Ready, Set, Go!

If you are the parent of a student in the 9th grade or younger, or even if your kids haven’t started school yet, you are probably wondering: What is the STARR Test? It has been in the news and much debated for the past few years, but the details are confusingly vague. Here is my attempt to clear up the confusion, at least until the state changes it again.

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TAKS & STAAR:

• Test questions and performance standards will be more rigorous on the STAAR.
• The total number of test items for the STAAR has been increased for most grades, subjects and courses.
• A four-hour time limit has been established for STAAR tests; the TAKS was not timed.
• Most STAAR math and science tests will have an increased number of open-ended questions that require students to answer independently without being influenced by multiple choice answers.
• STAAR reading tests will give greater emphasis to critical analysis rather than literal understanding.
• STAAR assessments in math and reading will be linked from grade to grade as well as to college readiness standards that are measured on Algebra II and English III tests in high school.
• High school assessments are changing from grade-based to course-based tests. In all, 12 end-of-course exams will be given.
• End-of-course tests for English I, II and III in high school will be administered over two days, with writing on the first day and reading on the second. Writing tests in grades 4 and 7 also will be extended to two days.

STAAR TEST: WHO TAKES WHAT

In grades 3-8: all students will be tested in math and reading. Students also will be tested in writing in grades 4 and 7, science in grades 5 and 8, and social studies in grade 8.

In high school: End-of-course tests will be given in English I, II and III, Algebra I and II, geometry, biology, chemistry, physics, U.S. history, world history and geography.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN

THIS YEAR: Not a whole lot, it is somewhat of a trial run. STAAR scores will not determine whether a student passes the course or the grade, nor for district or school accountability ratings.  But those standards are for this year only…

NEXT YEAR (MAYBE): Student in grades 5 & 8 will need to pass STAAR in order to be promoted to the next grade. In high school, students will take three STAAR End-of-Course exams in each subject area of English, Math, Science and Social Studies. The tests will count as 15% of their course grade (as far as the state has said so far) and students will need to have a passing average in each subject area in order to get their diploma.

Read more from Dallas Morning News  article, Few Texas students will fail new STAAR test this year

Watch out, parents of high school kids, TAKS is coming!  Next week is the high stakes, or exit level, testing for Texas high school juniors.  For some, this week is the beginning of their struggle to graduate. For many students who are barely making it through their classes, TAKS is an obstacle that must be overcome. It is their mountain to climb so to speak. Some students hope to just pass one or two subjects this spring, and try for the others in the summer or next fall. This is one way of taking off some of the pressure. Others have been attending special tutorials for months in hopes of passing on the first time.

For some seniors, this testing session is their last chance to pass and walk the stage at graduation with their class. For other students, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills is just what it was meant to be: a test of whether they learned the basic skills they should have during high school.  For many teachers, this is the culmination of an entire year of teaching, drilling, entertaining, and anything else they can think of to get the attention of their students. For everyone, it  is a long, stressful week with a lot of extra security in the testing rooms and a disrupted  schedule at school.

Parents, here are some tips for you if your child is testing this week:

• Do make sure they eat a healthy supper, go to bed at a decent time, and eat a good breakfast before they go to school.
• Do talk to your child about turning in their phones, ipods, DS, and all other electronic equipment in their testing room.
• Do ask to see any review materials and quiz your student about the upcoming tests.
• Do plan on some kind of physical activity after a day of testing. It is hard to sit still in a desk that long!

But…

• Don’t add to your child’s stress by making them study long hours–we have done that for months at school!
• And don’t set up appointments that require you take your student out of school early during testing, they don’t need the pressure to finish early and their classmates don’t need the disruption of someone coming to get your child.

This post isn’t about whether the testing is right or wrong, or whether the test itself–which will only affect this years juniors and sophomores before being replaced by STAAR–really does test all the knowledge and skills students need to have.  TAKS is what exists for the classes of 2012 and 2013, and it is what our students will be taking.  The testing going on next week  is stressful for those testing, monitoring, and administering the tests. So if you know any students or teachers who are testing that week, take a moment to wish them luck and hope for the best.

Bring on the students!

The first week of school is difficult for students, and for their parents. We have all been there, and some of us experienced that anxiety for the first time this year. What you may not realize it that the beginning of the year is also difficult for your child’s teacher. This is an inside scoop from a teacher with twelve years of experience.

To begin with, many teachers are also parents and going through the same first week jitters with our kids that you are with yours. But many of us cannot be there for our child’s first day because we are with our students, your child.

