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What is your child learning in 2nd grade?

We did a huge amount of home instruction while my kids were in school (still do to a degree).

Public school right now is teaching to the test and also teaching to the bottom learner in class due to No Child Left Behind.

Over the years I have become convinced that a lot of this comes from a) a huge increase in behavioral issues in the classroom (disrupting learning) and b) fully integrating/immersing special education/behavioral special ed/ESL in the traditional classroom. It is only logical to presume that children who need more help will receive more of the teacher's time therefore leaving less to teach the rest of the class. There is an explosion of IEP, in Baby's 4th grade class, 19 of 24 kids had IEP.

Many years ago I decided that was the price we were paying for having our kids in public school and that we would supplement at home. Thankfully none of mine are the "I'm bored with this class material so now I will misbehave in class" type. I'm not sure how I would have handled that, it just didn't come up as an issue.

They were always far ahead (mostly, except 16yo with reading, but he was ahead in everything else) through junior high, and high school proved to be the big equalizer. Finally the teachers are able to teach and at HS I do not see so much of teaching to the test and of disproportionate expenditure of teacher time on special needs/behaviorals/ESL. Some of that may just have been a natural progression of the classes my kids have taken in HS, but in HS it has not nearly been so much of a problem.
 
skincarekathy said:
We did a huge amount of home instruction while my kids were in school (still do to a degree).

Public school right now is teaching to the test and also teaching to the bottom learner in class due to No Child Left Behind.

Over the years I have become convinced that a lot of this comes from a) a huge increase in behavioral issues in the classroom (disrupting learning) and b) fully integrating/immersing special education/behavioral special ed/ESL in the traditional classroom. It is only logical to presume that children who need more help will receive more of the teacher's time therefore leaving less to teach the rest of the class.

Many years ago I decided that was the price we were paying for having our kids in public school and that we would supplement at home. Thankfully none of mine are the "I'm bored with this class material so now I will misbehave in class" type. I'm not sure how I would have handled that, it just didn't come up as an issue.

They were always far ahead (mostly, except 16yo with reading, but he was ahead in everything else) through junior high, and high school proved to be the big equalizer. Finally the teachers are able to teach and at HS I do not see so much of teaching to the test and of disproportionate expenditure of teacher time on special needs/behaviorals/ESL. Some of that may just have been a natural progression of the classes my kids have taken in HS, but in HS it has not nearly been so much of a problem.
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I could not agree more!
 
My daughter school I feel is wayyyyy ahead, they are doing 3 line additions in math. And are on the 69 below is an F grading scale. I didn't even know hey we're on that one, no wonder my daughter is failing. She does very well at home but apparently not to their standards.
She has had a red folder since kinder but 1st grade she improved a lot, now this year I'm not sure if its the material or the teacher. I've had a meeting with her already and she said my daughter was doing great and progressing so I don't understand the low grades.
It just frustrates me.
 
stazmatic said:
She goes to St Bede in Ingleside (lake county)
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Is that a private school? We really aren't that far from each other...maybe 25 min. I like what they're learning there...maybe I can move to Ingleside LOL!
 
I also think that if your child has a speech issue they could be assuming that she needs easier materials. It is such a common misconception that kids who can't be understood can't understand.
 
kewpon addict said:
Is that a private school? We really aren't that far from each other...maybe 25 min. I like what they're learning there...maybe I can move to Ingleside LOL!
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It is a private Catholic school. This is our first year there but so far I love it.
 
Thanks for all the info ladies! I really like to know as I try to compare our school to the rest in the state...it is good to know! The teacher doesn't like me now since our discussion last night. She got quite defensive and said she was merely following the rules they have in the school w/testing on the first day. I sent the teacher some spelling words that I think were more appropriate..I don't think she will like that much but too bad! We are working w/DD at home but she really needs a challenge in school too! I'll let you know how the re-testing goes for DD.
 
kmjlovesjesus said:
I will try and find some of his words for you.
If you want to check out some web sights--a few teachers in our districts have computer sights you can to too (not the ones I mentioned as I think those have to be subscription)
You can go to www.cusd200.org
Look up Sandburg School
Then go to 2nd grade--Deinart---you will see web links
Maybe that will give you some extra ideas.
Some of these are very easy, but you can go to other teachers, and see if they have any grade appropriate sights.
Click to expand...

KM, WOW! Just checked this out..this is amazing...the lists on this link are awesome! So wish I could come and live in your 'hood in the Dupage area...I grew up in Dupage Co. and this is more like what they should be learning...my child is reading these words in books but would have no idea how to spell them on her own! Amazing!
 
