DS is unchallenged: Need suggestions

[splotchy1]

Wondering if anyone out there has some ideas for me. DS is in a private school in 1st grade. He likes it, but is bored with the main core work- language arts and math. Especially math. He is light years ahead of where the curriculum is. They do reading groups at different levels, yet math is done all at the same level. I guess it has to do with the standards for each grade of what should be taught for math in 1st, 2nd, etc....while LA has naturally built in different levels.

There are only 14 kids in his class, so it seems they should be able to accomodate him. I have his parent/teacher conference tomorrow and would love to have some suggestions of how they can do it without just piling supplementary extra work on him, which would feel like a punishment in his eyes. Moving him up to the next grade for just math wouldn't work, as socially that would be really difficult for him.

Anyone have similar challenges?

[Fuamami]

YES! Dd is in 1st grade at a public school and we just had P/T conferences. The teacher volunteered that she had just done a workshop on teaching math at different levels, though, so it kind of ended the discussion on math. I was also concerned about reading/LA, because they do so much of that together. She's been in school for four months and they just stopped doing sight word flashcards a month ago. And they were words like do, our, are, etc. Her teacher told us she was reading at a fourth grade level, but she didn't seem to feel that there was an issue because dd can read on her own when she finishes her assignments. I just don't think it's enough, but I don't know where to start and will be happy to hear other suggestions!

[Owen'nZoe]

I switched to a less challenging school when I was a bit older than your son, and was in the same situation. My parents spoke to my teacher, and she agreed to spend 10 minutes each day explaining a new, more difficult concept to me. I did homework on the new topic, rather than the worksheets on the one I already knew. I loved it - way better than wasting my time on something I found boring. Maybe his teacher would be willing to do something similar?

[mojumi]

Originally Posted by splotchy1

Anyone have similar challenges?

YES! DS is also in a small private school. While his teacher has differentiated instruction for language arts, all math work is done as a group. After six weeks of simple addition worksheets, I was tearing out my hair and he was bored beyond bored and starting tell us 'math is boring' -- alarm bells.

I requested a p/t conference a couple of weeks ago and met with the teacher for about 45 minutes. I found it helpful to be specific about the math work I know he does at home, and to make it clear that I was not questioning the first grade curriculum but that I wanted to find a way to have my son meet his academic needs in class, even if that meant accelerating his work, adding enrichment, or otherwise adjusting his daily math work. I was upfront that my son was feeling bored in class, that the homework he brought home was completed in 2 minutes and was all work he had mastered in K, and that I was concerned that this was going to develop either into behavior problems down the road or an anti-school feeling on his part.

I have only seen small changes so far, but we did have a positive conversation and I think it helped that I made it clear I understood that my son was working *ahead* of the curriculum and that I appreciated that she needed to do something outside of her routine to meet my son's needs.

I know this will be an ongoing issue, though, and I need to keep advocating for ds! Good luck in your meeting!

[ChinaDoll]

We had a similar problem with DD in private school last year. Her teacher and principal made it clear that they didn't plan to differentiate at ALL, not even allowing her to read while the other kids napped (for an HOUR, and she never fell asleep). Their advice was for her to skip a grade, even though it was mid-year and she couldn't subtract or write in cursive (like the next grade up), and to possibly skip two grades. It's a huge part of the reason we're now homeschooling, and THRIVING since she's working at her individual level in all subjects.

: I hope they do a better job for your ds at your school!

[kaybee]

I could have written your post, except that my 1st grader ds is in public school with 20+ kids in his class. We had a P/T conference a month ago, and I brought up my concerns that he was bored and complaining (to the point of tears being shed while declaring "I hate school! I don't want to do another bean worksheet!"). They've been sorted into reading groups now, so that's going ok, but everyone is doing the same math, and my ds is going nuts. He's learning multiplication at home and loving it. At school they've moved from adding #s up to 10... to adding #s up to 20.

I just sent the teacher a note asking for another meeting. I'm watching here for advice on how to help her provide more of a challenge for him in the classroom while recognizing that she has 20+ kids, many of whom are probably struggling with the grade-level work. I seriously doubt she could spend an extra 10 minutes a day with just him, but I'm happy to spend 10 minutes a day with him. I just don't want him doing "fun math" at home and then have to waste his time on worksheets at school that aren't providing any challenge for him. I want him to do "fun math" at school, too. I don't want him to lose the enjoyment he used to have at school.

Taking notes...

[m.m.m.]

Also, having a book or something with your kid in class, so if they finish up early, they can go ahead to do something that's not boring like wiating for other kids to catch up....that was when my son was getting into trouble. He would get fisgety when finishing quiet work way ahead of others. But having a book that's he's reading, keeps him quiet & in his seat

[mom2ponygirl]

We just sent in substitute work for our dd. Perhaps you can send some fun, more advanced workbooks for your son to work on when the classroom stuff is review for him. I'd ask the teacher if you can perhaps substitute work on the same concept but at a higher level. For example, instead of single digit problems send multi-digit problems using whatever concept they are on. I think teachers are more open to you coming in and saying, how can I help you make this work more appropriate for him. Can I do this?

Anyway, it doesn't really get better later. We are sending in more rigorous Geometry work for our daughter to do during her high school Geometry class! LOL
Her school leads our state in math scores, but the pace is still too slow and the work is too shallow. She participates when they hit a new concept for her - not often, or when doing constructions. As long as she is quietly doing geometry stuff at her desk, the teacher is cool with it. Not a perfect solution, but it will get her through this course.

[SuzyLee]

Originally Posted by mom2ponygirl

We just sent in substitute work for our dd. Perhaps you can send some fun, more advanced workbooks for your son to work on when the classroom stuff is review for him. I'd ask the teacher if you can perhaps substitute work on the same concept but at a higher level. For example, instead of single digit problems send multi-digit problems using whatever concept they are on. I think teachers are more open to you coming in and saying, how can I help you make this work more appropriate for him. Can I do this?

Anyway, it doesn't really get better later. We are sending in more rigorous Geometry work for our daughter to do during her high school Geometry class! LOL
Her school leads our state in math scores, but the pace is still too slow and the work is too shallow. She participates when they hit a new concept for her - not often, or when doing constructions. As long as she is quietly doing geometry stuff at her desk, the teacher is cool with it. Not a perfect solution, but it will get her through this course.

I was just going to suggest this. Something like, he needs to listen quietly to the lesson she gives, to help reinforce the simple tasks, but then instead of doing the worksheet with the rest of the class, he works on a packet of stuff you sent from home that matches up with what you are teaching him at home. You could either print worksheets online, make you own up, or buy a workbook from a teaching supply store (or heck even Walgreens carries a few!).

ETA: When I was in 4-5 grades, I just read my own lessons from the textbook and worked the practice problems on my own, but I assume in early elem. grades, that would be too tough.

[lindberg99]

Originally Posted by splotchy1

Moving him up to the next grade for just math wouldn't work, as socially that would be really difficult for him.

Are you sure this wouldn't work? It's really only what, 45 min a day? And how much social activity is going on during math anyway? I could see social issues if he was with 2nd graders all day, during recess, lunch, etc. but just for one period?

My 4th grader goes to the 5th grade math class. He's not had any problems at all. The teacher said that the 5th graders figured out pretty quickly that he is good in math and quite a few of them want to work with him during group work. They don't care that he's a year younger.

[velcromom]

I just had this conversation with my ds yesterday. He's not just bored, he's upset by what he perceives as "being treated like a baby" because the work he's being given is too easy. I'm subbing for ideas because it's getting to be a problem when it comes to homework, he says he isn't going to do that stupid baby work!