1st grade enrichment classes?

[atlnewf]

So what's your opinion on pulling 1st graders from their regular classes in order to provide them extra "enrichment"? It's not a gifted class, just something to further challenge kids that are performing above their grade level.

Ashley

 

[clh2]

Personally - I think it is a good idea. Kids are miserable in school when they are bored. If they are above grade level, they should get something challenging to work on.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I agree, better than having them be bored. Plus, the kids who, say, are already reading get stuck helping those who are struggling. While this is not a terrible thing, it gets really old. My DD's been doing it for years now--when does she get to work at her level? (Actually, the answer is, this year, she's in a gifted pullout 1 day/week, but she's had to wait for years to get it!).

Also, I don't know how it works in your school, but in ours, the gifted teacher is "trolling" for potentially gifted kids from day 1. She works in each classroom one a week and has different pull-outs that vary from grade to grade. Being in them doesn't automatically mean your kid is gifted, but it gives her a chance to view the high achievers, and even the lower ones, for kids who potentially are gifted. But the school overall isn't too quick to label the kids gifted--they may just be quick learners, or have a good home environment, etc. They don't actually test until fourth grade.

 

[floridaminnie]

My DD goes to a private school where it's advance all around. She's doing extrememly well.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

I think it is a GREAT idea.... you are lucky to have a school that values challenge for the younger students.

We had to fight like crazy to get something similar for our children.

Good for your child!!!

 

[4nana]

I think it's a great idea to keep them challenged! Even 30 years ago our 4 were taken out of KG to read with first graders. Later yrs came TAG and they attended summer programs, found it a very enjoyable and the experience very educational and beneficial.

Last year our little DGD in KG was allowed to go read with the first grade class. She loved it! Not sure what they have in store for her this yr in first grade, do hope the teacher is challenging.

 

[SherryNC]

From the perspective of a former first grade teacher, I feel it is such an interesting grade to teach because you have such a wide range of abilities. It can be challenging to meet all the different levels of your students. I think whenever you have the opportunity to offer your students the chance for growth, then you should pursue it to the fullest. Often the attention is given to the struggling students and the students meeting expectations can be given assignments that do not provide enough stimulation.

Now from a parent's perspective, this was an issue when my daughter was in first grade. When I expressed some concerns to her teacher that she was not being challenged enough, I was flat out told that it was not her fault that I had over prepared my child for school and that her first and foremost responsibility as a teacher was to prepare her students for second grade. Also, seeing as how I was a teacher, she felt I could just provide the enrichment at home. Lovely lady.

 

[mudnuri]

Both of mine have been pulled at one grade or another for extra time reading or math.

Has done no harm to them lets just say that!

Brandy

 

[Mskanga]

Both of my kids have been in enrichment programs since grade 1 , the youngest had a support teacher for that because her school building only had kindergarten and first grade at the time so there was no enrichment program in place at her school but the intructional support teacher kind of made one up , she would pull her out of the class ( they recognized she was getting bored ) and would take her to do other stuff, she loved it , eventually 3-4 more kids joined.
Now last year was a whole different ball game, being in a different building with the rest of the grades , she also had a teacher who instead of recognizing that she was getting bored , decided to start harping on she was "lacking attention". I requested a gifted test from the school and it turned out that she was just a bit short from the state requirements but it was recorded on her records that she needs enrichment programs to continue to perform to her fullest potential. The teacher hated that because that meant for her to come up with a different work plan for her and let her go on especial assignments with other teachers.
One area that they were actually very shocked and I was told they had never seen a case like this at such young age was her visual processing speed , it came back much higher than 99% of peers her own age , the principal and the psicologist said that they gave her some math problems in coding to solve and she looked at them for 2 seconds and wrote down her results , they asked her if she needed to look at the symbols again ( because they had taken away and kids usually ask to look at them one or two more times ) and she said she didn't need to. Boy were they surprised to see the results .....now they joke because they say she has a camera in her brain that retains everything instantly and they call her the digital kid , LOL.
It felt so good though when the psicologist and principal sat down with the teacher and me and said that she needs to be enriched , she was proven wrong and she hated it.
So I say , if you know your child is getting bored , enrichment classes are a blessing.

 

[golfgal]

My DD goes to a private school where it's advance all around. She's doing extrememly well.

There will always be kids that are more advanced then others, no matter how challenging the school is. I think it is a great idea. These are the kids that suffer the most in the current school design. Classes are taught to the average kids, so the above average kids are bored, the below average kids get help through special ed classes. Not many schools have enrichment classes for above average kids. Many have Gifted programs, but these aren't the same. I would love to see something like this at every school, but it isn't' going to happen.

 

[Mama Twinkles]

When I expressed some concerns to her teacher that she was not being challenged enough, I was flat out told that it was not her fault that I had over prepared my child for school and that her first and foremost responsibility as a teacher was to prepare her students for second grade. Also, seeing as how I was a teacher, she felt I could just provide the enrichment at home. Lovely lady.