Secondly, many teachers have just finished a week of meetings, trainings, and new information that we call in-service. Give us a few days to adjust to the new policies and routines before asking us for full explanations. And at least for those of us in Texas, keep in mind that the state rolled out budget cuts and new teaching standards the same year! Yikes! As one person put it, we are being asked to do more with less.

Finally, give us time to get to know your child. We believe you that he or she is bright and beautiful and a joy to be around…most of the time (I told you we are parents too!). Try to remember that your child needs to get to know us too, give us that time as well before complaining or asking us to change anything in our classrooms.

The old saying “those who can, do; those who can’t teach” is wrong. All of the teachers I know choose to teach and love to teach, and are excited about another year of school…as excited as kids on the first day of school!

Ready for the first day of school!

School begins soon, and I somehow managed to have all three of my children starting new schools this year. My twins are beginning a new preschool program set within an elementary school, and my 7 year old is moving over to a Magnet school.  When he started Kindergarten, the teacher asked us to write her a letter describing our child so that they can get to know their personalities just a little bit faster, and I thought it was a great idea. I kept it, and love to look back at it now. It is a snapshot, if you will, of what my child was like at that age. Even if your child isn’t starting with a new teacher, this is an easy way to make a memory for yourself. Here are snippets of my letters for our new teachers this year.

This is my child

Dear Teacher, This is my child. He is my rambunctious one, quick to move around and with the short attention span of most 4 year olds. He is the child most likely to give spontaneous affection, and to need to reassure himself of who is around him–especially the location of his sister if she is in the same room. He is very curious and will ask you many questions, be patient and realize that his world is formed from these questions. Don’t be surprised if his toys reflect whatever subject you have learned about. His imagination does not know the boundaries of our adult world.  And when he is at his worst–tired, hungry, or pitching a tantrum–that is when he needs a hug most of all.

This is my child

Dear Teacher, this is my child. She is my child who knows no boundaries, and is as likely to play princess as she is to play pirate–or both at the same time. She is eager to try anything new, and looks upon learning as a challenge. She is very attentive to activities and stories, but has high expectations for herself. She gets upset when she messes up or gets something wrong. She does best in an environment where she has a strong bond with her teacher. Don’t be surprised if she tries to sit in your lap when the whole group is on the floor.

This is my child

Dear Teacher, this is my child. He is so smart that it is easy to forget the child inside. He is a great helper with kids younger, smaller, or not as quick as he is at a lesson, but he gets easily bored when something is too easy for him. He loves to learn, and is interested in so many things. He may be the student who always yells out the answers…be patient. He is so eager to please but not always fully in control of his actions. When he gets frustrated with an assignment and wants to quit, that is when his own lack of confidence shows. Encourage him, in spite of the fact that he may not seem to need it. Don’t be afraid to challenge him, he may struggle but he will rise to meet it.

Let the Reading Begin!

It’s that time! Report cards are home and we have all gotten the letter or email from teachers reminding us not to let our school-age kids slip too much on their skills during the summer. My son has brought home TAKS workbooks for two years now, with the encouragement that he finish them for practice over the summer. (Can we say, NOT going to force rote drills on him during the summer time?)

However, both as a mother and as a teacher, I don’t believe in slacking off during the summer. That is why I LOVE summer reading programs that let the kids earn rewards for doing something I want them to be doing anyway! There are great programs starting already, here are a few that I have found in our area:

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program Runs from May 24th to September 6th. Kids going into K-6 grades can read 8 books and fill out a Reading Journal to receive a free book.

Rowlett Summer Reading Club And pretty much all area libraries. For kids that can read and be read to. Great way to keep big kids reading and little ones getting read to–if your school aged kids read to the little one, they can both get the time credit! Great prizes too, in small increments. This will be the second summer for my 3 year olds, so little kids CAN do this!

Half Price Books Open to kids 14 and younger, Kids chart their reading for the months of June and July.  If they read more than 600 minutes (that is actually just 10 hours, over the whole summer!) bring the reading chart in to a Half Price Books for a $5 Back-to-School Bucks reading reward!

Borders Kids read 10 books and bring in the form to get a free one. There are a few Borders still left in the Dallas area, you can check for locations here.

Chuck E Cheese’s Reading Rewards Program Parent can print this and bring it in for some free game tokens.

Have fun reading this summer! Has anyone else heard of great summer reading rewards?

