Questions for parents and subject in school?

[tifflunn]

I have children that are ages 6, 14 and 17- youngest is in grade 1 the oldest in grade 12. Now when I was in grade school I remember doing speeches in grade 6 maybe a little earlier- but I remember 3-4 minute speeches back then. Now my older 2 started speeches around grade 3-4, 2 minutes was the tops. Now my grade one comes home today with a letter that she is to have prepared over the holidays a 3 minute speech with cue cards (can use pictures on the cue cards) :new_shocked: - Now I know that we are striving for a better education- but a 3 minute speech in grade 1, just kind of floored me. Obviously this is part of the new curriculum, and needs to be there I am just surprised. I guess I don't really have a question I just want to hear about how the curriculum in your childrens school has gotten more challenging. :bgrin

 

[Miniv]

Sorry......but THREE MINUTES??? :new_shocked: For a SIX YEAR OLD????

I think the teachers need to get a grip and remember the attention span capabilities of the younger ones.

JMO -- as a mom to a 4th grader and an "honorary" grandma to 1st grader.

MA

 

[wade3504]

I don't have children but have helped co teach and I think children are being pushed way too hard these days. I can remember not really learning what the letters of the alphabet looked like until first grade and kindergarten was basically daycare almost and now 1st grade is reading. I think a 3 minute speeach is rediculous. I see something for first more like show and tell. That would help prepare for speeches.

 

[tifflunn]

Yep three minuets- :no: I still a little shocked- I called a girl friend from another school who had a grade one last year and told her and all she would do a is laugh- and no her daughter didn't do speeches last year.

Miniv- how is the homework load and the grade one year going for your grandchild :bgrin

and did your 4 th grader do speeches and when?

Wade3504- I do believe they are being pushed a little early- She is doing mad minutes for addition and subtraction, and has been doing spelling test since week 2 - the kids reading at or on grade level are reading simple chapter books. I worked in the kindergarten class most of last year(was a different school- but same board) and I really did not see the complete foundation layed for some of these things- I believe they where just getting to count to 20 and learning to write them down at the end of May- June was pretty much spent on trying to get the kids to read.

:

I would really be intrested in finding out what are the expectations of children in the class room are else where too:bgrin

 

[tifflunn]

I teach 5th grade and it's a stretch to require 2 minute speeches for a 10 year old. It take a lot of words to fill 3 minutes. I remember having to do a 10 minute one in college on a leisure activity and holy cow, I was shocked at how many poems I had to read to cover that time period. :new_shocked:

Is the teacher new? For a teacher who's never done it before, maybe she doesn't realize how long it is? If it must be done, have your child speak very slowly and show a few things (items-pictures) to take up some time.

Karla, I was waiting for your input

: No she is not new( I had to call around to check though)- But your suggestions for the speech, are along the lines for what I was thinking.

Thank You :bgrin

 

[DunPainted]

Excellent Thread!

From a mother who has sat in her son's class a few times each year (entire day ) HE'S IN 6TH grade....it leaves little to the imagination who kids are stressed out at school. At the end of each day, I needed a "big-time" nap from all the stress these kids endure.

Now, with a class size of 22 children (we live in a small farm town), and all the pressures to "teach" in a "cram for a test" manner......there's little wonder why there's a teacher shortage.

Since 5th grade, my son's been doing what used to be "high school" algebra. Now, early in 6th grade, it's geometry. Thank God our district provides after-school tutoring by volunteer teachers.

Last year Science class was beyond belief.....now, they're learning the wonders of geologic formations and properties/chemical composition of rocks. Sorry, but this class was only offered at first-year college level.

Oh, did I mention my son has a high-functioning form of autism, which provides him the propensity to retain "facts/knowledge"......but even he's stressed out and exhausted at day's end.

Seems like the only education our children are receiving is:

1. How to cope with stress

2. Learn how to take "tests" in order to pass job interviews

Frankly, the blame firmly sits in the lap of State Dept of Education -- placing high demands on teachers and administrators to improve test scores -- with little regard to the basics of child emotional/social development.

