My son is in 6th grade in a resource math class. He has been in regular ed for math up until now. Last year, because of a bad match teacher-wise, and lots of missing school (anxiety) he learned almost nothing in the math curriculum (and very little anywhere else).
Because he had not passed a single math test all year, I agreed to having him be placed in the resource room for math. Now I have this sinking feeling that I have made a huge mistake.
Despite the small class size (5) the pace is so slow that I’m afraid it will be another year where he gets even farther behind. Three weeks into the year and they are working on addition and subtraction of whole numbers.
On the other hand, he has not missed any school, so I know his stress is at manageable levels. I really feel that he does not have a math disability, but needs small group instruction in order to learn.
Re: Resource room for math
Well, I have no idea the name of the curriculum our district uses, but it was a major reason for my son’s problems. It’s a spiraling curriculum, so he had no time to master any one skill before they were jumping into a totally different topic. By the time they spiraled back to division, or fractions, or whatever, he had totally forgotten what they taught him before.
a small but important point
No solution to your problem, but you can clarify issues a lot by using language to make a point. Think about the meaning of the words “forget”, “taught”, and also “learned”. If you have really learned anything, you don’t forget it overnight or in a few weeks or months. If something has been truly taught, it will be well learned and not instantly forgotten. There has been little real teaching or learning going on in your school’s classrooms, and if you make this point clearly and repeatedly you can clear a lot of the underbrush out of the way of discussion, especially attempts to blame the kids when the system is at fault.
Re: Resource room for math
You might want to consider teaching him yourself at home. There is an excellent math curriculum called Moving With Math that combines 5th & 6th grade math, but is objectives-based. Frequent pre-testing lets you know when to do just the basic pages (when the child exhibits master of the objective) and when to add in their supplemental pages. The student workbooks are thin and non-intimidating. Teacher workbooks include teaching notes for each page. Website is http://www.movingwithmath.com
Nancy
Re: Resource room for math
I appreciate the suggestion, but homeschooling this child is just not a good idea. He would love to be homeschooled, but would end up functionally illiterate.
I do okay with tutoring him, but really would like the school district to do its job and educate him.
I just don’t get it. In first grade they were trying to teach him algebra and in 6th they’re giving him a page of addition (85+7).
Key Math Test
I suggest asking them in writing to administer the Key Math Test to see what your child knows and doesn’t know. From the results ask them to write up goals and objectives.
Helen
math and the resource room
It’s certainly true that sometimes we can’t find the ‘perfect fit’ for our children in school or in a particular subject. It sounds as if your choice was either to have your son in a math class where he would not be successful or to have your son in a class that moves too slow. I’d say it’s better to be successful. If he was failing every test in the other class, what’s the point of staying in that room?
Your son can always do math outside the math room. Most textbooks used in schools can be ordered over the Internet. You could get a copy of the textbook his school is using and have him work ahead in it at night. You could do this with or without the teacher’s knowledge.
If he pulls ahead of the small class he’s in now, perhaps the teacher would let him work independently of the class and move ahead on his own.
Good luck.
Re: Resource room for math
If you want him to learn math, you simply may have to teach it to him yourself (or find a tutor). A few too many resource teachers “teach” math by handing out whatever materials are handy and hoping something sticks (and sometimes are rather open about not liking math themselves, not understanding it, etc).
How does he feel about learning math?
You would do well to figure out whether or not the school is going to do its job. The person who will suffer the consequences will be your son, whether or not the school “should” do the job.
We were in a similar situation in 7th grade- I was willing to try anything to get her away from a toxic teacher and the “Mathland” curriculum. Within 3 weeks of school the teacher should have an idea of each student’s strengths and weaknesses and be well on her way to individualizing the instruction for her 5 students. i would give it another week or so and then set up a meeting to share your concerns. Give her the benefit of the doubt, it could be that she’s discovered weak basic skills underlying some of the problems her students are having. our schoo uses Accelerated Math as a way of individualizing instruction— it keeps skills sharp by giving frequent review of mastered material and has kids practicing the skills they need to work on.