We got Kyle’s Wednesday Folder yesterday where he brings home all his work for the week for us to see. It is a weekly progress check so to speak. What they are doing and how they are doing at it. Kyle’s folder is usually all over the place within the “grading scale.” I wont’ lie, there are usually mixed emotions when I look at these folders every week – irritation, frustration, joy, and sadness. We cover some range. I can’t help it, I am a mother and I want and expect my children to perform their best in everything that they do.
This week, though, all I can say is KYLE ROCKS! He had an AWESOME week! There were 2 test (major) grades and 6 daily grades. His test grades were 89 (B) and 96 (A). GO KYLE! The other grades were all 100%. [ETA: found a paper I dropped, it was an 88 (B) and a daily grade, so not all of his other grades were 100%, but close enough!]
I am so proud of him! We’ve had issues with him not completing his work or doing it really sloppy so he misses stuff due to that. It is a real problem. This week he managed to finish all his work and, for the most part, do it neatly. I am just beside myself with excitement for him and his progress this week. I hope and pray that next week will yield the same type of results. I don’t need straight A’s, but I do need to know that he (1) is trying, (2) cares that it is neat, and (3) completes the work.
One of the major grades was the “practice” TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) test they did in class. His teacher had sent home a “certificate” stating his progress and how proud she was of him. I was totally proud too. This isn’t bad to get 89% of the questions right on an exam of this magnitude. This test is a HUGE deal in Texas. If they can’t pass this test in 11-12th grade, they don’t graduate from High School. I am not sure how much it affects their grade progression in the earlier years, but it does help “place” them when combine with other factors. Anyway, this particular practice test was a “released” test. Meaning that it was an actual test given in the past that the state has released to be used as practice exams. This particular part was only the “reading” related portion, so not the entire test. It has 3-4 parts I believe – reading, writing, math, and something else (I can’t remember what it is if there is an actual 4th part, I know there is definitely the 3 parts). So this test is a big deal and Kyle did just fine on the practice they did in class. They will do another practice next month (February) and the actual test will be administered on March 3, 2009.
That being said, I am kind of irritated with the TAKS practice and that he missed two of the questions. I am NOT irritated at Kyle as I don’t think that this was his fault at all. But I am irritated at with the test and the people that put it together. Let me preface this by saying that Kyle has an extraordinary vocabulary in some areas (weaker in others).
The question was over an “article” on guide dogs, well guide horses, but about a disability and how these “guides” help these people function in everyday life. The question was:
Where would this article probably be found?
• a book of fairy tales
• a letter
• a journal
• a magazine
He marked journal. Well we all know good and well that these types or articles would be found in a “medical journal” of some sort. Yes, they are considered magazines (I guess, if you want to classify them as that) but they call them journals. That is what they are and he knows that. It just irritates me that they would make the assumption that a child in the 3rd grade would not get stumped by something like that.
One of the other questions he missed was the same type of thing. A correct answer and one that is correct depending on how you look at it. Both times he picked the answer that is right depending on how you look at the article and perceive the “what will likely happen” answer.
I am just so proud of Kyle.
Kyle, keep up the good work!
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