Entitled?

[abbott]

Entitled?

I am sure in my life I have enjoyed some entitlements and did not even know it. Yesterday I different type of entitlement was introduced to me at the 4th grade curriculum night.

Out of the class of 18 students 8 are federally entitled to additional learning. This is nice because the kids are nice. The process of being entitled comes from some tests, ethnicity and interviews that I did not even know about.

Well Ava is not entitled, but I could try and get her entitled. I learned Ava has a few friends that have tried and failed after investing this a little further.

Here is the cool part for the entitled: if you are entitled, you get additional education that the non-entitled don’t get and you also get everything the non-entitled do get. The teacher explained that the entitled leave for almost half the day and the teacher can not teach the non-entitled that stay behind, because the entitled are also entitled to learn what the non-entitled get. So, Ava loves not being entitled because she gets to play and talk with her friends.

Seems like we all need to get entitled.

[YoungRemy]

bet all the entitled kids are jealous of Ava and her Malibu Barbie Power Wheels.

[yeahwho]

Perhaps you should get a variance to another school district that doesn't allow as you say, the entitled leave for almost half the day and the teacher can not teach the non-entitled that stay behind, because the entitled are also entitled to learn what the non-entitled get. So, Ava loves not being entitled because she gets to play and talk with her friends.
Having many relatives as teachers, lots of family involved in PTO and school activities just starting up again here, I've never heard of a class of 4th graders left alone half a day.

Ever.

I'm pretty sure it goes against whatever district policy is in place and would allow for a variance to another school district.

[abbott]

so, i did exaggerate the length of time, but it does come out to over 1/3 of the teaching time each day.

seemed to me like this teacher was making excuses to not teach.

last year we were asked if we wanted to test Ava for the program, her teacher told us she would be better served and just stay behind and read during that time, because her reading was behind. FYI, Ava is the second youngest 4th grader so she has been working hard to catch up or just be level with some of the kids almost 2 years older.

anyway, Ava is on top of her game and does not need to catch up right now. During the time of the Entitled education, students who are not proficient in areas do get help in those areas. Ava is proficient, and I was told, sorry we can not teach her during this time, because the entitled children also need to be taught what I teach her. straight up.

I send the work to school that she works on during the entitled education at this point. The teacher said great. I might get Ava entitled. I know my friend who was denied, paid an attorney $250 to write a letter and then got their kid in.

The teacher is a 20 year vet and seemed he is more frustrated than I am.

[yeahwho]

I agree 100%, you do not ignore one child for any given reason during their education. To do so on a scheduled basis is frustrating. I hope you can convey your frustration to the district or better yet get involved with the PTO/PTA especially at the elementary school level, your daughter would really think that's cool. Plus it's an eye opener to see the pressures and creativity it takes to teach.

A lot of under-privileged and poor kids are in the school districts and it is in every bodies best interest to educated, feed and help these kids out. Give them something they cannot get due to societal ills. (which we can do something about too... but that is a different story)

I know a lot of the schools are under pressure to get at accredited learning levels per whichever requirement the State decides on....

One requirement of the Federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is that states have their assessment programs approved for technical quality by the U.S. Department of Education.

What this has created is repetitiveness and training of the little soldiers from 3rd grade thru 11th grade to keep these schools accredited. As a wage slave myself I wouldn't be able to have kids go to a private school nor the time to home school. But I could volunteer a few hours a week.

There are some proposed bills to change this (http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html), but we know how congress avoids progress.

[WhoMoi?]

When you say "entitled," are you talking about kids who receive special education services (a.k.a. kids who have an IEP - individualized education plan)? If so, I might be able to shed some light on that.

If you're not referring to special education/IEP services...

This doesn't sound right to me. I've worked in the public schools for 10 years now and have never heard of anything like this. :confused:

I suggest talking to the principal, just to make sure that you're understanding this correctly, and even to confirm that the teacher is understanding this "policy" (or whatever it is) and implementing it correctly. Yeahwho's suggestion to talk to PTA members is a good one too, as you could then discuss this issue with other parents and see if others have concerns about it also (I can't imagine a parent not being concerned about this, unless they simply aren't aware that it's happening), and maybe then the PTA could request that an informative session be arranged with the district administrators, where they can explain this odd practice to concerned parents/guardians, hear parent concerns, and hopefully address them if they can.

