So talk to me about 1st grade....what to expect!

The schools enrolled my kiddos in 1st grade instead of K.

They based it on academic skills and the age cut off (6 by Dec1st and the girls will be 6 in Oct).

Who has been there? Done that?

They both will have 504s in place for Spec. Needs. Neither has ever done all day anything. PreK was 3 hrs 4 days a week.

What should I expect? They will be doing Everyday Math, Foss Science, Guided Reading, and Writers Workshop. THis area is fairly academically aggressive from what I have heard. The principal seems really nice and supportive, but I guess we wont know until we start.

I can attempt to change it before August 30th if I want (Sept 6 is first day), but I would have to have a good argument (and not having done K is not a good enough reason). Both the Learning Consultant, Spec. Ed Team , and principal think 1st is the correct placement. I just cant help feeling wishy-washy about both K or 1st! LOL.

 

Well every district and state can vary but I teach first grade so I can tell you the big things we cover in my room:


Writing:
*write a well-developed paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting details, and a closing sentence
*use descriptive language
*use proper punctuation
*spell sight words correctly and spell phonetic words correctly
*genre focus: descriptive, personal narrative (true story about self), fictional narrative (pretend story about self)

Math:
*50 addition facts and subtraction facts in under 5 min. (sums to 20, differences from 18)
*adding coins to a $1.00
*telling time to the half hour
*numbers to 100 (greater than, less than, 10 more, 10 less, one more, one less)
*adding 2-digit numbers with regrouping
*subtracting 2-digit numbers without regrouping
*patterns
*measuring in inches and centimeters and knowing the difference

Reading:
*approx. 180 sight words
*decoding words with short and long vowel/long vowel patterns (not just silent e at the end, but ai, oa, etc.)
*consonant blends (str, bl, etc.)
*predict, summarize, ask questions, evaluate when reading grade level text
*respond to literature in writing (so writing a simple summary, predicting what will happen next and why, etc.)

 

I actually like Everyday Math much better for 1st grade than I did for Kindergarten. The homework for kinder was very abstract, parent intensive, finding things, kind of homework. Examples are: finding things around the house that weigh the same as you (we don't own a bathroom scale due to my quirks as a former bulemic). There was the save the mail and make a chart by types of mail. Dig through ads and find certain kinds of numbers. It was trying to make kids aware of the numbers and patterns in the world around them. It would have been a nightmare in kinder if we didn't get the newspaper. First grade homework was much more concrete. It was dealing with number lines and simple math. Once in a while I would have to dig out coins for them to get their homework done. I know my kids liked the 1st grade math better than kinder because it was actually teaching them how to count their money and they could usually do their sheets by themselves instead of having to have me find everything first.

For the rest of the stuff, I don't know exactly what our school used or how it relates to how your school will present. But, if everyone is in agreement that academically they will be ready for 1st, then I would go with that. In our classes, the kids were divided into 4 groups throughout the language arts period of time. They rotated through centers. The groups were ability divided. And I can tell you firsthand that there is a huge range of abilities in first. We have kids like my daughter who were reading "Little House" books and kids who could barely spell "cat" and we spent waaaaaaay more time sounding things out that reading.

Honestly, I would go with the first grade placement. We did have a set of twins who are now in 2nd, repeat 1st grade. Their bdays were 5 days from the cut-off. They had done first the previous year and really just needed it again. And on the repeat they did wonderfully. Especially for one of them. It was like a lightbulb went off and he just really started getting it. So, with the first grade placement, I would say that you would also need to be okay with the idea of them possibly repeating first.


Marissa

 

Thanks that helps. I have the MI guidelines for each grade, but I know that district to district the presentation of that material and how far above/beyond they teach varies greatly.

The only area of those three that worries me a bit is the math. They can add/subtract mentally under 20, count over 100, recognize and add (some) coins, tell time, continue patterns, but the rest will be all new. For one DD writing/spelling is fairly strong- the other DD seems about average for late K. Both are very strong readers ( read through and comprehended most of the Magic Tree House series (the upper #s of the series seem to be a higher reading/concept level than 1-20 or so)). Though they self-taught so I dont know how much explicit phonic instruction they will need, I know they have gaps. They LOVE to talk about things they have read (fiction and non fiction) and act out the stories with voices.

I am ok with repeating, if needed. In actuality- if they were NOT twins we would put one in 1st and one in K for social/emotional reasons. But that is not an option with them being twins.

I liked Everday Math when I was teaching it for 80% of the kiddos ( about 10 % of my kiddos on IEPs struggled with how much it changes topics on one page, the other 10 % were kiddos in the GEn.Ed classes that were bored.). We will see how it works with my girls learning style, I am thinking I will like it since they both love to problem solve, etc vs drill/skill pages that we grew up with.


