2Nd Grade Standards and Kids Being "Left Behind"

Hi C.~

Congratulations on growing your family!! That is a always a nice adventure.
I was reading others comments/advice for you with this issue. Let me give you my 2 cents on this:
1) Open communication with child/childs teacher is always the 1st thing you should have.
2) Speaking to teacher at 1st sign of an issue, the teacher is your team mate, not your enemy
3) Testing the child to see if there are any behavioral issue or ADHD/Dyslexia issues to get those out of the way
4) This is the most important time, whey they are little to push them to do thier best to assist them when they are struggling.. these are the years that matter!!

I have given you a few websites that have assisted me when my chilren were struggling a year ago. I have 2 boys and they were both retained due to reading below grade level. I felt just like you did, "what the heck? how come I didnt' see this coming? How come no one told me? " all those questions and let me tell you - i fought for my kids- in any way possible!! Check out these websites, and see if they help you.
http://www.tutoringclub.com/
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.htm...
http://www.help4adhd.org/
http://center.ikumon.com/showpage.aspx?url=90939
Now, this is only goign to get harder before it gets better, dont' let another 6 months go by before you start to help him out. Charter school is a good option but not everyone can get in. This is a lottery and only one child will get in at one time, which didnt' work for me cause I have 2 kids and both are one age apart- I need them both together as I am a single mom.
Good luck C.!! I know you will be fine, and most of all you are not alone!! School academics are very different now, they expect kids to be wizards before they graduate elementary- so yes, times have changed. Take care girl. and congrats on the growing family... just think when you younger one is in school- the oldest will be the teacher and it will become easier!!!

Is there any way you could volunter in the classroom? Find a friend you could trade babysiting the 4 year old or something?
I have found working in the classroom is the best way to know what is really going on. (You see more of the coursework, and the range of other student's work). Also, because we got started in Suzuki music early, we tend to apply those concepts for all subjects. A teacher with 20 kids can't always tailor the lesson to your son's learning style. But you can! Some kids do better working on reading cuddling under mom's arm.
I was one of those kids who was fantastic at math (99%) - if given the time. That is the bad news: I seem to need double the time given. And the summer break REALLY put me back.
I suspected my daughter did as well, so we did this
http://epgy.stanford.edu/district/
20m a day during the summer, and on the weekends during the school year. It gives an intensive review and is a good supliment if your feel the pace is too fast and broad.
Or places like
http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/f%7C/Assortments/Lak...
have books and manipulatives you can work on at home.
My daughter loved collecting bottle caps for her math manipulatives. (she does better with place value stuff if she has things like those 10-place sticks, and the little cubes. Abstract math she isn't crazy about, but with counters she is much happier.
For writing she and a friend got together every Thursday and wrote a paragraph with a friend, then they could go play. For social learners with the same interests it was fun compared to working just with mom.

Good luck figuring out what will make these subjects FUN for your son.

i used to be a 2nd grade teacher in the public schools. i can tell you first hand that the curriculum is, for the most part, "breadth" instead of "depth." in other words, they taech a bunch of stuff but none very well. much of this is fueled by the standradized testing trends.

they have an obligation to inform you if your child is "at risk." i urge you to talk to the teacher and/or the principal. ask what the terms "ahead" and "behind" are based on: statewide standards, district standards, class average??? ask for a copy of the standards for the grade, and ask if there is a strategic plan for helping all students succeed. ask what support is provided by the school for kids who are behind. request extra reading/writing homework for your child. probably all of the students would benefit from it. also, what reading program are they using? if it is a standardized, one-size-fits-all robotic program like open court, for example, it may not be serving your child. bring these issues up at PTA meetings and see if any other parents/students are having similar experiences. GOOD LUCK!

