I must vent a moment… We live in a school district in one of the top 3 counties in the country for high quality schools. So why am I complaining? Perhaps because my kids’ school seems to go out of its way to have a business as usual policy in terms of the placement of kids in reading and math. Very few children are moved up to higher reading and math groups. The test score is the almighty magic number for the powers that be….blecchhh. This is our 8th year in the same school and I have officially had it with waiting for the school to help my children.
I have a daughter (now in 5th grade) with mild ADHD who went undiagnosed until we had her tested. The school won’t test until there is a lawsuit on the horizon. We did not want to wait…could not wait. She was tested at great expense to us. Seriously, every year until 3rd grade the teachers just kept shuffling her along. She tested on-grade level in reading and math. She was not pulled out for either GT enrichment or special ed help. We knew she had more potential…more untapped skills to show her teachers. She just wasn’t getting the specialized instruction…since she does not qualify for GT…since she is considered on-grade level. It is a vicious cycle. Also, due to the untreated ADHD, she was unfocused and spacy those early elementary school years and missed out on learning about many topics. She was present in the classroom, just not switched on…if you know what I mean.
She is shy and coupled with the ADHD sometimes does not know how to let the teacher know that she either understands something fully or does not understand a concept. So there she sits in her on-grade level reading and math group with a mix of nice, hard-working kids and kids who could care less about school. Her older sister is in 7th grade. She is a different story. She has done GT enrichment since 1st grade. She now takes all GT classes in middle school. I know how enriched a GT curriculum is. I am discouraged that my 5th grade daughter is not getting the education that her sister is getting.
I crafted a letter to my daughter’s teacher this a.m. My husband, a teacher/administrator, added to and reworked the letter for me. He knows how to write in teacher language. His tone is “don’t give me any BS” just do what I ask. I’ll let you know what kind of response we get. If it is not good, we will have to call a meeting at school. 6th grade/middle school is on the horizon and we have no time to spare.
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