and I have met twice, briefly. We talked on the phone once and since then it has just been brief emails and me sending things in to class when requested (extra paper when there was a need, apples for the harvest party exc.)

I am trying to stay on top of things w/o being the over controlling hs mom, kwim?

Oddly, she will happily do math far below her level just for fun. Her facts aren't completely memorized but as far as concepts go she is ahead because of the flying through the MUS books. Her school is using TERC Investigations though and it seems to be all over the place and requiring reasoning skills that are not there yet.

I think I will bring her current Singapore book to the meeting on Monday. Regardless I think I am stuck doing math and LA at home because I want a solid (not "new-math") base for her.

[outdoorgirls]

I also would not worry too much about the grade given in elementary school. Also as a student new to TERC in third grade she may be learning "how to do things differently"; thereby suddenly having skills to work on that may have been mastered in MUS and SM by a "more traditional method". I experienced this when my daughter went to a new school for third grade that was using Everyday math and suddenly having to relearn how to add/subtract and multiply in totally different methods from the traditional ones that she had learned and mastered.

Keep doing SM and MUS. I would never depend on "new reform" math for a child's elementary math foundation.

Carolyn

[WendyK]

Well my German husband nearly flunked English in school. He now does technical writing in English as part of his job. A professor he wrote his thesis with in Germany always joked about the fact he nearly flunked the courses in the very subjects he ended up teaching at the uni.

So obviously grades don't mean everything. ;)

[AuntPol]

I would question teacher to make sure she is not "behind" in teacher's eyes. However, you are unlikely to get any aheads. Teachers in many schools tend to grade high achieving kids lower than what is done so that they can show progress.

For example: My son read Harry Potter in Kindergarten. He passed the highest level of reading tests that they give in our district in first grade. He reads and reads well. In second grade, his teacher told me that she was not allowed to assess him since he had passed the assessments already. So this child who was not in any reading group (no peers), never read for teacher, never assessed by this teacher, was never assigned a book to read, etc. was given a 3 in reading (basically same scale but we are 1-4 with a 3* between 3-4) in first two quarters, a 3* in 3rd and then 4 in the 4th. It was not based on his actual ability but the teacher's need to show improvement in every student. When I questioned it in the first quarter, I was told he was a 3 because he mostly read fantasy (Harry Potter, Narnia, LOTR, Eragon, and Roald Dahl). Well duh, if you don't assign him things to broaden his horizons, he isn't going to broaden them.

Anyway, a lot of grading is political. I learned to ignore the grades and just ask for specifics on what they need to work on.

[lgm]

:iagree:


In my district, the top grade is reserved for those showing mastery of the next grade level's objectives. If no opportunity to do so is given, the child cannot earn that grade. Basically the only way they will earn the top grade is to score a top grade on the state test for the subject. Don't let it bother you, just make sure it doesn't affect your child's placement adversely.

[BabyBre]

Dd got average scores pretty much across the board. Mostly 3's (they use a 1-5 scale, as if I don't know that's a "C").
Mostly I agree except that it means she is below grade level and I don't quiet think that. Average, yes, but not below.

A 3 means - "developing skill, does not yet meet grade level standards for these skills, errors and inconsistency detract from overall performance".

My main issue is with math though.

This child is rather profound when it comes to math. She sees patterns everywhere and loves them. She does Singapore math for fun. She is an engineer at heart. She has done MUS Alpha, Beta and Gamma as well as Singapore 2a, 2b and 3a. She is working on 3b and then she will do Delta.

Keep in mind that this is the child who is very oppositional toward me, so all of these math books were voluntary.

I really don't think I am one of those parents who put their kid on a pedestal and thinks they are amazing when they really are not. I don't think she meets the definitions of gifted, but she is very good with numbers. She can do muli-digit multiplication, simple long division and basic work with fractions. Of course, this is only at home. At school they haven't moved past adding and subtracting.

Could it just be the change in math program? Could I really be this deluded? Could she be losing skills?:confused:

What do I do about this? Her teacher conference is on Monday. I am afraid if I bring this up I will just be one more homeschooling parent that couldn't hack it and dropped their poorly performing kid into ps, but still thinks the child is a genius.

Help!


My dd is also in 3rd grade and afterschooling with Saxon and Singapore above grade level. I doubt your dd is losing skills. I would guess she's more just slipped into the pattern of doing what's expected of her and not much more that ps fosters. She can hardly do more if her teacher isn't giving her the oportunity. I've had to fight tooth and nail every year to get my dd's teachers to challenge her. She does tend to slip into a comfortable (and, for her, boring) level without the system I insist on from her teachers.

I'd guess your dd is doing what's expected of her and not more. Perhaps her teacher is aware she can do more and grades her more harshly for not doing it?