If the administration confirms what your daughter's teacher said, I suggest looking into your state's education laws/policies, and/or contacting someone at the state department of education to make sure that this practice is actually required by law.

If you find out that it's not something that is legally required, talk to a school board member about it, and encourage other parents to do so too! Attend the board meetings and be heard.

If it is something that's legally required...yikes. That's weird. I'd do what I could to make my voice heard on that one at whatever level was necessary. Or I might move to another state. :(

[abbott]

no not special ed. but its not just for the smartest kids, becasue several kids who score lower than Ava are in. It is more about knowing about it and applying for it and then qualifying. It has been refereed to as Extensions

[WhoMoi?]

no not special ed. but its not just for the smartest kids, becasue several kids who score lower than Ava are in. It is more about knowing about it and applying for it and then qualifying. It has been refereed to as Extensions

Okay. Then in my post above, see everything below "If you're not referring to special education/IEP services..."

[abbott]

I agree. Expecting Ava the best without my involvment is fullish.

[abbott]

well I thought I needed to say I am happy with Ava's school and teacher and not really sure it gets any better at the public level. Sure seems like I am complaining and I guess I am. The most recent update is while the extension class is happening, one day Ava was not able to work on her work and she had to get the extension's students homework packages together so they could attend extension. If Ava becomes there servant, operation Drop The Hammer will go into effect, but rest assured it will be very diplomatic. I plan of having kids in this school for the next 6 years. As long as Ava can use that time to learn I will be happy. I do have the option to test Ava for the extension, but I think right now the way we are managing it, its working out great for the family.

[YoungRemy]

just make sure the teacher shows Ava the diff between their, they're, and there...

do it now before it's too late

[WhoMoi?]

The most recent update is while the extension class is happening, one day Ava was not able to work on her work and she had to get the extension's students homework packages together so they could attend extension. If Ava becomes there servant, operation Drop The Hammer will go into effect, but rest assured it will be very diplomatic.

That is EFFED UP. That would never in a million years happen in the district I work in, for three reasons:
1. Everyone is trying so hard to get the kids to make "annual yearly progress" on the lovely "No Child Left Behind" testing, so school hours are just stuffed to the gills with as much curriculum content as possible. Most of the elementary grades now have reduced recess times and "working snack times" because of this.
2. Our teachers and administrators just would never have that!!!
3. Most of our kids' parents would make a big stink about it.

I'm not usually one to encourage people to make a big stink, but I highly encourage you to do so in this case, because that is just so wrong. (n)


just make sure the teacher shows Ava the diff between their, they're, and there...

do it now before it's too late

(y)(y)(y)
Agree times infinity.
I suggest adding proper use and understanding of "your" and "you're" to that list of essential skills.

[Myu-to]

All of the districts that I have ever worked with never had a situation like that, no class was ever to be left unattended, you would lose your job, and could possibly lose your liscence. Students were pulled out by paraprofessionals or state supplied help, and the teacher would have to go over the lesson with the students while they were out, and given extra time to complete the assignment.

[YoungRemy]

never in this thread did abbott say that 4th grade schoolchildren get left alone or left behind unattended for a half day.

[abbott]

just make sure the teacher shows Ava the diff between their, they're, and there...

do it now before it's too late

she's on it!

[Myu-to]

never in this thread did abbott say that 4th grade schoolchildren get left alone or left behind unattended for a half day.
My bad. I just re-read it, and yes, you are correct, she doesn't do anything while the other kids get to leave, he never said with whom, and I assumed...

Damn you assumption, you made an ass out of me.

The teacher should still teach, in fact, for me personally the kids that were taken out of my class were usually the cause of class room disruption, so I would fully take advantage of the time they were out. The kids that stayed with me would get the lesson twice because I would go over it with the kids that were pulled out when they came back. Sad to say, but it does sound like you have a lazy teacher.