Censorship rears its ugly head. Sort-of. *SIGH*

[The Chicken Lady]

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I agree with you 100%. It must be terribly frustrating to teach under those conditions. My DH was a substitute teacher for years and was always appalled at how little real down to earth teaching was done rather than just preparing to test.

It's extremely frustrating. I'm a graduate student, going for my M.Ed. in K-12 reading, so I'm not exactly an incompetent teacher (though I try to avoid patting myself on the back in an attempt to be humble).

I KNOW the research, and I know how kids should be tested.

In my opinion, we should do away with A-E(F) letter grades and test the kids on what exactly they know how to do.

Translating knowledge or ability into a letter grade or a number makes little sense to me. Either a person can do something well enough to teach others, they can do it pretty well on their own, they can do it with a bit of assistance, or they have no idea what you're talking about when you ask them to do it... This is compounded by the problem we have in K-8 of parents being allowed to send their children on to the next grade even when a team of teachers is telling the parent, "Your child really needs to be held back. S/he isn't ready yet."

One grade behind in first grade is equivalent to four grades behind by ninth grade. Ugh.

Unfortunately, legislators understand numbers, not people, because they learn about what happens in our schools by looking at little pieces of paper, not by getting down in the trenches and seeing it for themselves. Their children attend fancy private academies or the best public schools in extremely wealthy districts. They think that most schools are like factories, churning out little pre-programmed robots. They don't think about the socioeconomic factors that compound the problems students already have.

This is why schools have programs like hot lunch, breakfast, and after school programs. A lot of people wonder why our government spends money on extra programs for schools; it's to make up for what the parents don't do for their kids...read to them, feed them, pay attention to where they are and who they're with...

I could go on and on about this, but I'll spare you.

I love my job, despite it being a never-ending battle. I've had some real successes, and those are what keep me going.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

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The more things change the more they stay the same. *sigh* When I was in second grade I had to fight to check out Little Women. It took a HUGE battle (and my parents would NOT have gone up to fight for me) but I got it and read it.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

TheChickenLady, please accept my apology, I in no way meant to offend or bash schools with my post.

I must confess to having very strong feelings of dislike to our local school system, and going to those in charge solved nothing. We tried that. My dislike of our local school system has colored my view of all public schools.

Not letting a child check out books is minor compared to what my children went through in public school.

And I agree, parents don't always take an interest in what is going on with their child, but the schools should not be put in a position to parent our children. We as parents have the right to raise our children the way we see fit, and to let them read what we approve for them to read.

Again, I apologize if my post offended you, I didn't intend to do that, and YES I am proud to homeschool my children. It means I am a very much apart of their learning process and I don't have to hold back progress or worry about "No Child Left Behind."


luvmychicknkids I think your note was written very nicely, and I hope the librarian allows your son to check out the books.

 

[dacjohns]

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Did his test results indicate he was 5.6 or did the school say that is the level of books he can read and take the comprehension tests for? If he tested out at higher level what level is he, 12.8?

One of my daughters has a degree in elementary education and has read the Twilight books by Stephanie Meyer. She thinks the subject matter is too mature for a 5th grader and maybe acceptable for an 8th grader. That is just her opinion though. If you, as the parent, think your son should be able to read the books then I think he should be able to read them.
http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/index.html

I think that subject matter should not be confused with reading comprehension level.

Libraries should have books for all of their intended audience/patrons. If the books are in the library then all users should be able to check them out. If someone in a position of authority has determined that certain books are too mature for certain ages then there should a written policy and list. That policy should allow for parental involvement.

In the note to the librarian I would leave out the part about buying the books. The school may call your bluff and then more problems would be created.

 

[LV426]

As an avid reader I can feel your son's pain but I understand why the librarian shut him down when he wanted to go for higher level books.

When I was in school I read everything I could get my hands on. From anything my dad had about genetics or science fiction to my mom's romance novels and other fiction novels. The library at school was like my doorway to the world and I read as much as I could. However I found when I was in 4th grade that I was not allowed access to the "adult" books. No I don't mean porn but any book that was over my reading level was off limits. The reason was that some books of the higher level had more explicit scenes (not pornographic but more in depth than hand holding) in them. Perhaps a curse word like "darn" or "hell". And because of this parents had been upset and outraged that the library even had these books where children might read them! So the school district implemented a policy that would only allow students in certain grades access to certain books and they weren't allowed to check out any book that was above their level.

For me this was frustration to the highest level. I'd already read through the kids books. They were like candy. I could read Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing in an hour. I craved more. At first I started "stealing" the books. I would take them without checking them out, read them, and then return them. But then I got caught doing that and of course just said I forgot to check it out. So then I was stuck in the kid's section. It was like literary jail. Finally the librarian who knew I loved to read, called my parents and told them what I wanted and so my dad came down and met with my teachers, librarian, and principal and they worked on having a note on file that said I was allowed to read whatever I wanted. That way I got what I wanted and the school was protected from insane parents who have nothing better to do than whine about how their poor babies are being corrupted by books.

While it's frustrating to you and your son, it's most likely a policy that was put into place because some parent had a cow.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

5.6 is the LOWEST he is allowed to test on. His actual reading ability/comprehension is 12.8. I think the 5.6 is just because they are not allowed to tell a 5th grader he HAS to test on 2 grade level books. I agree that not all children in the 5th grade would be mature enough to read these books. My child is. However, no matter what the content of THESE,she refused him a classic in the beginning.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

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Oh, there are incompetent people at all levels in some districts. There are a few districts where I live where I wouldn't beg for a job at because I know who I'd be working for. I had a similar experience as a student at a parochial school; I hated it, switched schools, and loved public school. It all depends on who's in charge and how much they're willing to work with you. I'm not angry with you, so don't worry. I'm not blind to the problems, because problems are there.

But there are many of us out there fighting the good fight, as it were.

So I have to stick up for us when I can.

Frankly, I admire you as a homeschooling parent. You know more about what it's like to teach than most parents do. I am jealous of the one-on-one attention you're able to give your students, and the creativity of the lessons and "field trips" you're allowed to do because you're in charge. You can discipline and take breaks and plan what you want to teach how you want to, and with the input of your child. Your child is certainly benefiting from everything you're doing.

You know, I wouldn't care if every parent homeschooled and I was out of a job. It would mean that every child was receiving a first-rate, personalized education. I'd gladly find another job if that was the case.

 

[Chicken_Lover4567]

I hope all goes well, and please keep us posted and tell us if he can check out the book!

 

[vicki2x2]

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I have to agree with this and think the librarian was just being cautious. Can you imagine a child checking out a book that was way to mature for him and his parents coming unglued? You can always do what you did and send a note or talk to the librarian and let her know he has your permission to check out what he wants. I think this scenario would happen more often than the your situation.

I too had an exceptional reader. He was reading at a 10.8 grade level at the beginning of 4th grade and had a comprehension of 12.3. However, I wouldn't let him read adult level books at that age. He was/is very smart, but ws not emotionally or mentally mature enough to read adult content at that age. I would have been livid if someone else had let him without asking me. My son is now 19 and in his second year of college.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

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I agree this is most likely to protect them from parents who would throw a fit. However, he isn't trying to check out books above his reading level. I am pretty sure there is not a single book in the middle school library above his level. Not many in the High School library.

And to refuse him a Tale of Two Cities?

TheChickenLady, why is it wrong for people to bash the public school system (which you seem to be ignoring the fact I never did) but perfectly alright for you to isninuate that every parent who sends their child to public school is a negligent parent. Whether by choice or by need, you have indicated we are a lower class of parent.