Big changes tomorrow!

Discussion in 'Homeschooling' started by Lindina, Dec 3, 2013.

  1. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    I'm getting two new students. Well, actually a student returning, and her little sister. "A" was with me in PreK (her mom told me she was in kindy that year), and for a little while in K (the following year) for a little while. TODAY she is 12 ... and still in 3rd grade in ps (3rd time). Her mom says she has tried and tried to "get her IEP'd" but the school would not (why???). Her little sister "M" is in K. :eek:

    Tomorrow I'm going to get her registered and tested up, then I'll probably have to order something(s) and wait about two weeks and then it'll be Christmas. May have to order something(s) for the K'er too, but kindy is kindy, so testing is not necessary.

    This is the way it has always been at my school: just when you get a kind of rhythm going, somebody either enrolls or drops out... I have NO GUESS what this will do to the group dynamics! But thank you, Lord, for new challenges that keep life interesting (to say the least).
     
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  3. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    Oh boy... you sure never know what or who is gonna fall on your doorstep next do you? You will do fine, I'm sure... and the kids will be all the better for it.
     
  4. BatmansWife

    BatmansWife New Member

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    3 years in the 3rd grade?! :eek: What about the public schools "no child left behind"? She definitely should have been tested for an IEP. She should have stayed with you from the beginning...I'm sure she'd be further ahead. I hope it all works out. It must be rewarding (and I'm sure challenging and frustrating at times) to see progress in your students who are far behind.
     
  5. JosieB

    JosieB Active Member

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    Yay!!
     
  6. AngeC325

    AngeC325 New Member

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    Sounds like an adventure! Good luck!
     
  7. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    Hope it goes well!
     
  8. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    That's what I'm screaming. By all rights, she should have been passed along to the 4th for this year but then that's a State Test year and the school knew she wasn't likely to pass it... Maybe they DID test her somewhere along the way but she didn't qualify? I guess I'll find out when I get her records.
     
  9. BatmansWife

    BatmansWife New Member

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    Poor girl must have fell through some cracks somewhere along the line. It's so good to know she's getting out of there and getting back with you!
     
  10. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    Her mom said that with the Common Core thing, she would have pulled her out anyway, but then they moved (mom and 2 kids) back to grandma's house "for awhile" which she said definitely the rest of this year and maybe next year too. Sounds like I may have some time to work with this child.
     
  11. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    I hope that she doesn't get yanked back away from you just as she turns the corner and starts to make some decent progress.
     
  12. hermione310

    hermione310 New Member

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    She's really fortunate to get the individualized attention she needs from someone that cares. It's sad how many kids like this just get lost in the crowd at PS. It blows my mind that she wasn't evaluated for an IEP well before this.

    Sounds like it will be rewarding and certainly challenging at the same time -- I'll be thinking of you!
     
  13. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    Well, the 12yo placed into 2nd grade math by ONE point. We're going to do units on the skills she's not up on, and then get into either a text or workbooks. I don't know which yet. She can read at third grade level, but her comprehension was subpar, so I've given her the third reader of Pathways level 2 (because I have it on hand). In LA, she did not pass my placement test to go to level 2, because she hasn't been taught phonics, so I've put her in R&S 2 English, and will have to figure out something for phonics (things like r-controlled vowels, -ough words, more advanced than letter sounds). I've given her a 3rd grade R&S science book, and haven't worked out yet what for Bible or History. I hate having to order new stuff at this time of the year, so if I can get by, I'll get by with what I have and/or free stuff off the internet.

    The little sister did not go to 3yo Head Start nor 4yo Head Start nor PreK. She doesn't recognize any letters, counted only to 6 by rote, can't write her name besides the first letter, and doesn't even know her colors!!! So we're starting with R&S ABC-series (I have all of them through I, but they've come out with J now). I have TONS of preschool and K workbooks, so I might not have to order for her, either. Bible will be in the ABC series, and read-alouds from Egermeier's Bible Story Book, and various children's focus-on-one-character books (Daniel, Noah, Abraham, Esther, and so on). She has a hard time following instructions. She can't color by number because she doesn't recognize the numbers, so she can't do dot-to-dots yet either. I'd forgotten how fast Kindys can go through worksheets, even when you discuss them at length...
     
  14. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    Was going to say that this child can't read an analog clock yet. Can't accurately count change. Can measure in inches, but can't draw a line of a specified length in inches or centimeters. Has no clue what a centimeter even is. Can't do word problems - just added everything - and didn't know what to do with the little boxes they give you to write the number sentence and the answer.
     
