I didn't realize I never posted the outcome of my email to Mrs. Ketchum. I ended up following that email up with one to Ms. Rockett as well. I wanted her take on how Will is doing in her subjects.
I received a lengthy email from Ms. Rockett:
Hi Jenny,
Lori and I have been discussing Will's progress and we are both seeing a lot of inconsistencies in his performance here at school. On one hand we feel like it wouldn't hurt to have him tested and on the other hand we just aren't sure if it is necessary. We both have students who have disabilities but Will doesn't seem to be as academically challenged over all. There are times when Will really grasps the concepts that we are working on.
I think both Lori and myself feel like some of the inconsistencies are due to Will being rushed or hurried as is the case with the time line. I do believe that he saw the word panhandle and just wrote it down. Unfortunately, he needs to slow down and really read before answering. On the other hand it seems as though some of the concepts are really hard for him to grasp such as the L..A concepts.
I am giving a reading common assessment today. Let's see how he does. I believe that he did well on the last one given in March. I will be very explicate with instructions and even ask him if he needs any direction. Maybe we will have a little better insight after I grade it.
I wish we could give you more concrete direction, but without being medical professionals it is hard. Will doesn't fit any of the typical molds that we usually deal with. Also, both Lori and I are fairly new teachers so we don't have years of experience to base things on. We both feel like Will is making a lot of effort to be more in tune to what is going on. Another question to ask yourself is, if Will is tested, how will this benefit him? He is not consistently low enough to warrant an IEP, and we are making as many modifications as we can to ensure his success, so the other option is medication and both Lori and I are not qualified to make any assumptions about that. On the other hand it couldn't hurt to have him tested. I am no help am I??? Anyway, let's get together sometime in the next few weeks and we can discuss if any action should be taken before the end of the year.
Talk to you soon,
Molly Rockett
I responded that this is exactly how I am feeling right now. Wondering if it is necessary to test, wondering if it would hurt anything. I really appreciate their perspective and am grateful that they care so much. I did get an email from Lori as well and it concurred everything Molly said here.
So, we are once again in a holding pattern. In a way I feel like we are getting no where, but at the same time I don't know where we could be. This is all very frustrating!
Monday, April 20, 2009
OAT is next week
The OAT testing is next week for 3rd graders in our district. Will is going to be tested in both reading and math.
He brought home a version of last years OAT math test today that he did in class last week for practice. He got 16 out of 26 correct. Hmpf...
I went over it with him this afternoon, which apparently they had also done in class today. He very reluctantly went over it with me. He didn't think he should have to. I can tell he is back in a funk. School is not very exciting to him these days. He is struggling and he knows it. I really think he has to try harder. Things don't just come easily and he has never been a kid that wants to try harder.
Anyway, we went over the test. 6 of the 10 points he missed were what I would consider careless mistakes. Had he read the questions correctly, slowed down, double checked or whatever he doesn't do, he should have gotten these 6 right. They were easy. They were concepts he knows.
I pointed this out to him. He says he knows. I tried to explain to him that on these standardized tests they are graded by a computer, not Mrs. Ketchum. If he makes a silly/careless mistake, the computer just marks it wrong. It doesn't think to itself, "Hmmm, this Will kid knows this information, why did he get it wrong". No the computer just marks it wrong and goes on to the next question. I told him he will end up with a really low score if he doesn't slow down and focus.
Again, he seemed to get this, but will he put it into effect?
I still have not seen a grade for the Reading Common Assessment from last week. This was one Ms. Rockett really wanted to see to use as a judgement on where Will is right now. I am not sure what to expect.
He brought home a version of last years OAT math test today that he did in class last week for practice. He got 16 out of 26 correct. Hmpf...
I went over it with him this afternoon, which apparently they had also done in class today. He very reluctantly went over it with me. He didn't think he should have to. I can tell he is back in a funk. School is not very exciting to him these days. He is struggling and he knows it. I really think he has to try harder. Things don't just come easily and he has never been a kid that wants to try harder.
Anyway, we went over the test. 6 of the 10 points he missed were what I would consider careless mistakes. Had he read the questions correctly, slowed down, double checked or whatever he doesn't do, he should have gotten these 6 right. They were easy. They were concepts he knows.
I pointed this out to him. He says he knows. I tried to explain to him that on these standardized tests they are graded by a computer, not Mrs. Ketchum. If he makes a silly/careless mistake, the computer just marks it wrong. It doesn't think to itself, "Hmmm, this Will kid knows this information, why did he get it wrong". No the computer just marks it wrong and goes on to the next question. I told him he will end up with a really low score if he doesn't slow down and focus.
Again, he seemed to get this, but will he put it into effect?
I still have not seen a grade for the Reading Common Assessment from last week. This was one Ms. Rockett really wanted to see to use as a judgement on where Will is right now. I am not sure what to expect.
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