[cougarmom4]

Is there a possibility that she hasn't turned assignments in? That's what has always brought grades down for my kids. It kind of cracks me up--I'll have my strong reader (who reads 3-4 grade levels above grade level) get an NI (Needs Improvement) in reading. When I question it further, I find it is because he didn't turn in his reading log (even though he reads for an hour every night....simply because he didn't write in the time & have a parent signature & turn it in...he's got a low grade). I think the grading system is ridiculous--they ought to be testing for mastery & grading on that.

Anyway...as for your situation, I'd imagine that the new math program/ideas may be a bit confusing to your dd...so I'd suspect that might be why her grades aren't as high as you know they can be. Is she still testing well for you on Singapore? Have you looked at her (school) tests to see what kind of errors she is making? Maybe that will help you to see which areas are confusing.

I don't worry too much about grades in elementary...unless I find that my kids aren't turning assignments in or aren't doing their best...as in my mind, those are important study skills that they need to learn before they get into middle school. (Although ds12 is STILL struggling with this!).

[Cadam]

Is there a possibility that she hasn't turned assignments in? That's what has always brought grades down for my kids. It kind of cracks me up--I'll have my strong reader (who reads 3-4 grade levels above grade level) get an NI (Needs Improvement) in reading. When I question it further, I find it is because he didn't turn in his reading log (even though he reads for an hour every night....simply because he didn't write in the time & have a parent signature & turn it in...he's got a low grade). I think the grading system is ridiculous--they ought to be testing for mastery & grading on that.

Anyway...as for your situation, I'd imagine that the new math program/ideas may be a bit confusing to your dd...so I'd suspect that might be why her grades aren't as high as you know they can be. Is she still testing well for you on Singapore? Have you looked at her (school) tests to see what kind of errors she is making? Maybe that will help you to see which areas are confusing.

I don't worry too much about grades in elementary...unless I find that my kids aren't turning assignments in or aren't doing their best...as in my mind, those are important study skills that they need to learn before they get into middle school. (Although ds12 is STILL struggling with this!).

She actually got a 4 in having homework turned in. I make sure it is in her bag daily. She is doing fine with her Singapore/MUS combo at home. One of the reasons she is in school though is because she refuses to cooperate with me, so the fewer things I have to do at home, the better.

[Spy Car]

We have a Kindergarten progress report card due out soon, and our teacher (who I really like) has already announced she rarely, as in almost never, gives out 4s (the highest score here) at this stage.

So I'm looking ahead to the strong probability that my son may get a "3" in math as a test of my sense of humor :D

Bill

[WendyK]

We have a Kindergarten progress report card due out soon, and our teacher (who I really like) has already announced she rarely, as in almost never, gives out 4s (the highest score here) at this stage.

So I'm looking ahead to the strong probability that my son may get a "3" in math as a test of my sense of humor :D

Bill

I'd flunk that test (of my sense of humor).

[zaichiki]

Is there a possibility that she hasn't turned assignments in? That's what has always brought grades down for my kids. It kind of cracks me up--I'll have my strong reader (who reads 3-4 grade levels above grade level) get an NI (Needs Improvement) in reading. When I question it further, I find it is because he didn't turn in his reading log (even though he reads for an hour every night....simply because he didn't write in the time & have a parent signature & turn it in...he's got a low grade). I think the grading system is ridiculous--they ought to be testing for mastery & grading on that.

I agree with cougarmom. The school isn't grading your dd on what she knows, but on what she *shows* and does in the classroom on their assignments. This isn't the same thing. There are infinite variations and reasons. I would certainly ask at the parent teacher conference.

Be bold. :)

[Shay]

I can very much relate. My 1st grader is advanced in mathematics and just brought home his progress report and he has a "B" in math (Everyday Math). Nevermind that he knows all his facts, can do multiplication, can name place values into the millions, can do lots of mental math and is *fascinated* with math (and always has been). He scored in the 99th percentile on a nationally normed test last month. I've used Singapore with him since he was 4. He uses the Flashmaster for fun.

So, when I asked "hey, why the B in math, you love math and are so good at it?" He said, "mommy, it's not *that* kind of math!" I had to laugh.

On a test, he didn't repeat a pattern (triangle, triangle, rectangle) kind of problem correctly and made some careless errors. He had to describe in writing how he knew 14 is between 13 and 15. He tried to describe this. THen on the next problem, it was another set of numbers. He wrote "I did it the same as lastime." He got counted off for that snide answer, but dh and I about busted a gut laughing when we read it.

I know just how you feel, as I know the mathematical understanding and ability is there, but I don't feel secure that his grade will reflect it. LIke you, I don't want to complain. AFter all, the majority of the kids are in the boat of not understanding the math at all.

[Sara R]

We have a Kindergarten progress report card due out soon, and our teacher (who I really like) has already announced she rarely, as in almost never, gives out 4s (the highest score here) at this stage.


