First grade reading issues (and a bad teacher)

[Amylcd]

My DD's teacher says she is having problems in reading... she is not where "they" think she should be. She is reading absolutely fine for someone who just turned 6 years old, in my opinion. One of his main concerns is that she needs to sound out many words... Um, isn't that a major part of reading?!? These are words she has never read before, and she is sounding them out correctly. So, where is the problem?

Apparently, she does not read fast enough for them (sounding out the words takes too much time), so her grade is suffering because of it. (Are they timing her? She received an F on her report card, even though EVERY reading worksheet she has brought home she received an A or B+ on.

Even though she can read, she got an F because she wasn't doing it fast enough, and her computerized test score was low. Which is another thing I absolutely hate... those computerized tests which show where the child is reading at - Last month, she was on a first grade level (she's in first grade), this month, it said she was at a 0.3 level (which would be where they expect kids to be the third month of Kindergarten). Of course, her teacher sent a note home saying he was "very" concerned because she is well below grade level (according to that test). A 100% A reading worksheet came home that same day. How is she getting A's on the stories he sends home if she is "well below" grade level in reading? Is he not using common sense? She CAN read, even if it is not fast enough for his liking. I have no idea what is going on with the computer test, but it is obviously not accurate.

I *really* dislike this guy. :

[Alyantavid]

I'd have to have a conference with the teacher. My son is 6 and in first grade as well and reads pretty well but obviously he needs to sound out words he hasn't seen before. How else do you know how they sound? That's bizarre.

[Amylcd]

We have a conference set up for the 25th. I had a conference today with her speech therapist at school (she is doing fine and this will be her last year of speech), and her teacher gave the speech therapist a list of things to go over with me that he was "concerned" about. The major one being the computerized testing. The note he gave her says "something is definitely wrong here". Okay, what? Explain, please. She received a 0 on a part of the test... but the speech therapist had no idea what part (she was annoyed that the teacher had given her a list of things to go over with me, when the conferences are coming up so soon - it was taking time away from her).

I'm guessing she was probably bored and just clicked any answer to get it over with. I'm just so angry over this. I need to come up with a coherent letter to send to school with her tomorrow addressing these issues... would anyone like to help with this? lol I really want to tell him off.

[kriket]

You totally need to have a conference... I couldn't read AT ALL until about 8. I was memorizing things and they didn't catch it for a long while.

Also, when I was in the 2nd grade, the made us do our spelling words in cursive. : For a kid that just learned to read, spelling in cursive was too much and my grades suffered. You should get involved. Move her to another class if you have to.

[AmyJayne19]

i can't believe they expect kids in grade 1 to read. my ds1 is in grade 1 and they are just learning how to read now. last year they focused on recognizing the alphabet and what sounds the letters make and then now they are working on the basic reading skills. he just got his first home reading book this week and it was 2 words per page. very simple and easy.

[purplemoon]

In first grade I was put in the lowest reading group because I just fudged the test. It took a decent teacher (there were 30 of us, so the test was what they went by until they noticed inconsistencies) to notice that I was reading fine, more than fine actually. They pulled me out and had a reading resource teacher test me, and lo and behold I was actually at a 4th grade reading level. I just don't "do" tests. It took a long time before I would take them seriously.

It sounds like your daughter is right on track, reading, sounding out words, doing well on her assignments, and her computer tests are inconsistent. That is a sign to me that there is something wrong with the test, not her. That either the test is super boring and more fun is to be had the faster you do, or they told her she needs to go faster so she does while sacrificing accuracy, or the test isn't a good indicator.

Sadly, it seems like the teacher isn't putting these two things together. In the conference, I would ask him to explain how it could happen that she receives A's on her assignments and can read, but fails the test.

[Amylcd]

Originally Posted by AmyJayne19

i can't believe they expect kids in grade 1 to read. my ds1 is in grade 1 and they are just learning how to read now. last year they focused on recognizing the alphabet and what sounds the letters make and then now they are working on the basic reading skills. he just got his first home reading book this week and it was 2 words per page. very simple and easy.

This is how it was at her old school. Kindergarten was only alphabet, and early reading began in first grade. (we moved during the summer) Apparently, at this school, reading begins in kindergarten. My DD is already the youngest in her class and did not go to this school last year so she missed out on their reading program. They are expecting her to be where the other students are, when she is basically a year behind.

[zinemama]

My son didn't learn to read fluently till the very end of second grade. And all along, even though other kids in his class (ps) had been reading since kindergarten, his teacher told us that he was right where he should be and that kids learn at different rates. I knew this, of course, but I was glad we had a teacher who recognized it.

I second the conference idea. I think you need to make this teacher understand that first of all, your dd is behind the other kids for external reasons and second of all, she will read when she's ready to read and you don't have a problem with that.

[library lady]

Don't automatically assume that it is the teacher. My nephew had a similar problem and come to find out it was a school policy that was the problem. Does the school use the accelerated reader program? If so, the problem could be the fact that she is not reading enough of the books to get the right amount of AR points. I have seen the AR program screw over a lot of students. My nephew is dyslexic and reads slowly so he is not able to read as many books and take enough tests to get enough points. His school was so bad that if you don't have enough AR points they keep you out of lunch, PE, and even give Saturday school. Needless to say, my sister was livid. The problem was not with reading ability. The problem was with school policies and the AR program.

