2nd grade.... Help.....?

Question

My son is making horrible grades in 2nd grade. I have contacted the principle for a paper being corrected wrong. She left a msg and said she wold be making some changes come Monday... you fill the rest in... I am really concerned he may not pass the 2nd grade.

Answer 1

Consider after school tutoring with businesses  like Sylvan. They will be able to identify his problems and help him finish school work.

Answer 2

Does he perhaps have a learning disability (dyslexia, for example)?  How is his hearing?  

My son is in 3rd grade.  I have found, at least in our town, that the grades make huge leaps from one year to the next in what the kids are expected to know and learn.  You won't like this but perhaps having him repeat 2nd grade would be the best thing for him.  Maybe you could contact Sylvan Learning Center or similar for a diagnostic test.

Answer 3

You might want to tell him to focus- maybe go into his school one day and ask if you can stay. Tell him that you are observing or something. He will want to do better. Maybe it is the people that he is friends with. He probably will not pass the second grade, and you need to be harsh. Maybe when he DOES get better, you should reward him for it. Take him out to Wendy's or pick him up early on a Friday. Take him to a favorite place, take him to the movies, give him 2 dollars per b or a. Hope it gets better!

Answer 4

He probably just really isn't getting it.  There is no shame in being held back,  Talk to your school see if they offer a summer school program.  If they do  enroll him.  work with him over the summer.  Repeating the second grade is not the end of the world.  as a matter of fact it can only help him.  They go through things way to quickly, and kids do not get a good base in any thing especially math.  

Don't worry so much if he passes fine but work with him and get him into summer school when it is time.   It is best to catch it now,  if he is having trouble.  if he is struggeling now, it will only be worse next year If he passes think about it as what is best for your child.   If you know that your child is doing the best he can, you should not punnish him for poor grades.   Being punished will encourage cheating. Now reading a book instead of working yes you should punnish that.

Do what you can to help your child and don't worry about it. being held back is not going to scar him for life he will make new friends and keep his old friends.  it isn't as big of a deal as you would think.  He will do just fine.

have him bring his work home every day go over it make sure the answers are right if not then make him redo them showing him the process over and over again. until he gets it.

That is all you can do.

If he just gets pushed through, he is going to just get more and more discouraged  and the chances of him dropping out will increase.  

Teach him good study skills,  to go back over his work and check it,  tell him if he doesn't understand something to ask the teacher.  Get him a note book so he can write his assignments down.  so he doesn't forget.  Talk to the teacher about  getting you some work together for you and your son to do over the summer.   His teacher should be glad to do this.  

See if the teacher allows extra credit work.   Comunication between you and the teacher is very important.  listen to what she is saying,  don't get offended because it is not what you want to hear and do what is bes for your child.  

Your child being held back doesn't look bad on you.  It only means you want what is best for your child.  If this was my son and I knew for a fact he was struggeling like that I would request for him to be held back.

Answer 5

So do you believe the problem is with the teacher.  If so, I would request a meeting with the principal with the teacher present to ask what is going on with your son.  The teacher should be able to give you some valid answers and suggestions if your son has a specific problem, but if the teacher can't, the principal should be able to make some suggestions and deal with the teacher issues.  Regardless, its going to take a lot of work to get him through now and the suggestions about getting a tutor are probably good ones.

Answer 6

You should have been helping him at home at the beginning of grade 2

Answer 7

Find a tutor and check his homework every night.

Answer 8

Tammy,

I sympathize with you as I am in the same boat with my second grader.  However, my son has ADHD is on medication.  It wears off by 1 in the afternoon and there are 2 hours in school where he is non attentive.  Maybe that is a issue with your son....Just recently, my son's  meds were changed and the grades are much improving.  Good luck!

Answer 9

Well, in my opinion, you should become just a little bit strict on him. Help him get more organized, cheak his agenda more often or something. I think organization is really important, and maybe extra help after school or something? Sorry if this advice Is really bad if it sounds like it.

Im still a kid, and dont have kids of my own :P (age 16 actually) But I just noticed that this kinda ties in for my little sister, who is in this type of situation.

And my mom is always cheaking her agenda and such to know what`s going on, and help prepare later on.

I don`t know if it'll work for your son but I`m just saying. :P

Answer 10

Principal's msg sounds like she means she's going to get after that teacher about grading wrong.