  15. MagnoliaHoney

    MagnoliaHoney New Member

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    Sadly I have a step niece in high school who can't do any of those things either! (read a clock/tell time, count change-or even know how much money she needs at Dollar Tree, when every thing there is 1 dollar! etc). :(

    As for not going to PreK or head start I don't really believe in either. But, that shouldn't mean that a child shouldn't know those things. I have a two year old that has never been out of my care (my son). He's never been with baby sitter, etc...and he knows all of those things you mentioned for the younger child-ok he can't write his name yet, but knows the letters in his name, can count and knows his numbers, and take direction pretty well for a 2 year old, he has a good personality, so that means most the time he takes direction well, but once in a while he gets the 2 year old angst and needs to have all the control and just won't! lol haha
     
  16. BatmansWife

    BatmansWife New Member

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    Wow...that is really sad about both those girls. Many of those things are just common things that you'd think any parent would teach their child before they even are school age. Makes me wonder what's up with the mother?
     
  17. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    My computer is still dead, so I'm at the library...

    The kindy kid, I can't keep enough work lined up for her to keep her busy! She finishes the work I have for her well before lunchtime. She can't really do anything independently, because she can't recognize numbers yet for dot-to-dots, has no idea how to color by number, can't do puzzles, and has ruined all the playdoh by not putting tops back on the little pots. Mostly she's content to look at picture books. But sometimes she sings. She really takes one on one attention to accomplish anything. But I guess she's learning some: today she named red, blue, green, and yellow, but inconsistently. We've counted 0, 1, 2, 3. She's improving on writing her name. She can recognize a, but b and c are inconsistent. Did I tell you she has a speech impairment? Both articulation and language are below her age. She still says things like "Us do dat." Many words are an initial sound and a mumble. I'm going to suggest having her ears checked. She's kinda ADHD, too...

    Her 12 year old sister can read okay at second and third grade level, but doesn't comprehend what she reads even at that level. Can now tell time on the hour and half hour, but no clue about "quarter til" or "quarter after", never mind "half past". She's a willing worker, but writes like she talks, leaving off inflectional endings and such.

    And right now I'm too broke to buy toner for the printer, and paper, to make new worksheets for either of them, nor can I order more workbooks or textbooks. It'll be January before I can get toner (or anything else), and then I can make worksheets. We're kind of chilly, too, because we've used up all the kerosene for the heaters.

    The 4th grader has finished the first unit of the R&S Reading! He still makes tons of mistakes, and doesn't recognize the same word on the next page, but improvement is noticeable!
     
  18. crazymama

    crazymama Active Member

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    Oh Lindina! I wish I could help in some way! You really have your hands full. I'm not sure how parents can call themselves parents and their kids come to you not knowing anything. Even just living life kids learn a lot... usually how to count to 10 if not higher by kindergarten for sure, and definitely all their colors.
     
  19. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    I know, right? Her sister says this mom is the laziest mom on earth. I guess she would know...

    Meanwhile, DGS has finally finished his 2nd grade reading and LA! Maybe you remember that he didn't do kindy or start first grade with us, so he's been behind ever since. He's on level in math, but behind in reading and English. When we get back from Christmas, he'll start 3rd grade reading, and we've already started English, and he just finished his 3rd grade social studies. We'll be starting another 3rd grade SS after Christmas, and I'll put the 12 yo in his book he just finished.
     
  20. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    And MORE changes!

    I don't know whether to be happy or sad today. My 4th grader's mom texted me last night with the news he's not returning because she's putting him back in public school because she can't afford us. (Never mind that the public school has had him since first grade and he is just now learning to read.)

    And today the new girls didn't show up, and neither the mom nor the grandma answered their phones.

    It's really cold today, and we have no kerosene for the heaters; and my printer's out of toner, so I couldn't make worksheets anyway. So DH, DGS, and the 10th grader are at the library today where it's warm. I'm glad they open at 9am on Mondays!

    If either one of the moms would have paid on time, we'd have kero and toner... :|

    Oh, and the happy part: the librarian's daughter (a ps teacher) is pulling her 5th grade dd out to homeschool starting today. The child, formerly a happy A student, is now a nervous wreck due to Common Core and her classroom teacher.... Gave her my number, not thinking she'll enroll with us but to consult on curriculum, so I can show her what we have and why we prefer it. She might test with us in the spring.
     
  21. AngeC325

    AngeC325 New Member

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    How frustrating.
     

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