5th grade blues!

[Rock'n Robin]

DD#1 is suddenly having trouble. She had all As 4th quarter last year, now had 2 As and 4Bs first quarter. Now she has failed a math test. There were 15 questions and she missed 7. The test is at school, and to top it off it was mostly protractor/angle type stuff, and they were not allowed to bring the equipment home. She is able to take a retest on Wednesday so I've sent the teacher an EMail telling her that DD will be staying after tomorrow to get all of the right answers (they "don't have time" in class).
This is the second test that DD THOUGHT she did very well on and bombed. She had a D- on a science test last quarter. Luckily she did so well in class that she managed a Bplus for the quarter. She has a 95th percentile on her standardized math tests and got honors level on 3 of 5 state proficiencies in 4th grade.
She studies--she works--does all of her classwork and homework. She has a nice attitude but is getting the pre-teen aura about her.
When she bombed the science test DH said if she got less than a B on her report card (which she has never done) she had to drop an activity. It was going to be her hip-hop dance class. Well she didn't get anything less than a B, so I paid her costume deposit. Now if she has to drop something, it will have to be her show choir (after school once a week) because I've paid her costume deposits for dance and DH won't let her drop karate (his pet project). She loves show choir most of all!
And I'm pulling her out of school 2 days in December for WDW. I feel like a horrible mother doing it now, but she's never had trouble before! And if I left her home, it would not only be a plane ticket wasted but probably a psychological scar for life.
She has a quiz tomorrow, and now with the retake two tests on Wednesday. Yuk. She just brought me vocab. to quiz her and she missed after only one question!
Thanks for letting me vent.
Robin M.

 

[Kallison]

Just from quickly scanning your post it sounds to me like too many extracurriculars. My kids are allowed one sport per season and Scouts if they want to do that. Also grades can go up and down in the math and sciences, they might understand one concept and be completely lost when a new section is started. I would definitely not worry about missing two days of school, just get the work ahead of time. My DS brought home two D's in math and then an A. I try not to obsess about every grade, I just tell him to do his work in a timely fashion and try his hardest. I think kids have a lot more pressure on them in school then we ever had or could ever understand. I don't remember being stressed out about schoolwork until maybe 8th grade.

 

[JasonLyons]

you need my fith grader for a week, she will break you in

 

[nativetxn]

I had a lot of trouble with geometry. Could you get her the "tools" she needs to keep at home so that you can help her?

I hate to see her have to give up activities but if she is doing so much that it interferes with her grades, she may have to give something up

Good luck with this and I think you're a <b>good</b> mommy.

 

[SeaSpray]

I don't have any advice, I wish I did, but I want to say that you sound like a very caring, concerned parent. And I bet with some additional help, like having her stay after school for extra help, and help from you, hopefully this is what she needs to just get her back on track. She's obviously a bright enough girl!

Also, I agree about not making her miss the WDW trip. I think that would only make things worse, and put school in a more negative spotlight at this point.

Good luck, let us know how things go on the retests!

 

[RitaZ.]

My DS is in 5th grade at a Magnet School. Last week, his class had a math test and the entire class did very poorly. So poorly, that the teacher had them take a practice test and then another "real" test. This is the first year that my son has "had" to study for tests. Organizational skills are crucial in 5th grade, and it's probably just the beginning. I'm grateful that my DS's previous teachers really enforced being organized, it has really paid off. One of his friends at another school wasn't so lucky and now is really struggling, as he has no organizational skills (he didn't turn in 15 assignments & has no idea where they are). His mom is totally stressed out over the problems.

From reading your post, it sounds to me like your DD is doing well (especially with all the extracurricular activities that she is involved in). It could be that the material is becoming more challenging. I wouldn't worry too much about that D as it is not going to determine her future, we all have our off days.

BTW, go to Disney!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Originally posted by JasonLyons
you need my fith grader for a week, she will break you in

No Jason, YOU need my 6th grader, ha! she will BREAK all of you.

Well I have been doing homework with my dd everyday for 3 weeks. This includes the weekends.(UGH, UGH, UGH) I am teaching her how to study...yippiee

Your dd sounds FINE!!! Don't feel bad. So she bombed a few. Steer her back on course and have fun at Disney. Pulling her out of activities is maybe better suited to bringing home a "D" or "F" on a report card, not on tests. That would be TOO MUCH pressure for my kid and would add more anxiety to her. DD already is freaking out over her tests. I help her study, and she does her best.

OH....here is my "punishment" right now for a "D" or "F" on tests. If she gets one I am going to go decorate the inside of her locker (HA-HA)...you know flowered wallpaper, very girly.

Anyway something to think about for you, because school will get harder for her.

 

[faith]

Seems like kids and parents have to use a planner to keep track of all the extra after school activities now days. I agree with other posts, maybe she needs to drop her least favorite one.
I hope you do take her to DW. The fun times and memories you build there will last a life time.