While you're working

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Home : 2008 : January : 13

While you're working
By mt

with groups, she could be working on reading her book and writing you letters. Then let her do an extension activity that honors her higher level. Can she go to the computer lab and do a Powerpoint presentation? As you
know, those are not hard to do--you could teach her yourself, if you had the time. Then she could present to the class. Her presentation could be on any aspect of the book. Or perhaps she could read two or three books by the same author and do an author presentation. I don't know what your computer access is like at your school.

The other kids have already figured out that

she's a better reader, so there's no point in trying to downplay it. In fact, I think it's awesome that she reads well (I know you do too) and that should be celebrated. Not shoved in the other kids' faces, but definitely celebrated. When I have kids working above grade level, and they're leaving the room to work on independent research projects (another great way to challenge THIS kid) other kids will sometimes ask if they can leave the room too to do what the other kids are doing. I'm very honest. I tell them those kids are above grade level, and that's why they're going. I don't tell the kid you're NOT at grade level and that's why you're NOT going. I mean, life is that way. I was always a great reader and always a poor math student. I knew that I deserved the higher reading books and assignments and that I didn't qualify for that in math. Our kids know these things too, and if they don't, it's time to figure it out, or life is going to be unnecessarily hard.

I don't think that discussing books below her level with kids who read below her level is going to do anything for her. She can be popular and well-liked without being in the same discussion group. But I do think that some meaningful differentiation is in order here--really meaningful. So I would have her at her level at all times.