How would you feel if you were the teacher and a parent came bopping into the room and started recording the meeting?
If they didn't record,
I would record. Heck, I'd likely record on general principle and to avoid accusations in the future. Same thing for classroom time.
A key skill in teaching is called 'classroom management', in which the teacher tries to herd the cats and keep them on track. If one child starts to disrupt the learning environment, other kids pick up on that and soon you have chaos. The kids who want to learn cannot because the classroom has been disrupted.
If this ill serves a particular (perhaps) bright child, are we to consider it a
discipline problem if the child tries something, anything to get value out of the time spent pent up with a score of mediocrities and a teacher pitching their materials at that level?
I second the recommendation on asking about the gifted program...
I did the reading in class thing up through my senior year of high school...
So, with my own experience heavily coloring my opinion, I assume your daughter either has a bad teacher, or a teacher who has to teach to the center of the class, which is well below her personal level. If they won't get her into the gifted program, follow C&SD's advice and see if you can at least get her moved into another class. People don't like admitting that there are horrible, untalented teachers out there, but of course there are, same as in any other profession. Don't let your daughter waste a year of her education with one if you can help it.
If your kid is doing well
and reading other material,
likely she is bored out of her gourd.I read voraciously from 7th grade onward through senior year in HS(1). About the only classes that I didn't read non-class material in were calculus, physics, and chemistry. Most everything else was a breeze. I'd complete my work or whatever and whip out my current reading material.
I suspect that "
a teacher who has to teach to the center of the class, which is well below her personal level. " may be the crux of the problem. There may very well be next to nothing the teacher is allowed or is willing to do to keep your child interested. The teacher has a curriculum, a class with a median ability level, and cranks it out. Your daughter is sand in her gears.
the book was from the "how to train a dragon" series. the teacher also gives time for free reading in the classroom, so i am inclined to go along with this being disrespectful. still, my daughter is getting above 95% average on all of the work we are seeing. i am afraid that she is bored. unfortunatly, i don't believe that we have a "gifted" program in this school.
i would hope that these professionals are above picking on my daughter as a grudge match, but who can say. we will know more later.
Sounds like your daughter is being ill-served by the education provided by that teacher/district and that my suspicion was correct.
Perhaps you could ask for a different teacher with a more advanced curriculum? Maybe advance a grade?
I'd bet that if you keep her in that situation she'll waste 9/10 of her school hours instead of the 3/4 usually wasted in public education settings. She'll see schooling as a waste of time and make friends with mediocrities. Maybe she'll make friends with
real troublemakers.
Don't underestimate the pettiness of "education professionals" in the gov't school system. I had some terrific, some atrocious, and mostly middling instructors in the public school system.
Go to the meeting with an open mind but accept the possibility that while your baby is capable of misbehaving the teacher is too.
This.
(1) My 7th grade history teacher and my mom (as related to me by my mom)
<The usual update as to my progress, etc.>
And then...
History Teacher: You do know your son reads books in my class?
Mom: I'm sure he does. I saw the textbook.
HT: No, I mean he reads books having nothing to do with the subject.
Mom: Huh?
HT: In some cases, it might be a problem.
Mom: Is it a problem?
HT: No, since roo_ster does well on exams, completes his homework and assignments, and participates in class discussions--he'll look up from his book, raise his hand, answer or comment, and then go back to reading--I haven't mentioned it until now. I don't consider it a discipline problem.
Mom: What should we do about it?
HT: Nothing. He's already in my advanced seventh grade history class and learning everything I can teach him
in the classroom. I've noticed his book titles are both fiction and non-fiction. He seems to have taken his education in hand.
Moral to the story: Not all public school teachers are worthless sacks.