Does anybody know of an effective way to address precisely this sort of attitude in a school? It is awful when they view parents as undermining the school's efforts or as pushing the children too hard when really the parents are just trying to keep their advanced children challenged.

 

[SherryNC]

Does anybody know of an effective way to address precisely this sort of attitude in a school? It is awful when they view parents as undermining the school's efforts or as pushing the children too hard when really the parents are just trying to keep their advanced children challenged.

Follow the chain of command and don't stop. Go to a school board meeting if necessary. Sorry, but I know my administrators really did pay more attention to the squeaky wheels.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Follow the chain of command and don't stop. Go to a school board meeting if necessary. Sorry, but I know my administrators really did pay more attention to the squeaky wheels.

This is EXCELLENT advice. Even if you are the only one seeking challenges.... don't let them tell you no. Your child deserves it!!!

 

[EthansMom]

Now from a parent's perspective, this was an issue when my daughter was in first grade. When I expressed some concerns to her teacher that she was not being challenged enough, I was flat out told that it was not her fault that I had over prepared my child for school and that her first and foremost responsibility as a teacher was to prepare her students for second grade. Also, seeing as how I was a teacher, she felt I could just provide the enrichment at home. Lovely lady.

I'm afraid I may run into this problem when DS hits kindergarten next year. Here in CT, schools are required to test for giftedness, but not required to provide gifted education. As our school does not provide any gifted education, I'm trying to spend extra time this next year preparing DS for the possibility that he may need to skip kindergarten (yes, another hard thing to do) in order to have a curriculum that meets his needs.

DS isn't a little Einstein or anything, but both DH and I have always provided educational experience to DS that he just laps up. At 4, he's doing simple math and just ready to start learning to read, though his real gift is puzzles and mazes (he's amazing to watch to a jigsaw puzzle). If DS's reading and writing completely on his own next year, then I'll be in the Principal's office for a talk about placement testing. Our kindergarten curriculum here starts with learning letters, which would bore my little guy to tears. I just wish the school district here offered some kind of gifted education so DS could stay in his grade, but have a curriculum that's more at his level.

To my knowledge, our school doesn't offer enrichment lessons either. Guess I would be happy with anything.

 

[Mama Twinkles]

Follow the chain of command and don't stop. Go to a school board meeting if necessary. Sorry, but I know my administrators really did pay more attention to the squeaky wheels.

Thanks, Sherry and CJ. That's empowering advice because it's hard not to question yourself when the ethos of the school supports lockstep education. Even so, I wonder how much it is realistic to expect even the best and most supportive teachers to do for accelerated children. They don't have hours each day to individualize instruction for every child, and in most ways I understand why they have to adhere to the curriculum.

 

[luvmy2sams]

DD is in a private school that teaches to the individual child's level, so I obviously think it's a great idea. DD was actually placed in the 2nd grade classroom this year and is doing all 2nd grade level work instead of 1st grade work. Proud mommy here.

 

[SherryNC]

Thanks, Sherry and CJ. That's empowering advice because it's hard not to question yourself when the ethos of the school supports lockstep education. Even so, I wonder how much it is realistic to expect even the best and most supportive teachers to do for accelerated children. They don't have hours each day to individualize instruction for every child, and in most ways I understand why they have to adhere to the curriculum.

I was a lucky teacher for sure. My average class size was 12-15. That did allow for a lot of indivualized instruction and meeting the particular needs of each of my students. It is much more challenging for teachers with the typical 25-30 sized classroom. The other first grade teacher and I were given the freedom to develop the curriculum to meet our needs. Of course we had standards to meet, but were allowed to explore many avenues. I know that is not the norm in most districts.

 

[Mama Twinkles]

I was a lucky teacher for sure. My average class size was 12-15. That did allow for a lot of indivualized instruction and meeting the particular needs of each of my students. It is much more challenging for teachers with the typical 25-30 sized classroom. The other first grade teacher and I were given the freedom to develop the curriculum to meet our needs. Of course we had standards to meet, but were allowed to explore many avenues. I know that is not the norm in most districts.

That must have been very satisfying. And at least your experience provides encouragement for those with children in small classes.

 

[atlnewf]

Follow-up Question.. they haven't set the schedule yet, but if they kept to last year's schedule, my son would miss part of recess.. would you still do the enrichment?

Ashley

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Follow-up Question.. they haven't set the schedule yet, but if they kept to last year's schedule, my son would miss part of recess.. would you still do the enrichment?

Ashley

How does your child feel about it? I would tend to say yes, I would still do the enrichment.... unless the child was really upset by missing recess. It got to the point where recess was nothing but stand around time in our school.... you couldn't run around, throw a ball, or play games, because someone might get hurt.

The first thing I would do is ask your son.

Good luck!!