My dau is starting 6th gr next week and we are having a problem deciding which math group to place her in. Right now she is scheduled in the resource math (lowest group) which is at a SRA level 4 that the teacher said was equal to 4th grade math. My dau successful completed reg. 4th and 5th grade math and it was decided at the last IEP that she be placed in 6th gr. math with help. Now there is an additional kink in the armour…the 6th grade math curriculum changed last year and is now more critical thinking and word problem solving not the regular math book either. This method is done by Britannia and my dau 5th gr. teacher doesn’t feel this is the right approach for her. As the 5th grade teacher said-“It is real world math problem solving.” My only other alternative is a higher level resource math but I’m not sure. My dau is with a group of kids all on IEP that are mixed into the regular classroom with an extra teacher. She will get the extra help when she needs it but they don’t do that with math because most of the rest of the kids couldn’t do the math. I’m very torn what to do because the social aspects of middle school…Would appreciate some feedback! Thanks!
Re: Middle School Math/Social Question
If your daughter successfully completed the 4th and 5th math, I would ask that she be placed in the regular math class with the special education resource teacher in there to provide assistance as necessary and to help modify the program as needed. It really doesn’t matter if that is how they do it or have done it in the past, it is what she needs and would be the least restrictive. I would ask for a weekly progress report or more frequently if needed and then I would evaluate how well it is going after a month and if it appears that she is struggling, the IEP team can meet again and make modifications. I would hate to see her in a more restrictive and less stimulating class just because it is easier for them.
Re: Middle School Math/Social Question
I would ask to see examples of the math work for middle school. My son was put into a regular 6th grade math class with a teacher and helper. This was by the suggestion of his sped math teacher from elementary school. She thought that he could do it seeing how he had “finished” her 5th grade math level. Well, when he got into 6th grade, he suffered in the math class from day 1. It was more advanced than the elementary teacher thought. Apparently all of the grade school teachers did not teach the same level of math even though it was called 5th grade math. I finally ended up having him removed from the regular class and put into a sped math class. The school didn’t do this though until weeks after school had started. Here my kid was struggling and studying to the best of his ability but still getting failing grades on tests and midterm reports about failing the course. It sure didn’t do any good for his self esteem.
Another concern is how truthful the teachers actually are. It seems that sometimes teachers “fudge” on how a student does in their class. Example: My son’s 7th grade teacher wanted to put him into a regular 8th grade reading class because ” he would easily be able to do the work. It is at his reading level.” She also stated that he “was doing 7th grade math but not consistently.” We decided against the regular reading class because we knew the regular 8th grade reading teachers and were not too impressed with them. He was put into a class of only 3 students all at the same level. They did the same type of work as the regular students, but sometimes with modifications. The math class was a sped class but he still struggled with it. At the end of 8th grade, his 8th grade sped teacher stated that my son was doing work in reading at the “beginning 8th grade level” and in math at the “beginning 6th grade level.” Somehow after an additional year of instruction my son went backwards in both subjects.
After my son got into high school, we continued a friendship with one of the other teachers that my son had. He is a terrific teacher who is totally concerned about his students especially the sped ones in his class. He has admitted this last summer that this 7th grade teacher tends to “inflate” where her students really are. She is the head of the sped department at the middle school and seems concerned more about her job instead of truthfulness.
I would be very careful and do a lot of research yourself on your daughter’s levels. Talk to other parents of 5th graders if you can and also to parents of 6th graders. See how your daughter ranks with them. I learned that I must always be cautious when accepting teacher’s findings.
Re: Middle School Math/Social Question
Thanks to all that have answered me…You are the best sources of what to do…I have a meeting today with the sped teacher and the reg. math teacher to make some decisions…I have reviewed a small part both curriculums and both could work but I want her the best prepared for high school math so the new reg. 6th grade may not be the answer because even the teachers are still divided on this new method. I can however still have her in the reg. classroom with her going back to the sped room to do the actual written portion. So many decisions and so little time! Well it is meeting time…I’ll let you all know what is decided!
I can’t give you a complete answer. Maybe one of the later posters will.
Schools often under challenge l.d. children. They assume their limitations are much greater than they are. The current plan for your dau seems like that. It might help you to decide if you think of what will challenge her but still be within her range. Will the math teachers let you have an advance look at their curricula or at some of the work they will be doing? You may be able to judge from that.
Carol