After class last week and our readings this week I could not stop thinking about how frustrating it is that there are pressures on kids, their parents and teachers to have students reach these grade level milestones, regardless of what is age and developmentally appropriate. I do everything I can to do whats best for the students and balance the district requirements each and everyday, but often find myself walking a fine line. Realistically speaking, no matter how maddening it is, I know that the students that are deemed "below grade level" will be playing catch up in the classroom as they are forced to keep moving along. The choices are few and lacking First up ---retention, which is not what I consider much of a solution to anything. Second choice- pass the little girl or guy up to first grade, where they keep telling him/her and his/her parents that he/she is still "below grade level" or Three--recommend a child for exceptional children's services. This is what usually happens first-its required if a student is not performing...wait for it..... "on grade level". And this is where the district's unrealistic expectations that all children do the same thing at the same time come to light. Many of the kids do not typically qualify for services. Why? Because the tests are based on the student's age, they are not created by a school district and they are much more developmentally appropriate. So guess what. My little girl/guy is doing what he/she is supposed to....but that report card, those requirements are still telling us he is not.

The IRA postion statement talks about there being a concern when children have not "acheived phonemic awareness by the middle of first grade" yet its only the middle of kindergarten and already we have to tell someone her child is "below grade level". It is by far the most frustrating part of what I do, but at this point I feel the best thing I can do for my students is to create an environment that is developmentally appropriate and incorporates best practice. We all want what is best for our students and we all understand that some students may need extra help understanding and achieving success at things such as phonemic awareness, but the classroom has become such a high paced, pressure packed enviroment that many schools have forgotten that the solution is the simplest one--let kids be kids. Let them sing nursery rhymes and play house. Read to them, listen to them, talk to them, write with them and they will learn. Despite the "grade level requirements" that I find so frustrating I do consider myself fortunate to work in a place that allows me the freedom keep play based centers and to do the things we know are best---it seems as though there are many who are not able to do so.