This week starts the high stakes, or exit level, testing for Texas high school juniors.  For some, this week is the beginning of their struggle to graduate. For many students who are barely making it through their classes, TAKS is an obstacle that must be overcome. It is their mountain to climb so to speak. Some students hope to just pass one or two subjects this spring, and try for the others in the summer or next fall. This is one way of taking off some of the pressure. Others have been attending special tutorials for months in hopes of passing on the first time.

For some seniors, this testing session is their last chance to pass and walk the stage at graduation with their class. For other students, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills is just what it was meant to be: a test of whether they learned the basic skills they should have during high school.  For many teachers, this is the culmination of an entire year of teaching, drilling, entertaining, and anything else they can think of to get the attention of their students. For everyone, it  is a long, stressful week with a lot of extra security in the testing rooms and a disrupted  schedule at school.

Parents, here are some tips for you if your child is testing this week:

• Do make sure they eat a healthy supper, go to bed at a decent time, and eat a good breakfast before they go to school.
• Do talk to your child about turning in their phones, ipods, DS, and all other electronic equipment in their testing room.
• Do ask to see any review materials and quiz your student about the upcoming tests.
• Do plan on some kind of physical activity after a day of testing. It is hard to sit still in a desk that long!

But…

• Don’t add to your child’s stress by making them study long hours–we have done that for months at school!
• And don’t set up appointments that require you take your student out of school early during testing, they don’t need the pressure to finish early and their classmates don’t need the disruption of someone coming to get your child.

This post isn’t about whether the testing is right or wrong, or whether the test itself–on its way out possibly–really does test all the knowledge and skills students need to have.  TAKS is what exists at this moment, and it is what our students will be taking.  The testing going on this week  is stressful for those testing, monitoring, and administering the tests. So if you know any students or teachers who are testing this week, take a moment to wish them luck and hope for the best.

This April, be a part of an exciting fundraiser brought to you by Calming Hugs and Speech TX to support the National Autism Association- North Texas Chapter in honor of Autism Awareness Month! Calming Hugs has created a beautiful t-shirt with a “bling” puzzle piece in the center. You may recognize that the puzzle piece is the symbol for Autism Awareness. Since Autism Awareness Month is in April, Calming Hugs will donate part of the proceeds to NAA-NT for any awareness t-shirt sold. Even more exciting, Speech TX, a local private practice specializing in children with autism, will then MATCH the final donation to NAA-NT by Calming Hugs so your purchase goes TWICE as far! T-shirts can be purchased at Speech TX in Plano, by emailing julie.lberman@gmail.com and arranging pick up, or online at www.calminghugs.com Please spread the word to your family, friends, and colleagues about this exciting opportunity for a worthy cause! What girl wouldn’t love a little bling bling?!

It must be a duck, right?  Not necessarily so.

The mention of ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, with regard to my older son first came up when he was in kindergarten.  About halfway through the school year, his teacher mentioned that where she was seeing the other children improving in certain areas and advancing, my son wasn’t.  He wasn’t staying in his seat, he was interrupting and talking out of turn, he was making rocket ships out of his pencils (complete with sound effects), he just wasn’t learning to “fit” the school routine.  So we each filled out questionnaires, and the counselor there determined that he had ADHD tendencies, but it wasn’t enough to where he’d actually be diagnosed with ADHD.

On to first grade.  A new school was built in our area, and we were zoned for it, so my son was in a new school.  Again, his first grade teacher brought up some issues.  Notes came home every day telling me that he was talking, or up out of his seat, or running in the hall, or leaving the classroom without permission.  One day I got a call from the assistant principal – they’d sent him to the office because he’d taken it upon himself to cut his hair during class.  Homework was a battle royal every night, and his attention span to darned near anything was about as long as the life of your average fruit fly.  Finally, when he was in second grade and still having the same issues, still struggling to keep his conduct grades up, still finding school a lot harder than any kid should find it in my book, we began the process of having him formally evaluated.

First we went to the Child Study Center in Fort Worth.  There he had a thorough evaluation, the end result of which was a diagnosis of ADHD combined type, dysgraphia, and fine motor skill delays.  So we started to treat that.  We tried medication.  Vyvanse made him so anxious he didn’t want to leave our house, not even to go someplace five minutes away.  Focalin made him high – literally.  He was himself to the power of ten, and couldn’t stop talking all.day.long.  Intuniv seemed like it might have helped some, but then it just didn’t.  He may as well have eaten a bag of Skittles for all the good it did.  Then we tried the Daytrana patch.  He was awake for 31 hours straight.  Epic fail.  And then there was Strattera.  Not much help with focus and impulsivity and talking out of turn in class, but it did make him rage-y.  We figured the tiny improvement wasn’t worth putting up with the anger and tendency to throw and hit things when life didn’t go his way.   So, we figured we’d better look elsewhere, that perhaps ADHD really wasn’t the issue.