Get your son in Sylvan Learning Center ASAP.  Sylvanlearning.com.  If they aren't in your area, find him a tutor.  Call the administrative offices or your school district for suggested tutoring programs.

Answer 11

Is he doing his homework and trying his best? If not, you may need to get more involved for a while to be sure he's completing his assignments and studying for quizzes and tests. If he doesn't understand a topic or an assignment, he should know to check with the teacher first, and then you can give extra help at home. Now, if your son is completing his work and he is trying is best, and the grades are still bad, there is a more serious problem going on and you need to meet with the teachers and principal. Does your son need tutoring? Is there an emotional problem that could be interfering with his learning? Could he have ADHD or a learning disability? You're going to have to do some detective work to get to the bottom of the problem and figure out how to address it. Keep at it until you find an answer and a solution. Check with your pediatrician if you are concerned about emotional, behavioral, or intellectual problems. Stay on top of things. This won't be easy, but you're a great mom, you love your son, and he's worth fighting for. Good luck!

Answer 12

Have you talked to him about this, yet?  

Have you asked him why he's just guessing when he's there in the classroom?  

I think that, if you're not already, you've got to start involving him in figuring this out and finding a solution.  Clearly, he doesn't like this pattern that he's in.  Let him know that you want to help him create new habits & brainstorm with him on ways to solve this problem.  

Does he feel rushed in the classroom?  Is he distracted?  Is he having a hard time seeing or hearing the teacher & materials.  Does he feel like it's too hard (in which case, he needs to be brought back a few steps, to create a really good foundation on which to learn the next things).  

Ask him what he's feeling & thinking there in the classroom.  Ask him a few different ways, until you think you've found the actual problem.  Then, help him build new habits so that he can learn.

Answer 13

Ask that he have educational testing...

Then they can see where he needs help. Then they can make him an IEP to help him where he needs help. They will fight having to do the testing (because they have to pay for it). But don't let your guard down.

P.S.

Maybe the issue is partly you sons ability to learn... the other part being the teacher....

Request that they consider changing his class. They don't like to but maybe the teacher he has just isn't what he needs.

In the end if he isn't honestly ready to move up to 3rd grade, I wouldn't push him. I also wouldn't make him feel bad about not moving up either. My 3rd grader should have been kept back in the second grade. I was upset they didn't hold her back so she had the chance to learn the material and actually do good. Shes now 3rd grade and we have already talk this year about holding her back to make sure she can catch up and be on grade level.

Answer 14

i would get together with the teacher and see if you can get any suggestions. if that doesn't work maybe you could get a different teacher

Answer 15

2nd graders shouldn't even be receiving letter grades. Let me tell you this, and listen carefully- (I am a psychotherapist and I deal with schools all the time) ADVOCATE, ADVOCATE, ADVOCATE. Don't believe the school has your child's best interest at heart, generally what they want is little compliant vegetables and don't let them try to label him or generate a diagnosis -they have no training or expertise. Go over their heads, make trouble, write editorials to newspapers,. do what you have to do and MOST OF ALL don't blame the kid or allow them to (always their first strategy!!!)

Answer 16

It sounds to me as if he was started in school before he was ready.

Answer 17

Something is going on with your son. Have you asked the teacher if he is having problems in class? Interactions with other students? Is he unable to focus on the task at hand? There may be an underlying learning disability going on and he may just need a new way of seeing things. I would ask the teacher since she seems to be open with communicating to find out if it may be behavioral and if that's not the case I would look into a learning disability specialist or talk to your pedi. Sometimes when a child isn't acting out the learning disabilities go unnoticed and they just think your child isn't trying. Sounds like the cheating was a pure example of this. He is concerned about his work and probably can't think clearly so in his little mind he found his own way to get help. My older sister went years without being diagnosed with ADD until her high school years. By then she was so burnt out and thinking she was stupid that she refused to go to school. You seem very attentive and if for some reason he has to repeat 2nd grade don't make it such a big deal, kids have to all the time. And he just needs a little time to find his learning groove! :o) I have a kiddo that just started 3rd grade this year and it is soooo hard for her with all the changes. A ton of responsibility is dumped on them and all the tests they are required to take by the state could be hard on a kid who is struggling. Be patient with him I think your doing great.