Guess the old saying's true: Some folks can be book smart YET street stupid. :new_shocked:

 

[wade3504]

There are state standards that tells you what a child is supposed to learn for the grade they are in. Here in Florida it is called the Sunshine State Standards and tells grade for grade what they should be learning or know by the end of the year. I think all states must have them.

That's the one thing I love about private schools. They don't have to teach for any state tests so there is no worry about those and of course small class sizes. My aunt teaches at a private school that I had volunteered at for awhile and their first grade has 9 kids. The max they will allow is 12.

 

[Sharon J]

I have a 3rd grader and a 1st garder. For us Kindergarten was the tough one, way too much info. The kids were writing ABC and had to write numbers to 100. Also started reading. First grade, we are doing add and subtract, reading more difficult books, learning nouns and sentence stucture. We've had spelling tests since K, once a week ten words. I think it's crazy when your kindergardener comes home with an hour to an hour and a half of homework, not just mine everyone in the class. No speeches, that is insane! I can't imagine. We do have fairly small class size, very small town, the school is pretty much all there is. My third grader made her first presentation this year, I can't imagine my 6 year old doing one.

 

[minimama]

Well, I have a third grader right now, but when he was in Kindergarten, they started him on Algebra!!!!!!! My only question is, if he is learnign Algebra in Kindergarten, what kind of math will be left for high school???

 

[lovinarabs]

As a teacher of fourth graders, and a parent of a first grader; I sure see both sides of the issue. It was our dear Mr. Bush who started the No Child Left Behind and decided that ALL children should be able to read fluently at the end of first grade. Let's place the blame where blame is due. The teachers that I work with (and myself) are struggling, brainstorming and striving to meet these goals/standards set forth by the state and FEDERAL government on a shoe string budget. If they don't start reading in Kind. there is no way they would be reading fluently by the end of 1st grade. it is a struggle for many of the children. It is just so wonderful to hear that all of you are taking such an active role in your child's education and working to help them. I worry about the children (yes first graders) who go home and have no one to help them with that homework.

As a parent, our daughter gets one math sheet that takes her about 10 minutes to do and a short book that takes about 10 minutes to read for homework each night. She also has a 10 word spelling list.

 

[JumpinJackFarm]

To the best of my memory

My oldest 12 & 9th graders had their first speeches later on in elementary school (4-5th grade) But is seems my youngest (now 6th grade) had a speech thing at about 1-2nd grade...but it was with a partner...I wish I could remember what the speech was...it seems it was about planets?? they had posters and talked about the planets and even had a question/answer session afterwards.

*Whatever you do...don't let your little one know how you feel..just pump her up and tell her how good she is going to do

:

 

[Just Us N Texas]

According to my husband who is a teacher and has retired from two different states, and is now long term subbing at another, the kids are being pushed way too hard. Not much physical activity (if any) to lessen the stress, and far too much information too quickly. The subjects are covered for state testing only, with no regards to the child who doesn't grasp it as quickly as some of the others. And you wonder how much of what is being taught is being retained. A teacher is pressured, and stressed as well, because they are no longer allowed to teach their way, but according to what the state education board expects of the child in general. Jerry is not a "new" teaacher, but has been teaching for over 30 years, so I think he has some insight into what seems to be going on in classes.

 

[DunPainted]

*Whatever you do...don't let your little one know how you feel..just pump her up and tell her how good she is going to do

:

ABSOLUTELY!! :aktion033:

With my son having Asbergers Syndrome and, standardized tested at 3-1/2, the results defined David as mentally retarded (he couldn't speak). Because there was no data whatsoever at the time, with regard to this diagnosis, Divine intervention in his mama's heart took over. LOL!

There were many battles waged (gingerly, of course, as there was an implied threat of our son being removed from the home for "non-compliance" with "professionals" who had no info as well). DAVID NEVER KNEW his mother went to bat for him.

It is my firm belief parents have an awesome responsibility to ensure their children grow up knowing that "mom or dad" will NOT take care of EVERY problem. This is a life skill their children should not be deprived. It'll stunt their emotional growth/welfare for the rest of their lives.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

My daughter is in 4th grade. She had a great pre school teacher and went to a co-op preschool and had a HORRIBLE kindergarten teacher I know cause i was in that classroom 2-3 days a week.

