Teacher saying my child is behind at math?

Question

Heya My 6yr old daughter has spina bifida and had to repeat kindergarten this year. I spoke to her teacher today and she was concerned that gabi (my daughter) was behind at math. She got average on her report card but the teacher says gabi is not where she wants her to be at, because she did kindergarten last year too. So when my daughter and I came home tonight I taught her counting backwards from 10 and writing them. She learned them quick within 30 mins she was writing and saying them. Then after that I taught her addition like 1+4 = , and made her count on her fingers and she got all the questions right, it amazed me. She has always caught on to things fast like she learned how to tie her shoes at 3 1/2 and it took her around 15 mins to learn. Last year her teacher stated she gets the harder stuff right that the other kids had difficulty with, But she has trouble with the easier stuff. Her teacher states she needs to be pushed, and shes not focused. What do you guys think?

I'm thinking about going into class on tuesday like 30 minutes early and showing her teacher what she can do? I'm just getting tierd of her teacher thinking that gabi can't do the work. When she can. The other thing in math they are doing in her class is counting 1-30 and writing them and they have just started to count backwards. I jsut figured that if they see gabi doing addition they will stop saying shes behind.

The only thing in class they are doing is counting 1-30 and doing 1-10 backwards, No addition or subtraction.

Well i went into her class before school started this morning and I wrote out some problems for her to do. I had her write 20-1 backwards, and then 1-20. Then I did like 12 addition problems. She got everything right except one addition problem. So basically 11/12 correct. So i was quite proud of her today!!! Her teacher didn't really seem to care much which is too bad.

Answer 1

If the teacher has this kind of attitude-then this teacher needs to find a different kind of job! I am glad to hear that your child is doing so well in school! That is great! But when a teacher has the attitude this one has-is there a way you could ask for a different teacher? Possibly go to the district superintendent and show that person how well your child actually does, and mention your concern of the teacher's attitude? It sounds to me like a possiblity of the teacher not wanting to actually earn the pay your tax dollars give-to teach! A teacher needs to meet the learning needs of their students-that is part of what they are paid to do. Wishing you and your child the best. Take care.

Answer 2

I agree, it doesn't sound like to me the teacher is being fair nor does she have her story straight. Why is she marking her "average" but telling you that she is below average w/ her math? She shouldn't even be considering that she is repeating this grade and where "she should be". As long as she is doing what the class is doing and is keeping up, then that should be enough.

I think you have the right idea in giving her extra help at home and then showing her teacher that she can do it. I think it might also help if you could get a workbook or two for math for her grade level and help her do those worksheets. Just in case you don't know, you can get them pretty reasonably at Target or Wal-Mart and sometimes even the dollar store. That way, you will have something tangible to show the teacher (and the principal if the teacher is being unfair).

Good luck to Gabi. She's a lucky little girl to have such a caring and involved Mommy.

Answer 3

Sometimes students will perform differently for different people.

Try and observe the classroom - with the teacher's permission - but without your daughter's awareness. Ask the teacher if you can sit in the hallway and observe your daughter so you can see how she truly is in the classroom.

Then, sit down with the teacher, but don't take the "I told you so" mentality or assume the teacher is "wrong." She has more than one student and does the best she can.

Explain to the teacher that there seems to be a discrepancy between what she is able to do at home and at school and you'd like to work together so is accomplishing the same level of achievement at school then she is at home.

If the teacher IS good - she'll be happy to work with you. If she is resistant go to the guidance counselor first for help, then the principal. If you go right to the principal, you will be undermining your ability to work effectively with the teacher as he/she is her boss.

Also - the way some kids think allows them to skip the basics. They are able to grasp the more difficult concepts, but they struggle with basics. Teachers need to make sure they have all the basic foundations, so they may not be impressed with knowing skills, but want to see an understading of the concept (it isn't good enought to know 1+4 = 5 - they need to understand WHY adding 1 to 4 makes 5. Alot of kids excel at memorizing facts, but that isn't understanding.)