DH and I feeling mixed on this whole prospect, part of it is if the school will handle their Special Needs well (which is a point no matter what grade) and part is that I feel sad that they may miss some of the 'fun' of K and they both have knowledge gaps that I figured would get filled in K--- I let them lead on what they wanted to learn based on their interests , so I worry they may 'culture shocked' with the more rigid pattern/mandatory requirements of school without the natural progression of K in there (PreK was play based).

 

Keep in mind that the goals listed are what is expected by the time the finish the grade, not begin. It is OK if they don't know any of them, because they will be taught those skills. The main component of 1st grade math is learning to add/subtract single digit numbers.

 

I totally agree with Sharon! And to add on, the main thing is to be able to add/subtract with automaticity. So to have the facts memorized. But they will work on that all year!!!

 

Thanks- I figured that. But the area we moved from (which was good schools) was more what I was used to curriculum wise.

This area we are in seems to be 'academically aggressive' for lack of a better term. It is fairly affluent with very high national test scores. Which may be good in the long run, but between the stress of moving 3x in a year (IA, IL all summer, now MI) and having DH live away from us for 2 months, etc I wanted to start school on a positive note. DH and I figured that even if the girls were scrambling socially and adjusting to a full day so not able to focus on the lessons (more survival mode)-- if they were missing some curriculum it would be OK since they knew a lot of it.

One of the themes of the local playground parents so far is that they teach 'above' the expected standards even though it is a public school. So I am a bit afraid of tossing my girls into more of a 2nd grade environment in a 1st grade classroom with never having been in K to adjust from play-based to seatwork. They have had little exposure to workbook-y type stuff, at home we mostly learn through play and/or discussion.

But I really really dont want to do a 1/2 K at 6 yr old. (all day K would be feebased and that is not an option for us right now). I wish they had a pre=1st or a transitional 1st type setting!

 

In Iowa the K kiddos were not expected to be reading. Here, the principal even told me that they hve a wide range of abilities- most k kids walk in reading in some fashion.

So I think the standards are so different.... the k/1 set up we had in place put the girls in middle of age and ability.

Here in k they would be really older and in first they will be very young: both in a much more rigorous atmosphere. KWIM?

is is more than just a specific grade rather the educational atmosphere is totally different...not a good or bad way,just not what we expected.

 

We're technically one of those areas that teach more than the grade, get national awards, one of about 3 districts in the state that bounce around the best test score. "Academically aggressive" is probably a good term for our schools. But from what you've said about your girls, I would still put them in first grade.

We have a lot of support staff also. We have a dedicated math teacher that floats through the grades and pulls out kids for enrichment and helps as needed. We have 2 dedicated reading teachers who do the same and provide additional writing support. We have para's that help. I would ask about support staff and see if they have them in place. Being in a system that sounds similar to yours with academic expectations, it's been my experience that the teachers are very good at figuring out which kids need a bit of help and getting them support in that area. That extra support is why I believe our school system is so good overall and not just having a few stand-outs. They help everyone who needs help and they start quite early to try and get everyone up to a certain level.

Marissa

 

The principal seems great so far and did say they will help fill in the gaps. They have a floating academic support person for Language Arts block (writers workshop & reading groups) that will be in the classroom during that time, a once a week social worker, and a Teacher Consultant for differentiation-- as well as Literacy Pull-out if needed. Reading is the girls strength and the one area they both really do well. One DD will need some encouragement to write. She can and does but dislikes it (sensory). She has some perfectionism going on and still writes things backwards/reversed (developmentally normal) but then get all upset and gets in a erase, looks messy, frustrated cycle.

One of our concerns is social emotional actually and physical (for one DD). The school says they really want them age/academic placed and can offer some social support as needed. I truly hope that is how it works--- one DD has a medical concern that may lead to teasing/self-esteem but should hold her own for the most part socially. My other DD struggles physically (gross motor delays) and socially.We still work on eye contact, no touching others, and managing her sensory input. She is very bright and verbal, but fairly quirky/rigid in her routines. Not to mention her fatigue levels- she still naps for an hour about once a week (and sleeps 10-11 hours a night). She gets frustrated that she can not ride a bike (even with training wheels), run quickly, or do other things that she sees kids her age (Mooom, why wont my legs move faster! They get all tangled up...).

One of our DDs will have access (per determined by 504 or IEP) for paraprofessional support for her medical needs several times a day.

I know the school support will help=== but being the youngest plus some social concerns ! UGH- I am totally stressing out (part of it is the move that I am less than thrilled about and is probably seeping into my outlook on everything else). :crazy:


1st grade here seems so different than where I taught and all the areas we've moved around in/around recently.



Thank you for the support ladies! i hope I am just worrying about nothing and they have a fabulous year