She was blessed with a amazing first grade teacher who had the goal set for her of having them all read at the end of the year. My daugther was scared to death to read but by the end of first grade was on a 3rd grade level. Now in 4th grade she is the highest level the ISAT goes to for her age which puts her reading and comprehension to a 12th grade entry level.

She does those mad minutes in mutiplication and division as well as fractions and such.

She has to do monthly reports and this includes a 3-4 minute speech or scene from a play that she makes up

she has to do 3 page reports and a full 2 page summary on books that she has read since they are not in there AR program. (she just finished some Monty Roberts books)

she has a 100 word spelling test every Friday. I am lucky in that it all comes very easy for her and she is an exceptional student(and I do think alot of tht is just that luck) one who I am told by the teachers they "fight" over for the following year/grade. They wanted to skip her however she isnt emotionally ready for that.

Anyway I spend alot of time in the classroom helping those that do get stuck or a bit behind and the difference with a bit of extra work during the day by me or someone else and the teacher and some who are lucky enough to have parents helping.. well the difference at the end of the year is amazing to me.

I think it is a horrible catch 22 - kids need to know more to get thru school yet classes are more crowded, we dont pay teachers nearly enough money and many parents are both working 40-60 hour weeks just to make the working poverty level so arent always available to help the kids

 

[tifflunn]

*Whatever you do...don't let your little one know how you feel..just pump her up and tell her how good she is going to do

:

ABSOLUTELY!! :aktion033:

With my son having Asbergers Syndrome and, standardized tested at 3-1/2, the results defined David as mentally retarded (he couldn't speak). Because there was no data whatsoever at the time, with regard to this diagnosis, Divine intervention in his mama's heart took over. LOL!

There were many battles waged (gingerly, of course, as there was an implied threat of our son being removed from the home for "non-compliance" with "professionals" who had no info as well). DAVID NEVER KNEW his mother went to bat for him.

It is my firm belief parents have an awesome responsibility to ensure their children grow up knowing that "mom or dad" will NOT take care of EVERY problem. This is a life skill their children should not be deprived. It'll stunt their emotional growth/welfare for the rest of their lives.

No worries there- school is fully supported in my house- and any issues are always taken up privately with the teacher, unless it is appropriate for the child to be involved.

I am getting alot of intresting info through this thread- I did not know about Bushes initative as I really have not kept up with it in Canada- but it is a very intresting statement as I believe we have adopted the no child left behind statement as well.

It is also intresting to see that the kids in the states are going through the same levels of education. I do support the 10 minuets of homework per grade per night- as a suplement for what is being taught in the classroom- and understand if things take a little longer but double and triple that time I do feel that is putting to much on the kids(younger ones at least)

I don't know if I find one specific issue at fault for the increased need for our children's need for more detailed and increasingly difficult knowledge base( I hope that came out right

: )

I think this is a good discussion!

 

[Miniv]

Miniv- how is the homework load and the grade one year going for your grandchild :bgrin

and did your 4 th grader do speeches and when?

My "honorary" granddaughter is attending a public school........no homework that I'm aware of.

My 4th grader attends a private school. She started having homework in 1st grade. Last year she had about an hour's worth of homework almost every night. This year, she seems to have less! No speeches. The most that she has had to do is write a page-worth of a presentation and read it to the class. She also had a science project both last year and this year, that was part of an All-School science fair where she had to write a one page essay for it and present it to the Judges.

Just for the record, the 1st grader is WAY behind where Brianna was at that level. Bri is testing average in math, a grade above in sciences, and two grades above in language arts. And she received "Honor Roll" for this first quarter of the school year! (Since when did elementary school start the honor roll program?)

MA

 

[lovinarabs]

Yes - "No Child Left Behind" or as I like to refer to it:

:

No Teacher Left Sane or No Classroom Left Unscathed.

