No child left behind... has anyone else experienced this?

Question

My son just finished third grade, and he currently reads at an end of second grade level. This past school year, his teacher would give him modified reading tests (i.e. removing one of the 4 multiple choices so he has 3 to choose from). Also, when he was having trouble with his cursive, instead of giving him extra help, she wanted to have him print his schoolwork instead of writing the cursive like the rest of the students. Also, with respect to his reading tests, he has mostly received Ds and Fs on them, however somehow he got a C in reading. I am convinced the teacher was adjusting things to keep his grades up because of the No Child Left Behind act, but this obviously isnt helping him because he hasnt improved all school year. Has anyone else experienced teachers modifying things so their children "make the grade?" How far can this go? What happens when he is in High School and colleges are looking at his grades? Do they mean anything?

Answer 1

I know I might not be too much of a help, but I am 14, and I am convinced my math teacher is doing that to me.

When we have a test, she will give me credit on a question that someone else lost credit for.

she only gives me extra credit for coming in the mornings, when no one else gets credit.

I ended up with a C for the class, though

i think you should meet with his teacher. he/she might be able to explain to you what is exactly happening.

Answer 2

that is the worst thing that has ever happened to education in america. your son would obviously benefit from repeating some if not all of his classes. but teachers/school districts will not keep a child back. they are more interested in their government scores  so they can continue to get federal funding than about the kids. as far as making his work easier, she did him a real disservice. he should be challenged to do all the things the other kids his age are doing, not have some lazy teacher make it all better. she should have recommended some special tutoring or mentoring. or stay in from recess to work on it. but you must remember that YOU are his #1 advocate. if this continues to happen, you have to say something to the principal, or the school board if necerssary. teachers will always take the easy route. it's up to us moms and dads to look out for our kids.

Answer 3

I'm having this problem with my son's 5th grade teacher.  

My son despises writing assignments & I've noticed she gives him some other type of assignment when the rest of the class has to write about something.  

A similar incident/occurrence happened with the science project.  I was in the hospital for a week for hernia repair over the Christmas break & his project was due the Friday they returned to school.  He didn't do the report at all.  I wasn't able to help him & my mom was working split shifts, unable to help too.  Instead of giving him a 0 on the assignment, she gave him an obvious handmade math workbook to complete instead.  The following month, February, the kids were to do an experiment on the science report from January.  I knew my son hadn't done the first part & was interested to see what his teacher came up with instead.  It turned out to be another math workbook.  This one was about 20 pages longer.     I have a feeling that in his later school years, he's not going to do well in science at all because of this.

I hesitated on calling his teacher on the carpet over this.  Maybe I should have.  It's too late now since the end of the school year is in less than 3 weeks here.

Your son will probably catch up at reading level soon.  You might want to find a tutoring program through the school to help him.  I know I will for my son's science classes next year.   Read with your son at home. Take turns reading aloud.  Encourage him to read aloud often.  If you don't have time to listen, let him read aloud to himself in his room.

Work on his cursive writing with him.   You can probably find the dotted lined paper to help him learn the angles of the letters online.  There are workbooks you can buy too to help him learn.  I believe Wal-Mart & Target carry this paper & the books  in the school supplies department.

Answer 4

I am a stay at home Mom who used to be a Middle School and High School teacher. (I just wanted to let you know I might be biased up front).  It sounds like your son is really struggling. I wouldn't worry about high school or college right now just getting him "caught up".

Do I think the teacher was inflating the grades? not sure. She could have been counting test work and classwork differently.

There is A LOT of research suggesting that holding kids back might be bad for them later on. That subject alone could start a fierce debate among people.

So I will dodge that question completely.

But it sounds like he is going to pass. I would invest some money in a learning center like Kumon or Sylvan (they have a pretty cool reading program) and maybe a tutor for the summer.

You want your kid to feel good about school. Not just be further behind. You obliviously care a great deal and sound like a great Dad.

My son just started in CA after our move from Michigan. The other kids at his "high performing school" BEGAN kindergarten knowing to read. We really worked hard to have him in the "middle of the pack" now.

It was one heck of a kindergarten year.