We went for an occupational therapy evaluation at Our Children’s House at Baylor.  Wonderful people to work with, and the evaluation was the first time we’d ever walked away with some concrete ideas on things to try to help.  The OT found that my son had difficulty tracking objects as he moved them from one hand to the other.  As she tested him, he rocked back in his chair, moved his arms and legs a lot, and couldn’t sit still to save his life.  She got out a wobble cushion, also called a sit disc, and the difference was amazing.  Her report said she observed a 75% reduction in his movements while he was sitting on the cushion.  I didn’t quantify it like that, all I knew was that I’d never before seen him sit that still.  He didn’t rock in his chair.  His arms and legs didn’t disturb the space around him.  She suggested we go in for a pediatric sleep study, given his history of sleep issues – she said that a poor sleep pattern can cause a host of behavioral and attention issues.  We’d also said we were considering a visit to a behavioral optometrist, and she said we should pursue that.  She suggested that we get an MP3 player for him and let him listen to instrumental music, that he talks so much likely because he’s seeking the auditory input (and you can’t get that by talking to yourself in your head!).  She also said that it would be good for him to get out and work up a sweat on a regular basis, that regular physical activity can have a cumulative calming effect over time.  So, things to work with.  Yay!  (She has recommended OT services, but that will have to wait until there’s money in the budget for it.)

And we went ahead with the behavioral optometrist evaluation.  My son went in twice for examination and testing.  It was a bit of a lengthy process, and he got grumpy about it.  And he wasn’t particularly keen on having his eyes examined.  But we made it through, and my husband and I went for the results this past Friday.  Turns out my son has 20/20 sight, but has other vision issues – we learned that sight and vision are not the same thing.  He has a hard time going from distance sight to near sight – he can’t refocus quickly or easily.  His eyes don’t work well together – he has a hard time maintaining single vision, especially for close work.  He scored “significantly” below age level in his ability to fix on information and process it while moving his eyes, like you’d do while reading, and in his ability to stay on a visual task.  The optometrist felt like the impact of the vision issues on my son’s academic performance was fairly profound.

So, the recommendations?  Special glasses, to help him focus.  Several sessions of vision therapy in the office and in-home exercises as well.  A consultation with a nutritionist to see if there are any supplements that could be helpful.  There’s a waiting list to get into the therapy program, and it’s going to take us a bit to get the funds together to pay for all of this, so it will be a while before I’m able to blog about any results. I did want to share this, though, I guess to offer hope and a possibility of things to consider to parents whose kids have been diagnosed with ADHD but who don’t seem to respond well to anything that’s “supposed” to help with ADHD.

I’ll be posting more updates and information as I have them.

As parents, we are automatically programmed to worry about the safety of our children. If there is one program I can HIGHLY recommend you attend, it is this one called, What Every Parent Needs to Know with Jeff McKissach of Defense by Design. Mr. McKissach is a member of the North Texas Crime Commission with 23 years experience teaching “must know” safety tips to adults and children. Last year, I heard Jeff speak, and it was definitely life changing. I came away from his presentation with useful tips and tools on ways to keep my child safer! Please see the details are below to not miss this amazing learning experience! The program is free, but an RSVP is required!

What Every Parent Needs to Know with Jeff McKissach of Defense by Design

7 p.m. Thursday, March 10, 2011

Jewish Family Service

5402 Arapaho Road

(one block east of the Dallas North Tollway)

No Charge

Come learn:

> The six steps predators use to seduce a child

> The most common “lures” used to entrap children

> How to educate young children without causing undue fear

> How to better utilize our parental instincts to keep our children safe.

RSVP to Heather Behr at hdh143@yahoo.com or 972.437.9950.

Presented by Jewish Family Service School Mental Health Program To learn more about programming at JFS, check out their website at www.jfsdallas.org

The National Autism Association of NorthTexas (NAA-NT) has 2 fundraisers lined up for March! Consider dining at one (or both) of the restaurants below that will give a percentage of their proceeds to NAA-NT. Plus, who wouldn’t love a night (or two) off from cooking?  Dine-in or carry out to raise money for autism!

On March 7th, from 11am-9pm at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse(1101 N. Central Expressway) is supporting NAA-NT. Call in orders are also an option @ 972-424-4262.Please specify when ordering you are there to support the autism fundraiser so 15% is donated to NAA-NT.