Try that first!

Answer 4

Homeschooling is a great idea! Yet, if you can't do that then your daughter probably is bored and doesn't do well in a huge classroom setting. I used to teach at a daycare and it is a lot of the same thing. It is hard to keep track of 10 children let along 32 or even 24. So, try not to be too hard on the teacher. Definitely check it out though. You don't want your daughter to be held back if she doesn't need to be. OH, about socializing in the 7th grade. It doesn't make sense to keep your child at home to just give them back to the vultures at the puberty stage. Especially when the school condones handing out condoms. I'm sorry but children are also cruel if you let them. In the teenage years image is everything. I don't want that for my kids. I'm not telling anyone what to do but, just think about what happened when you were in school. My children are growing in an environment where they can be themselves without worry of ridicule or peer pressure to do something I would not approve of. When they graduate they will have had years of talking to people of all ages and races because we do not always sit home. Right now they have the best opportunity to grow and I have the privilege to know them intimately. Instruct your children till they are adults.

Answer 5

Some kids do very well when the instruction is one-on-one, but not in a classroom environment. If your daughter is not focused, as the teacher suggested, it may help to move her desk to the front of the room. If she learned the math last year, she may simply be too bored with it to pay attention. She sounds like a perfect candidate for home schooling if you can swing it.

It's a tough one... I'd suggest opening up a discussion with your daughter about why she learns her math easily at home with you and not at school, but she's only 6! She might be able to explain her troubles... but she very well might not.

I'd ask to sit in one day and watch from the back of the classroom. After seeing how your daughter performs in the classroom, you should then meet with the teacher again and ask for her guidance in helping your daughter. She may simply need a tutor (there are usually older children who volunteer to do this).

Answer 6

Math / Cognitive skills are always trouble for Spina Bifida patients. Memory can also be a problem. My 9 yr old has SB and still has trouble telling me what 2+2 is. She has a special resource teacher at school that pulls her out of class everyday to work on special math techniques just for kids like her.

Do you have an IEP (Individualized Education Program) set up for your daughter at school?

Does your daughter go to a Spina Bifida Clinic at your local children's hospital?

Please do not let that teacher keep you from getting your daughter the help she needs. Your daughter is most likely always going to have problems with Math.

If you need help finding these resources, please email me, I can help you.........

I wish you the very best of luck!

Answer 7

First, know that if they try to put your daughter in special ed they cannot do it with out your consent to test. Talk to the school counselor it is their job to mediate between the school and parents. I have a friend whos daughter went to Sylvan's and she did fantastic. Plus if the teacher isn't teaching them actual math then what is the issue. Oh and when I taught pre-schoolers math I used block. (or any other item) I had them make two rows one for the top number and another for the bottom ( that works for adding). then for subtracting they would line up the blocks for the top number and remove the blocks for the bottom number. This method taught 20 4-5 year olds adding and subtracting. Either way, good luck and don't let them push you into anything that you don't feel good about.

Answer 8

Maybe your child is doing the work at home but not in the classroom. Since the teacher is in the classroom only all she has to go on is how your daughter performs IN the classroom. Kids are sometimes like that, they can know a subject backwards and forwards but in the classroom they do not perform well, or they "forget" what they knew at home. That wouldn't be the teacher's fault since she can only go by what the child does in the classroom.

Answer 9

You are the parent of a special child, in many ways. Please remember that you must be that child's advocate, the teachers see the child as someone they have for 10 months, she will be your daughter forever.

Work with her and go in and show the teacher what your daugther can do, she may just be bored. Does she have a special ed teacher, bring in the teacher or the principal if necessary to get the results you want.

I went through that with my son, who could not read when he was 10, but could do division in his head when in kindergarten, the teacher claimed he was immature and that was why he did not learn to read. She never bothered to look further and see what he could do.

Answer 10

Ask the teacher to be more specific. Ask her exactly what she is behind in and ask for suggestions to help her at home. Also, maybe your daughter catches on right away, but has difficulty retaining the information learned?