I love teachers. I am very proud to have been and I guess still am a teacher. And I see her point a little with cursive. If he was using so much brain power to write then he couldn't work on getting the answers right.

Lots of people are going to say NCLB is bad or good or whatever. But when push comes to shove the worst your kid feels about school the harder these upcoming grades are going to be.

I don't have a lot of money. I sell my extra things on Craigslist. I work at a coffee house at night. But this is one of those time I would spend some money and see how "up to speed I could get him". Sylvan I have seen work wonders and a tutor to work on cursive. That would make a big difference this summer. And if I could afford it I would keep it up.

Thanks for taking the time to read it. I also "bug" my son's teacher. If you were me what program would you do? How do I teach him that? In my family personally I asked "ADD runs in our family do you see any signs that say I should have him tested?" I worried about how he will do next year if he is so behind. What would you do if this was your kid? What programs, books, exercises would you recommend?

She may be over worked. And if she doesn't she will know who does. But she will have lots of ideas on how you can help. I might also try and contact the next teacher your son is going to have and tell her your academic concerns (she find our that first month of school anyway)  What would she do?

Older teachers sometimes have the experience of seeing "these problems before" and having ideas what to do. (she might have had problems with kids who didn't catch on to cursive in the past) Younger teachers are SOMETIMES more open to learning disabilities. (which I have and are still a very productive adult, everyone I tell is shocked!!!) .



I would also see what other programs your school might offer to help him. My son is currently taking an extra class.

Once teachers and principals see you working your butt off you will be surprised at what they have to offer. And if your school doesn't. It still is a REALLY GOOD IDEA to show that you care and you take it seriously.  

Be there questioning.

Be there helping out.

Talk to the teacher not just once a month or once a few months (I don't know if this applies to you or if you really talked  to her a lot). but AT LEAST bi-weekly to see what he is struggling with this week. And if you didn't know until it was too late this year make sure you do it next year because you know he is going to struggle EVEN MORE next year if he was so behind this year.

This is going to take work. But if he feels successful which Sylvan and other programs will help him with. THE MONEY WILL BE WELL SPENT.

gotta go parent now.

Good Luck. I am very lucky my mother helped me.  Your son is lucky to have you.

Answer 5

I don't think this has anything to do with "no child left behind" as that mostly deals with standardized tests---not typical classroom tests.

The C in reading may be based on classroom performance rather than JUST tests....

If the teacher is modifying his tests and schoolwork then she is doing it because he is struggling---you should ask her why and how she determines which things to modify. Has he been tested for a reading disability?

Answer 6

no offence but maybe he has dyslexia?

Answer 7

I think, at a lot of schools, they are having trouble implementing what is a good idea on paper. It seems they really don't know how to do it. I see just the opposite happening at the school my stepson attends. He has severe fine motor skills problems. He's 10, and has trouble even holding a pen. They have just decreased his OT from once a week to once a month. When I went with his dad to talk to one of his teachers, all I heard was that he's lazy, and I was offended. Now, we are trying to get in touch with his OT to find out what we can do to help him at home, and we can't even get a call back. I can see he is trying, but it takes him over 40 minutes just to write 12 spelling words four times. No wonder the kid doesn't want to do his work. It just seems to me that the schools go to one extreme or the other.

Answer 8

I am a teacher and I am in no way condoning what these teachers might be doing. The only way to know what is truly going on here is to talk to the teacher. IF pressure is being put on them, they may be finding alternative ways to get your child to do work, ie:math work books/alternative projects. When looking at your sons grades-what else was taken into account? were there participation points? Does your son go to school everyday and try his hardest? Is he getting some of concepts, but just has a hard time showing that through his test scores? I do not grade my students based on test scores alone. I have some really bright kids, who get test anxiety. I will not base their entire grade on tests. As teachers, we do not want your student to fail. NO child left behind is a good idea in theory. But  did teachers create this plan? NO. Politicians did. Politicians who have never set foot in a classroom. Politicians who have no idea how hard it is to teach a classroom of children who all have different learning styles. Work with you son at home, read to him, have him read to you. You would be amazed how much that will help him. The teacher can only do so much in one day,with 6 other subjects to teach.  That is where you as the parent can step up and continue teaching your child at home. Parents are their child's first teacher!