These are really easy spelling words--compared to what we usually get--but here are some I found
Mr.
Mrs.
Dr.
Jan.
Aug.
Dec.
Tues.
Wed.
Sun.
St.
rehearse
search
before
blue
room
Bonus words
directions
promise
twitch
worry
November
These words are from the story of Mr. Putter.
We then have a sheet on common abbreviations--and have to write the spelling abbreviations on each line
Write the words that are left in alphabetical order

Then another sheet
Write the abbreviations where they belong on the chart
People (3 lines)
Days of the Week (3 lines)
Months (3 lines)
Finish the story on each line. Write a word from the box
cranes, directions, promise, twitch, worry

Pet got two toy________________ from his grandparents. He needed help to put the toys together.

Pet was so sad that his nose began to _______________.

Pete called Dad. Dad made a ________________.

He said, "Don't __________________________. When I get home, we will put those toys together.

Dad and Pete read the __________ together,

What do you think happened next? Draw a picture and write a sentence.

Read the story beginning. Think about what will happen next. Then write the correct answer on the line.

Mrs. Tiny always wanted to fly a balloon. "I want to see my house from the sky," she said. One day a circus came to town. There were clowns and elephants. There was also a balloon ride. The next day, Mrs. Tiny got up very early. She put on her flying clothes. She tucked her hair into a flying cap. "Now, I'm ready," she told herself.

What is Mrs. Tiny most likely to do next. (Tip reread the last few sentences for clues)

Will Mrs. Tiny fly in a balloon? (look for clues about planning to fly in a balloon)

Which clue tells you what might happen?

Read the information below and use it to label the sentences. Below each sentence, write, surprise, anger or excitement.

Exclamation marks are used to show strong feelings. They can be used to show surprise or anger or excitement.
The following exclamation from teh story shows surprise:
One time she went to 16 countries in an old van!

1. Look at that storm cloud!
2. Today is my birthday!
3. Stop that!
4. Ouch, that hurt
5. We're going to a party!
6. That is the biggest dog I've ever seen!

Then a very easy sheet on subtrahend.
A subtrahend is the number subtracted from another number to find the difference
example--10--6 = 4=====6 is the subtrahend.

some of the problems were 17- ___ + 9. 11-____=7, 16-____________7

(we have an entire sheet to fill out)
Very easy since we did those in kindergarten--but they said this is to review and learn the new term--subtrahend. (At first I thought it was a typo--but that is the new word)

I will see if I can find anything else-this one just happened to be near the computer
 
kewpon addict said:
KM, WOW! Just checked this out..this is amazing...the lists on this link are awesome! So wish I could come and live in your 'hood in the Dupage area...I grew up in Dupage Co. and this is more like what they should be learning...my child is reading these words in books but would have no idea how to spell them on her own! Amazing!
Click to expand...

That isn't even all the ones we are using. We do razzkids--and adapted minds--
razzkids teaches comprehension--and adapted minds teaches math---

My are in Dupage is actually pretty cheap. I am in unincorporated--so our taxes are lower---we have Wheaton schools, which is where most of our tax dollars go--but way lower than the people that live in corporated Wheaton.
How close are you to Wheaton? Did your school fail the no child left behind?
You can always petition a school to take you--which is what some areas of West Chicago did--when their school failed twice--they could ask another school to take them. You have to do the transportation etc--
(I grew up in a one district school system--so I do know what you mean, but we were lucky--our district did great)
 