That could be it too. My math-bright son sometimes got 3's in the middle of the year, but 4's at the end. Maybe they think that grades like that make it look like they are progressing?

[zaichiki]

And school is funny...

In ds's school they get a grade number and a grade for effort. In his math class, where he's learning *nothing new* and getting numbers in the 90s on everything, he got a VG (very good) for effort. Umm... he actually doesn't have to try at all. In his English class, where the traditional textbook-style grammar is a whole new ball of wax for him and where he brought his grade up more than 10 points between the middle of the marking period and now, he got only a G (good) for effort. He puts forth a LOT more effort and must have shown it -- better test grades and studying -- when he pulled his average up that much in a month. I meant to ask about that in the parent teacher conference we had a couple of days ago...

Oh yeah... and his grandfather wants to know why he got an O (outstanding) in computers where all they do pretty much is clip art, but he only got a G (good) in art (he didn't get it from me, but his drawing skills are more than exceptional).

[bugs]

You said, "I think I will bring her current Singapore book to the meeting on Monday."

:iagree:
Atl least she won't think you're just blowing smoke.

[Spy Car]

That could be it too. My math-bright son sometimes got 3's in the middle of the year, but 4's at the end. Maybe they think that grades like that make it look like they are progressing?

I can only speak for our teacher, but she told the parents in no-uncertain terms, that she would give 3s mid-year, when they might other-wise get 4s were it the end of the year.

I don't fully understand the logic, but I think she wants to remove "complacency". Complacency on the part of both students and parents. Good idea? Terrible idea? I honestly don't know.

I'm only glad I had months of "warning" so I could work on taking a "philosophical" position if he does indeed get a 3 in math mid-year.

Without fair-warning my head might have exploded. And that's never good :D

Bill

[Snickerdoodle]

I am following this thread a bit and wanted to know if you think that even though your daughter *knows* math and not having a grade that reflects that will hamper her chances when she goes on to middle school when they start tracking kids into different math streams. Do they still do this (track kids)?

[WendyK]

I can only speak for our teacher, but she told the parents in no-uncertain terms, that she would give 3s mid-year, when they might other-wise get 4s were it the end of the year.

I don't fully understand the logic, but I think she wants to remove "complacency". Complacency on the part of both students and parents. Good idea? Terrible idea? I honestly don't know.

I'm only glad I had months of "warning" so I could work on taking a "philosophical" position if he does indeed get a 3 in math mid-year.

Without fair-warning my head might have exploded. And that's never good :D

Bill

It's K for crying out loud. I can't believe they even do grades at all.

[Spy Car]

Well, the little man got a 4 in math. Pretty unusual ("we don't give 4s") but uh, you know :D

Bill (the proud papa)

[Mere2]

I think our DDs are twins :lol: DD (7) has been in school for one term as she refuses to cooperate with me at home also.

Today I received her report card saying that she knows her numbers to 999 and she knows her 2 multiplication facts. I nearly fell off my seat when I read the report. This is the child who knew this when she was 3yrs old....I sent her to school knowing all of her mutiplication facts etc (She has been officially tested as profoundly gifted).

So yes I believe that she has successfully dumbed herself down to fit into the class and has forgotten everything.:glare:

We have just started summer holidays and she is back to homeschooling with me for the summer.

As to how I am going to "fix" this - no idea......however just thought I'd let you know that your DD has a twin.:tongue_smilie:

Fi

[FairProspects]

Well, the little man got a 4 in math. Pretty unusual ("we don't give 4s") but uh, you know :D

Bill (the proud papa)

Congratulations!

[Spy Car]

Congratulations!

Thank you.

I'd have also mentioned that he received "the Principal's Award", but I didn't want to brag :lol:

Bill :tongue_smilie:

[Renai]

Thank you.

I'd have also mentioned that he received "the Principal's Award", but I didn't want to brag :lol:

Bill :tongue_smilie:

Brag away! It's nice that his teacher acknowledged that his work merited a 4 (regardless of "philosophy" of not doing so).

[FairProspects]

Thank you.

I'd have also mentioned that he received "the Principal's Award", but I didn't want to brag :lol:

Bill :tongue_smilie:

Well, what else are these boards for? Its always nice to know our teaching is working, right ;)?

I'm not having ds assessed until the end of the year, but he has LDs, so I'll be thrilled if he scores at meets standards for K!

[zaichiki]

Today I received her report card saying that she knows her numbers to 999 and she knows her 2 multiplication facts. I nearly fell off my seat when I read the report. This is the child who knew this when she was 3yrs old....I sent her to school knowing all of her mutiplication facts etc (She has been officially tested as profoundly gifted).

So yes I believe that she has successfully dumbed herself down to fit into the class and has forgotten everything.:glare:

Could it be that the report only reflects what they're studying in class? IOW your dd was only "assessed" to a certain point. The report doesn't reflect what she knows, but how only that she knows what they're doing in the lessons.