Is it ever too early to ask a teacher to challenge their child in school?

@magnet (2087)
United States
September 4, 2008 11:56pm CST
It's only the second week of school and I am getting concerned because my child is not learning anything because he is advanced in most areas in academics for his grade level. All this might just be a review from last year. I really do not know. I am afraid that he might start acting out from being bored in class. When is the best time to ask a teacher to challenge my child without being offensive to her? I don't know her yet but she seems to have a good personality.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@cdparazo (5765)
• Philippines
8 Sep 08
I believe that your child may be in the wrong class or grade. My daughter is the same also and I had to let her take an exam which would took her to higher grade level. When she passed, she is accelerated to higher level. Learning should be in accordance to the pace that the child is comfortable with and I believe being advance compared to other children would somehow bore and limit the child and in the end he/she may not develop her/his potential. Your child would definitely get bored if he is already advanced. I can't also blame the teacher because there must be a leveling off of students wherein the teacher must see to it that the lessons are just right for the grade level being taught. for me the solution, is to let your child to the right grade level where he/she should be.
@magnet (2087)
• United States
10 Sep 08
That sounds like a good idea. This is just the first month of school so I'm just going to think about this for a while and make a decision by next month hopefully.
@djoyce71 (2511)
• Philippines
5 Sep 08
The teacher is doing the right thing. It is a requirement for every teacher to conduct reviews or recall prerequisites in preparation for the next level of learning. She is still checking on the capability of her students. Don't worry, it's only second week. You should not tell a teacher what to do, because she has strategies in her lesson plans that she follows. She may get offended if you do that because that would be insulting to her. Good day!
@magnet (2087)
• United States
5 Sep 08
Thank you, the last thing that I want to do is insult his teachers.
• United States
5 Sep 08
Well if you really think your child is really advanced you should have him tested and moved up a grade. That will help prevent a lot of problems later on. However, the first few weeks of school for a teacher are when the teacher is really getting a feel for the students in the class and trying to determine where students are developmentally and academically. Good teachers realize that some students need to be challenged and that some students need help. I personally would give it a bit more time. Two weeks into school, teachers aren't quite sure yet where all the students are and are not always sure where to start challenging and helping students, not to mention they may not have all the supplies needed for that. I'd say give it a few more weeks and see how difficult the work in the class becomes and see if your child does act up. If so, I'd call a conference ASAP and talk to her about what you think your child needs to gain from the class.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
5 Sep 08
My sons teacher sent home a note saying that the first quarter she was taking it easy on the kids and once they got back into the swing of school she would give them more work and more difficult work to do. I would give it a few weeks and then if things still have not picked up as far as challenging him goes I would say something. In the mean time you could always try doing extra lessons with him at home.
@magnet (2087)
• United States
5 Sep 08
thank you