....really I did. I have tried and tried to let go of the whole school thing for Quarterback. I talked to the principal today for quite a while. She was great! She listened to my concerns and explained how the kids were chosen to go to the new class. I talked to the teacher, whom Quarterback had back in first grade. When I left this morning, I was okay.
Then I went back to help his teacher out in the afternoon. Knowing she would be overwhelmed today and having a few free minutes on my hands with Joshua sleeping at the sitter's, I asked if there was any photocopying I could do for her. I did quite a bit and then headed back to the classroom to see how it was going and if there was anything else I could do. Not wanting to interrupt, I waited. And watched. And listened.
I tried to believe that Quarterback is "at grade level" for reading. I tried. Honest I did. But when I heard him reading compared to some of the other kids.... And when I learned that ALL of the children who need independent help or additional assistance (there's an acronym, but I can't think of it) were in his class... And to learn that for every subject there are several kids who get pulled out for extra help... The unsettling feeling came back and try as I might it is not going away.
I talked to Roundabout Geek about it. I pulled out 3 of the last 4 report cards that Quarterback brought home. And try as I might, I cannot wrap my head around the fact that he tested at reading level last week. Especially not when all of the report cards I found state plain as day "Above reading level" on the Reading/Language Arts line. And especially not when the assessment record that was with his final report card of last year had three scores on it...one from Spring 2009, one from Winter 2009, and one from Spring 2010. The scores were 40, 50, and 60, respectively. These scores equate to reading levels at early Grade 4, Grade 5, and Grade 6, respectively.
To put this in persepective, in spring of his first grade year, the assessment test showed him to be at a Grade 4 reading level. In the fall of his second grade year, he was at a Grade 5 level. In the spring of his second grade year he was in a sixth grade reading level.
So, how does a child go from a 6th grade reading level to "at reading level" in a matter of months?
I don't want to be that mom...honestly I don't. I don't want to put labels on my kids. I don't want them walking around with this stigma that they are ___________ (fill in the blank). I do, however, want my kids to be challenged beyond what their abilities are. After all, isn't that how we grow, by being challenged.
I talked to his teacher...the reading levels in his class range from 1st grade to 4th grade. If last year he assessed at grade 6, how will this challenge him beyond what his abilities are?
He is doing 4th grade math in the independent math program. Each day, they do Daily Math Review. For this class, she is using a modified version of the DMR, with quite a bit of help to solve the problems. His teacher said that most of them weren't able to do the modified version. Well, Quarterback didn't seem to have any problems doing the "regular" version the past two weeks.
So I can't shake this feeling that he is being left behind...not because what he is learning is too hard and he doesn't understand, but because he needs more from his teacher, class, school, than what he is getting.
I already spent time Monday morning talking to his principal. I hate to go back and be THAT mom. I hate it. But, as much as I have tried, I can't shake the feeling that if I don't say something, again, I will be doing my son a huge injustice.
Roundabout Geek agrees I need to say something about his past reading scores. I am going to ask that for this week, he be given the "regular" DMR's...I'll even go copy them for her! If he can't do them by himself, then fine, put him back on the modified versions. But, if he can and he can get them done consistently, then he needs to stay on the regular ones.
To make a big deal about it though....that we will give some more time.
Last week, he came home happy and excited. I couldn't help but notice he seemed a little down when he came home today. Maybe I'm just reading into things.
But what if I'm not? What if my maternal instincts are in high gear and that's why I'm so unsettled? What if I can't let it go because I'm not supposed to? What if I'm right?
I want to cry. I keep praying for peace. I keep trying to let it go. But I can't. After all, this is my son we're talking about here.
Wouldn't you fight for your son?
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