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Ask the Experts

My Child Is Not Challenged

By Allison Gardenswartz, Consulting Educator
 

Question:

My kindergartner has two years of preschool behind her. She has been writing, reading and counting to 100. She knows her address and her phone number.

I got her first progress report today and the last thing it said is that she could count to 10.
I feel she is not being challenged or learning anything at school.

The public school is in the top 10 in the state of Tennessee, and the teacher is considered to be the best in the school. I am thinking of switching her to a different school, where she will be more challenged. What do you suggest?

Answer:

I think the first step is to sit down with the teacher and discuss your daughter's progress. Is your daughter not showing the teacher all that she is capable of doing?

Make sure that the teacher understands the level where you perceive your daughter is performing. Ask if your daughter's class work can be modified to make it more challenging. This can be accomplished by having your daughter do the same work as her classmates, but perhaps at a more conceptual level. For example, she can put numbers in order as opposed to simple counting.

Start the discussion with the teacher in a way that is not attacking or critical, just inquiring. Keep it positive. If you do not feel satisfied with the result of that conversation, then you can move on to a discussion with the principal. I think before moving your daughter to another school, you will want to see if this situation can work.

As a role model for your daughter, you will be showing that you try to rectify a situation before moving to a different one. With that said, if you still do not feel satisfied with the result and response from the teacher and administrator, it is important to remember that you have choices in education and can certainly explore your options.

 

Allison Gardenswartz is the founder of a San Diego tutoring center specializing in gifted and remedial learning and test preparation studies. An educator for over 15 years, Allison is an expert in identifying and enhancing the learning abilities of school-age children. Allison now fully devotes her time to parent education, consulting and college counseling. Allison has a teaching credential and has taught for several years in various public school systems. She has three children: Jacob, 11, Sofia, 7, and newly adopted Ryan, who is 3.

Advice from our experts is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment from a health-care provider or learning expert familiar with your unique situation. We recommend consulting a qualified professional if you have concerns about your child's condition.

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Comments from GreatSchools.org readers