I agree with skincareKathy. They are teaching to the test. That was my frustration this year. When my ds was in K--the K teacher had him doing 3rd grade work---he didn't know he was doing it, yet she still had him do k work too
My 1st grade teacher saw he needed to be challenged--and gave him above grade level work--but also had him do traditional 1 grade work--he had no clue
This year for 2nd grade--they told me he was above grade level--and were shocked to find out I knew that.
At conferences they admitted they have to teach to this test, this is what is on this test--etc.
They told me things to do so he will pass the gifted test next year (not that I would put him in the program)
I had a LONG talk with a 3rd grade teacher (her child is in 2nd with my son) and she said the teachers are now being evaluated on how the kids perform on the tests. If your students do poorly--you could lose your job
Doesn't matter if you have the class with a lot of IEP's or non english learners--they have to take the test.
It is very sad that is how the teachers HAVE to teach--to go to standards
NOW_-almost every school except private had to change to CORE CURRICULUM--when i saw the core curriculum for math--IT WAS SO EASY_--we were doing that in K--or in 1st grade---it was unreal--but we have to teach to all states--so all states are equal.
I did go to my sons first grade teacher--and she gave me packets of hard math--(it is so easy the 2nd grade stuff--that almost all of her 1st grade students--were doing the 2nd grade math by the 3rd week of school!) That is now CORE CURRICULUM--
Kind of sad, when you pay money to be in a "better" school district, and you have to go down to that level
Now the teachers that excel- are finding ways around it--as with the first grade teacher--she teaches it--and then goes beyond.
My sons 2nd grade teachers--they are so worried--since they are part time--they were not doing that.
We asked for it at conferences--and they said--no problem--they will give him advanced work--because they know he has mastered it.
I also do things at home with him--with the computer programs as a reward---I let him think it is fun--and a reward to get to do these computer ones
The teachers at our school--now--are starting to "group" kids--and pull out the advanced ones and work with them on the NEW math.
Yes--NEW MATH---they are no longer to memorize--they are to say how they do the concept--___Very confusing for my ds--who memorized everything--but they say that isn't the way anymore--the way is to be able to understand why they do things--why 3x3 is 9--they have to explain the three groups of three--and separate--instead of just looking and saying--that is 9. They get marked down for just knowing it---THEY MUST write it out--explain it out---really frustrates the learner that already has the concept.
Again, told--this stuff will be on the test.
So sick of hearing that!! Understood why once the teacher explained their evaluations. (though my child has 2 part time teachers both are vested in the district --so it is not that they are newbies--or worried--about the principal---it is the standard that everyone must meet)
 
Spelling words from the book The Enormous Turnip
black
pack
crack
snack
horseback
lock
rocket
flock
shock
clock
appreciate
acrobat
grow
last
mouse
Bonus Words
enormous
granddaughter
planted
strong
turnip
 
sat
ate
acrobat
flat
that
fat
gate
late
create
state
worried
studied
children
each
girl
Bonus Words
appreciate
amazing
gathered
clustered
wandered
From the story Wilson Sat Alone
 
Vote
council
judge
governor
Congress
President
Constitution
citizen
legislature
judge
responsibility
consequence
ballot
voting
Oklahoma
Arkansas
Louisiana
Tennessee
Mississippi
cried
hurried
replied
fried
tried
worried
carried
copied
married
studied
remarked
finished
alone
river
think
pioneers
cheers
clearing
ear
nearby
year
beard
reindeer
steer
peer
remark
alarm
sleep
country
rain
Bonus
chipmunk
picked
sniffing
South
weak
Write a sentence--The chipmunks were sniffing for berries in the woods. They picked the south path.
Bonus words]
frontier
orchards
survive
Earth
planets
barked
licked
backed
thanked
painted
opened
mailed
remarked
checked
mistake
finished
became
about
few
same
orbit
axis
rotate
crater
Earth
sun
moon
stars
phase
shadow
Milky Way
planets
space
waxing
waning
Bonus Words
constellation
solar system
planetarium
crescent
asteroid
 
Thanks again KM! And Georgie I completely agree w/you about raising a child who can think! Meant to tell you that and forgot! I think whoever comes up with the core standards is a moron! They need to revamp the core standards...these kids are capable of doing more. I hate to say it but they really should split them into ability levels by class...we have THREE 2nd grade classes...would it really be that hard for them to put advanced in one class, average in another and below average in another? IDK, I don't have all the answers but really am disgusted with all this teaching to the test crap. These kids are not going to learn anything doing it this way! And what was wrong with rote memorization of mathematics and other facts? We all had to do it and we still remember it to this day! Here are my DD's spelling words for this wk: she is in the Monkey group and I think monkey stands for moron: sun, socks, soap, hand, house, ham, shoe shirt, sheep, shark, friends, who, use, thing, could. I think they could do much better personally.
 
I live in Mchenry Co. now about 10 min. from the state line maybe 15...still super close to WI. Honestly if I could get out of this house I would move. I think Mchenry CO. schools in general are lacking. I doubt trying to petition would do me in any good. Plus I don't have money to pay a lawyer. Just a shame that they aren't concerned about real learning up here.

kmjlovesjesus said:
That isn't even all the ones we are using. We do razzkids--and adapted minds--
razzkids teaches comprehension--and adapted minds teaches math---

My are in Dupage is actually pretty cheap. I am in unincorporated--so our taxes are lower---we have Wheaton schools, which is where most of our tax dollars go--but way lower than the people that live in corporated Wheaton.
How close are you to Wheaton? Did your school fail the no child left behind?
You can always petition a school to take you--which is what some areas of West Chicago did--when their school failed twice--they could ask another school to take them. You have to do the transportation etc--
(I grew up in a one district school system--so I do know what you mean, but we were lucky--our district did great)
Click to expand...
 
