A new record

I think I set a new world record today.  I met with a parent regarding her struggling child and actually mentioned the high probability of Kindergarten retention.  It is only the 7th of October!  I've never had that discussion before February!

He has made some progress.  At the beginning of the year during the letter assessment he named letters, numbers, and shapes - not the actual letter names.  During our most recent letter assessment he randomly named letters.  OK, so they weren't the correct letter names, but he wasn't saying numbers and shapes!  He has also learned to write his name, but if there are other names that begin with the same letter he cannot identify his name.  These are small steps, but he is making them.  Most importantly, this little guy can rhyme.

I've taught fourth graders who read at a first grade level and they were easy to teach compared to a child who cannot rhyme or identify if two words rhyme or not.  Children who cannot rhyme are not able to tell me that "cat & hat" rhyme or that "dog & cat" do not rhyme.  Sometimes they get it right, but they have a 50/50 shot!  Or if I say tell me a word that rhymes with "cat" they respond with "dog" or "car."  Yes, it is important to rhyme.  It indicates that you can hear the similarities between words and isolate sounds within words.  A child who is struggling but can rhyme is much easier to help than a struggling child who cannot rhyme.

This little guy in my class is learning, but so are the other students.  The learning gap will get wider and wider as the year continues.  He really should be in preschool, but mom told me they couldn't afford to send him.  Hopefully, if this little guy spends another year in Kindergarten that gap will be closed.