[octobermom]

I really hate how standarized tests have removed common sense from the picture. My DD recieved a "far below standards" in number recongizing 1-100 I knew this wasn't her strongest area but honestly I found far below odd especially when her route and grouping graphs ect was at an E (far above) SO I just did a simple flash card test just too see how many she knew I only counted those she could imediently answer.
she could do 84/100 easily. and of the 16 missed
the teens she wouldn't say 16 as sixteen she would say six and ten ect.. which I counted as "wrong" but clearly somethings is clicking and its took me reminding her about three times in the past few days thats totally correct now
and the 20's those for some reason confused her again 2 minutes of me working with her the past few days and shes got those down..
SO latter I find out they basically start from 1 and see how far they get she'd get to 13 and mess up so she then got no credit for the 60+ numbers shes knew just fine. Also like the OP her homework comes back with happy faces and stars and has no indication of the problems. I could have been working with her.. If I knew.

Deanna

[Amylcd]

Originally Posted by library lady

Don't automatically assume that it is the teacher. My nephew had a similar problem and come to find out it was a school policy that was the problem. Does the school use the accelerated reader program? If so, the problem could be the fact that she is not reading enough of the books to get the right amount of AR points. I have seen the AR program screw over a lot of students. My nephew is dyslexic and reads slowly so he is not able to read as many books and take enough tests to get enough points. His school was so bad that if you don't have enough AR points they keep you out of lunch, PE, and even give Saturday school. Needless to say, my sister was livid. The problem was not with reading ability. The problem was with school policies and the AR program.

She does fine with the AR program. The test she had the issue with is the STAR computer-reading test.

[elizawill]

no no no. that is definitely NOT okay. conference time with the teacher and principal if necessary. hugs mama. i'd be very irked too!!

[SunshineJ]

Since the teacher is so concerned that he tried to presump the speech teachers time with you, I would request the principal be present at your meeting on the 25th. I would also take along as many star/A/100%/etc. papers you can find that she's brought home with you, present them as evidence of her daily abilities, tell the teacher point blank that you agree there's a problem and ask him what he thinks that issue may be. (Hint: Timed computerized test!) If he doesn't get it, even with the principal there, I'd ask to move her to a teacher that has some common sense. Good Luck!

K.

[momtokea]

Things don't add up. If she is doing so well in class then why is she scoring so low on the computerized test? and getting such low marks?

The teacher is "concerned"? Well, at the conference be sure to let him know how "concerned" you are. Don't let him put the blame on you.
"This is the school, you are the teacher. What are YOU going to do about it?"
Your daughter spends all day at school and if she isn't learning it's their fault. Let them know that. Do they only teach kids that show up 'advanced"?

It doesn't sound to me like your daughter is behind. She is right where a 6 year old should be.

[library lady]

Originally Posted by Amylcd

She does fine with the AR program. The test she had the issue with is the STAR computer-reading test.

That makes the situation even more perplexing. I would agree with those that have recommended having a conference with the principal present. I would take the AR program results along with all of the A papers in with me.

[CarrieMF]

Here they don't start to focus on reading until Grade 1. Most kids are started a bit in kindergarten but most of them aren't really reading or sounding things out & they only have about 10 words/book.lol

Apparently, she does not read fast enough for them (sounding out the words takes too much time), so her grade is suffering because of it. (Are they timing her?

IF they are doing sight words then they aren't really timed, but they are words which they need to be able to see & say within about 3 seconds. for words that they are taught to sound out(which is something they use here for kids until the end of grade 3 & older grades with new hard words) then taking their time is fine.

She sounds on track for a kid in Grade 1, especially one who just turned 6. Reading is something that takes time before it clicks in their brains & that happens somewhere between age 6 & 8.

[Thalia the Muse]

I find it bizarre that the school is giving letter grades to six-year-olds at all, and especially that they would give Fs! That seems way out of line to me.

It's not unusual for a first-grader to be unable to read at all by this point in the year (and they STILL shouldn't get an F).

I agree with everyone else that the principal needs to be present for this conference -- the teacher's expectations, and his idea of a solution (scolding you instead of working with your daughter) are both way out of line!

[bodhicitta3]

Originally Posted by Thalia the Muse

I find it bizarre that the school is giving letter grades to six-year-olds at all, and especially that they would give Fs! That seems way out of line to me.

It's not unusual for a first-grader to be unable to read at all by this point in the year (and they STILL shouldn't get an F).

I agree with everyone else that the principal needs to be present for this conference -- the teacher's expectations, and his idea of a solution (scolding you instead of working with your daughter) are both way out of line!

I agree a 1st grader may be unable to read at this point...no uncommon. I would challenge the grade (provide copies of homework etc.) if nothing else but to bring light of the harshness of it. I have never seen a elem student FAIL unless they just didnt participate by choice. They should be encouraging her at this age not handing out F's...

[Mizelenius]

The burden of proof is on the teacher-- he needs to show documentation to support the grade.

Count me among those who can't believe she got an "F." I thought most schools realized that letter grades are vague, esp. in the primary years where things are broken down into specific skills. He needs to show you exactly which skills (he needs to break reading skills down further and explicitly) she is having issues with, and why this justifies such a low grade.

It wouldn't be the low grade that would bother me per se, but his seeming lack of knowledge about developing readers. If it's a school policy, he'll be able to explain that to you AND provide you with the documentation.

[eepster]

Originally Posted by Amylcd

She does fine with the AR program. The test she had the issue with is the STAR computer-reading test.

Did she ever get instruction on how to use the computer? It sounds like reading isn't the problem, doing the computerized tests is.