Here are the focus words for 2nd grade
These are words they should be able to read and spell by the end of 2nd (yes--most did this in first if not before)
are
because
friend
here
how
of
there
they
went
what
when
where
who
why
with
are
because
friend
have
here
how
is
my
of
said
saw
the
there
they
to
want
was
went
what
when
where
who
why
with
you
 
kewpon addict said:
Thanks again KM! And Georgie I completely agree w/you about raising a child who can think! Meant to tell you that and forgot! I think whoever comes up with the core standards is a moron! They need to revamp the core standards...these kids are capable of doing more. I hate to say it but they really should split them into ability levels by class...we have THREE 2nd grade classes...would it really be that hard for them to put advanced in one class, average in another and below average in another? IDK, I don't have all the answers but really am disgusted with all this teaching to the test crap. These kids are not going to learn anything doing it this way! And what was wrong with rote memorization of mathematics and other facts? We all had to do it and we still remember it to this day! Here are my DD's spelling words for this wk: she is in the Monkey group and I think monkey stands for moron: sun, socks, soap, hand, house, ham, shoe shirt, sheep, shark, friends, who, use, thing, could. I think they could do much better personally.
Click to expand...
I grew up in a one district school-
they did group us
A students
A B students
C students
the problem came when everyone knew what group you were in
and it was very tough to advance OUT of that group due to sizes
I LOVE that last year our first grade teachers did this
They had
twisted tuesdays, mixed up Wednesdays and Freaky Fridays
What they did--was during math-and later they did some English stuff
they pulled all the kids at the same levels--and each teacher took turns teaching-
THEN--they had the teachers do a few weeks with each group--so no one figured out-_I am with MRS> F-she is the A teacher--because they would switch the teachers around--and if your child did advance they might be moved to a different group
This also gave children a chance with the other teachers--so if they used a different learning style--it worked
I heard that in 3rd grade--our teachers are doing the same and some of the upper grades are also doing this
They are not doing it with our 2nd grade because one class is piloting a new math program and she has to keep the same students so she can keep their progress. They did just start pulling my son out to have harder work with a different teacher--but it is NOTHING like they did last year

Now, my son didn't realize--he was just happy to be back with some of his K friends---he didn't know that he was in the higher group--but some of the other kids noticed--they asked why it was some of the same kids--and what were they doing etc,
They were doing similar stuff--just the A group for lack of a better word-was doing it faster or using more difficult techniques

I know when I grew up and we were in our classes--we knew who was not in the upper class. It was very hard on them when they transferred to high school--because in HS things were not taken at a slower pace--they were thrown in with everyone--and hit a totally different curve. In our case they were able to keep up-because the feeder high school had a totally different approach to teaching--

(Also, a friend of mine--her kids were in our district--her dh took a job in WI teaching at the university---she was WAY ahead of WI---she said what they were doing in 4th grade our district did in 2nd if not before--and her daughter that was in 7th--the things they did we did in 4th)
which is one reason I think that they went to this core curriculum stuff--so that schools that all schools have the same standards.

It works for some districts--but for some that are paying really high taxes to be in a top school district--to have to come down to these core standards has to be tough. However, I bet those upper districts are still finding ways around the system and are still challenging the kids (New Trier, Deerfield etc--which I think are 2 of the top rated schools in the state)

Since we are not in that district I can't tell--but I have been in our district for years--and was very surprised at how easy the math was compared to my oldest child.

A lot is still the same--learning planets in 2nd grade (my dd is a senior in hs she laughed when she saw my 2nd grade sons science--it was the EXACT same as her astronomy class in high school)

I really do not understand the new math concept. A very good friend of mine just got her masters--and she said it is a good thing.
I know my 4th child would have benefited from the new concept--but for those that have the old concept--as with my others (including my 2nd grader) I don't get it. He is beyond that concept--but again they are teaching to the test!
 
kewpon addict said:
WOW! your child is in 2nd grade? Would you mind sharing your general area where you are located? Even your county...you can always PM me. TIA.
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These are about where my son's second grade is on the south side of Chicago (not CPS). The teacher gives his class a spelling test on Monday. If the kids get 100 then they take an alternate test on Friday that has challenge words.

Breakfast
woe
company
we've been doing at least on homophone per list (there and their, hare, hair, here)
 
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