:

You've all made some very good points here. I agree that an hour is WAY too much for a first grader. I would suggest talking to the teacher and finding out if there is a way for that amount to be decreased. I know that I had a parent come to me once to tell me that there child had 2 hours of homework a night. I was horrified and took immediate steps to lessen the work load for that child.

 

[Westwood Farms]

My first grade daughter is doing addition, subtraction, some geometry, 10 spelling words per week, and also does Science. She has projects often, and are sometimes rather lengthly. She has Guided reading, and also, is in a program called accelerated reading, where she reads a book a night, and takes a test on it the next day. It is all about the TAKS test here. She has homework every night, reading the 2 books most nights, and the math and language sheet. She knows consanents and vowels, and how to diagram words. Syallabels also.

They use all kind of new terms for words, too. Like Telling words are verbs. Her teacher is always having to help me with the new terminology. Yes, I went to college, but I did not learn in the same manner she does.

I will say she has a super teacher, and because mine is the very youngest in the class, she gets the most attention, which I greatly appreciate. This week is her 6 weeks tests, which are spelling, reading, social studies, math and science.

I tell her I am proud of her every single day. I do not want her to get discouraged ( she is a bad test taker and gets scared). I am really thankful for the 2 great teachers she has had so far!!! I think all should be paid more for what they do!!!

 

[DunPainted]

JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT - American & European Teachers

Yesterday, during general conversation with David's teacher, I mentioned this thread. Mr. Holman is a rather sedate, thoughtful gentleman of few words, showed a fascination. I promised to send along the information to he, our superintendent, principals, special ed coordinator and school counselor.

My husband was a middle school special education teacher in Switzerland. Because teachers' service is highly regarded by Swiss citizens (educating the next generation) he was compensated $90,000 USD. In addition, his profession is regarded to the equivalent of a doctor, attorney, accountant, CEO, thus being addressed as "Mister" by parents/public alike. Why such a high salary and esteem? The country's board of education sets forth age appropriate, yet challenging goals/objective for students. Both parents and government are fully cognizant of the fact that teachers' day do not end with school dismissal. (An additional two/three hours of correcting student work and prep for the next day's lesson).

Sadly, American teachers face the same daily requirement, yet not recognized for extra time beyond school hours, OR compensated accordingly. In addition, our teachers are burdened with teaching unrealistic age-appropriate curriculum, handed down by State/Federal Dept of Education officials.

Exhaused parents/children haven't the energy to question nor require State/Federal officials. It's intelligent, thought provoked participants of this thread to begin a nation-wide dialogue with local, state and federal administrators of an "impossible dream" for our children. No, I don't advocate an extreme "lowering the bar" on our children.....just a common-sense expectation(s).

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Swiss teachers must handle disciplinary issues, without assistance of a school administration. If a student presents an extreme issue of defiance, the school board steps in and parents are fined for their lack of support. This is a rare occurrence.

Sadly, American teachers and school administrators' hands are "tied" by irresponsible parents, for whatever reason. There's no accountability imposed upon parents to ensure their child respect school authority.

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Interestingly, those Swiss individuals choosing this profession endure a grueling college curriculum, paid IN FULL by the Swiss government. Living expenses are the responsibility of students.

CONVERSELY, American college students bear the cost of their education, then required to repay student loans upon employment. Sadly, new teachers who've lived on a tight budget, must now begin a career with an added monetary burden.

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VACATION TIME:

Switzerland provides 8 full weeks of PAID vacation per year. Six weeks summer break, one week each for winter and spring.

America's teachers are provided significantly less vacation, yet unpaid. Sadly, in my opinion, American workers are generally provided 14 days paid vacation per year....yet there's a bit of resentment of teachers enjoying more time off.

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OKAY....down from my soap box! (Generally choose not engage)

Will you folks be kind enough to FORWARD THIS THREAD to local school teachers and administrators? By doing so, it'll provide a proverbial "covering their back" to begin a dialog with those handing down ridiculous scholastic requirements, with little regard to social AND physical/nutrition participation, which American so desperately need.

Thanks for listening!

Cindy Huber

 

[runaway ranch]

Good Grief. I teach at a college level a course in develpmentally psychology. To ask that of a first grader is putting too much pressure on them.