11/12/2008:
"My son was not allowed to enter first grade, based on his age, 5.5 years old. I think they should test the kids and stop judging them on age alone. My son is SO bored in school!! He can read and understand; and can write sentences. He instead is forced to write 'C' and spell 'CAT'. He is doing 1rst grade math; solving problems. What a waste of minds, so eager to learn. To the teachers who say, 'let them enjoy themselves' I would like to tell them that these kids are BORED. It is surprising that parents can do a better job teaching than the teachers. We are looking at 'unconventional' schools for our son such as the Waldorf and Montessori schools. Good luck and don't let your kids' talents be wasted 'by' a very bad educational system. By the way we moved to this district because it has the best public schools in our area!!!!! "
02/26/2008:
"I'm preparing my 4yr old son for kindergarten, and found many interesting comments from parents and teachers. Like many, my son started reading when he was 3 years old. Now, before even starting kindergarten, he is reading at 1st if not 2nd grade level (to my knowledge/opinion). His teacher has acknowledge his skill and has relay to us in the P/T conference. That assures me that they will do their best to challenge him without affecting the other students in class. Teachers should not be expected to teach only one or 2 child because they are advance. They have other students. My son's teacher acknowlege his skill as asked that we be patience with them as they teach him and other kids on how to use the alphabets (sounding things out, vowels vs. consonants, etc...). And I totally agree, since knowing how to read does not mean they understand the concepts behind the english language. While I don't exactly spend extra time at home challenging him, I do try to work with ! him to understand more on his reading and introducing new vocabularies now and then. My point is we should give the teachers a chance to teach other children as well. If your child is smart, he should be learning from the not so-challenged school work that the teachers are using. I'm saying this for Pre-K, K and 1st grade. By second grade, I'm hoping that the students are more level out if it is a good school."
01/25/2008:
"I have a kindergartener age 6 and he is bored in class. I do not feel that he is challanged enough. The things that they do in class he already knows and I spoke with the teacher about sending him into a different class for certain subjects or challanging him more in class. She said that the school doesn't do that. I spoke with the asst. principal regarding my concerns and the next day the teacher sent home more advanced work for him to complete at home. I work with my kids at home all the time and challenge them, I do not need the extra work at home for him, this is not where he is bored. We are in the Texas schools and I am looking for information since this is my first challenge with the school system."
11/12/2007:
"This parent may want to consider that the teacher has to evaluate whether the child fully understands the relationship of the number 10 to the concept of ten objects, to being able to identify ten and components of ten in many different situations, as well as being able to conserve and count on from numbers up to and exceeding 10. Parents can be proud of their child being able to recite numbers to 100 or above, or letters from A to Z, but knowing what those numbers and letters represent, and how to manipulate them in a variety of real life situations can be a very different operation. The teacher has to be convinced that this is fully understood. Just take a step back and remember that the more practice a child gets in these fundamental activities, the better they will do at the more advanced levels. Also, Kindergarten is about so much more than being good at counting! Let your child be 5 and enjoy a wide variety of stimulating activities! The chances will narrow down ! soon enough! "
11/9/2007:
"My daughter is in PreK4 and we experienced a similar problem. Because she just turned 4 she couldnt go to kindergarten. However, we spoke to her teacher and she is working with her a an advanced level after she realized that she was ahead of the class. She does some work like the other kids so that she would not feel 'left out' but the bulk of it is different."
11/9/2007:
"As a preschool teacher myself, I know that our Progress Report Card is made up so that each grading period tests on what we have studied or introduced so far and so that's what we grade on for that period. Even though there are students who are progressing at a much higher level, we use the card to allow the parents to see what is yet to come. By kindergarten, most children should be capable of counting way beyond 10...I have had preschoolers who could count passed 100, name more than the basic shapes, ie: hexagon, trapazoid, pentegon and so on....they could read simple sight words as well as sound out words, not only state their address & phone, but also print it in writing. But, we use the same standard report card and then simply make wonderful comments of praise for what they have accomplished! So, just relax! As long as your child's teacher offers praise and enjoys having her in class, making her feel special, that's what matters most. Then you, as a parent can cont! inue the 'challenging' at home! By first grade, she will prove her intelligence and 'shine' in the classroom. Just continue to encourage her and build her confidence! You're her best teacher! Blessings!"
11/9/2007:
"The way a teacher assesses a student and the way a parent and child interact in the home are 2 different things. Teachers and parents use different 'languages'. Talk to your child's teacher is definitley the best first step."
11/9/2007:
"good question. great advice! teaches children not to run from probs but to confront the issue in a positive way and work together towards better results. if unsatisfactory results ultimately occur, you will not question your decision to move your child, which will inevitably be a stressful situation for your child, and might not be in their best interest after all. teachers are such important mentors in our childs lives that, whether you like it or not, they seriously contribute to the way your child develops. parents should communicate w/ their child's teachers the same way they should have already done w/ the child's pre-school teacher, day-care provider, nanny, grandparent, babysitter, or partner--- about specific reasonable expectations --on both sides. this article has inspired me to talk openly w/ my daughter's preschool teacher about specific things i could use her help w/ preparing my child socially & academically for kindergarten."
11/8/2007:
"I had the same thing happen to me. I believe it shows how school systems work in general. They have benchmarks to see if kids can hit certain levels, if they do then they pass, if not they fail but as long as they hit certain goals they don't push them. They have such a high range of what kids know entering school it is difficult. I asked in the partent teacher conference if there was a gifted program or advanced groups she could be a part of. Just ask questions and let them know you would like your child to be challenged."
11/8/2007:
"Why do we not let our children be children until they hit Kindergarten age. It seems to me that we go more and more to the understanding that our children need to know the ABC can partially read and on and on, even before we hit Kindergarten. Why not having them explore using their imagination before we fill them up with facts. Just another parent, which has a child in kindergarten. "
11/8/2007:
"Why is there such a high expection of a kindergartener? Writing and reading before the school year has barely started? A four and five year old is just beginning to learn those things from what I can see. Sounds like you expect too much from your child and the teacher. "
11/8/2007:
"We got the same report even though our son can count well above 130. The report card had the teacher check off up to ten, even though the teacher is fully aware of our son's capabilities. It's the report card that needs redesigning, not the school. Our teacher also assured us that Kindergarten would become far more interesting after the winter holiday, in order to prepare every student for first grade. --Mom in Missouri"
11/8/2007:
"I have the same problem and I have done the exact thing in your answer and I'm still no satisfied. My son is in Pre-K and my choises are limited. I told the teacher that I would wait until he gets to Kindergarden and move him to another school, yes the school wants me to leave him at that school. Their is two teachers in his class and when marking time came the lead teacher filled out his progress report and she had no clue as to my son abilities, he ia asigned to the other teacher, he was marked as a beginner. I had a long talk with the Director and his teachers and they all agreed that they maid a mistake and will do better. I acked what will you do about challenging my son, they dont have a plan to do that. I want to move my son."
11/8/2007:
"My 6 yr old son is in the same boat as your daughter. He is reading at a much faster rate than the other children in the entire kindergarted. His teacher has been putting extra sheets that are more advanced that what the rest of the class gets so that we can practice at home. She (the teacher) was concerned that she would not be able to give him the one on one help that he would need as all the other kids are grouped together by level. He is the only one in his group. We are now working on his reading comprehension and I asked if he could go to the first grade class for the 'reading' segment. I want to keep him in kindergarten as there are other things I believe he needs to learn, such as how to behave in a classroom at that level...as far as his intelligence, he is far more advanced, but unfortunatley private schools can be pricey. I do a lot with him at home, as the teacher does not have that extra time to give him. "
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