Hi- Please don't worry too much. I would speak with the teacher and try to help him to succeed but don't get too caught up. He is only in second grade. This whole testing thing is a terrible thing for education. Endless structure and worksheets to not make a solid education. My first daughter went to a charter school K-3rd. No worksheets, little homework, lots of creativity, projects, reading and a very relaxed atmosphere. We moved and she's in 5th now at a very academic charter. She is a great student, all A's and other than having to catch up a bit in spelling and math she made the move perfectly. My second girl has only been to this academic school and while Kinder was great first grade is miserable. She has 2-3 worksheets each night, sits still a good part of the day being pushed very hard to learn things that I believe 1st graders are not developmentally ready for and the classroom is tense and no fun at all. She loves reading and learning and will do projects, write and read for fun on her own. It may just be that your boy is turning off under the structure and pressure of the classroom. Talk to the teacher and maybe spend a little time in the class to get a feel for how the day goes. The year is half over so I would look into who may be his teacher next year and try to get him in a class with a teacher who may be a better fit. Remember he's only in second grade and this may just be a blip on the radar in a few years. Open the line of communication with his teacher, spend lots of time reading and writing at home. The teachers out there are going to hate this but I don't force my 1st grade daughter to complete every homework assignment, she's 6 for God's sake! The other activities she chooses to do are valuable, educational and fun. Remember when kids had time to draw, build forts, play unsupervised sports, bike ride and read for pleasure after school? These are worthy activities that make life fun and develop kids minds and bodies. Good Luck!

Unfortunately, there can be HUGE differences in what different districts and even schools/grades within one district are teaching! It is very frustrating.

I'm not sure what you can do to get the teacher to slow down or change. However, I would request a meeting with the teacher to get information on what they will be covering and need to know by the end of 2nd grade to move on to 3rd grade. Ask her for handouts or other online resources so that you can work with your son at home. Also ask that she provides you with email feedback on how he is doing, what areas he has improved in or is up to standards and what areas still need work. I would express the frustration that you and your son are experiencing and ask her for help and guidance. If you don't go in there defensive, she will probably open to assisting you.

If this is not the case, you may need to present your concerns to the principal.

C.,
Schools don't always have each students well being and future achievements as top priority. My son dealt with this in elementary school, and I chose to home school him. It was the scariest thing I ever did....but the most important thing I did at the same time! He is now in college and is one of the top students there. My daughter joined him the year after he started being home schooled. She too is now in college doing great. There are many programs to go through that basically walk you through the schooling process and groups to help with the socialization part. You definately see what is going on in your child's education, and you have control over it as well. Kids are state tested and classes are offered at many of the program sites. It is actually easier for the parent than getting kids up, dressed, to school with the proper homework, and then after school dealing with the homework. Just my thoughts and suggestion. It is not for everyone, but it might be. We here in California are surrounded with options for educating our children.....why not look further than the public school choice. We should never settle when it comes to the education and future of our children.

Hi C.,

Heads up---there are alot of us--older, more seasoned teachers who have left the teaching profession--retired early or ASAP, because we felt that no child left behind was absolutely the worst thing for kids. I saw too many 4th and 5th graders in tears because they were working as hard as they could and still "behind". I think the math is especially difficult. It is set-up to teach, then constantly "review". That is better than teach and leave behind to forget, but difficult for the child who doesn't pick it up quickly. My suggestion is to make an appointment to talk to the teacher. Express your concern, and ask what is done in the classroom for those who are struggling with the pace, and ask what you can do to help at home. Ask him/her to keep you updated as to his progress and what you can do at home. As a professional, I would say--flash card "games" at home and in the car. Mental math is great too. Go over your tests with your child, correcting each problem he missed with him. If there were too many, spread it over several days. I wouldn't be too concerned if there is more math homework than English--that may be covered more in the classroom with teacher guidance, or as creative projects. Ask the teacher. Be sure to read with your child each evening before bed. You read to him and ask questions about the story, and have him share something with you that he'd like to read. If time allows, or he's "bored" before dinner, have him draw a story board, or have him tell you about the story he read at school that day. He could record it--kids love that. Play board games that teach. I promised my children a game before school if they dressed quickly. Give positive re-enforcement and provide him a can-do attitude. PS--Math Blaster for the computer is good also. Good Luck--N.

Hi C..

My dtr is also in 2nd grade and she is doing all of the things that your son is doing in class as far as math and reading. She has also started learning multiplication. Her school also has different groups for reading. Last year she was in the advanced and this year she is at her level. Her teacher told me, the only thing that is stopping her from moving up to the advanced level is the comprehension...She can read great and is way above the "fluency" level, she has a very hard time explaining what she has read. She gets handouts also for homework, everyday, but for the reading part, she has to read for 20 minutes and write a summary each night. She also has to make sentences out of spelling words, etc. Her summaries were awful and I would make her redo them, but then I started to read to her, maybe a page or two and then ask her to explain what I read. I also make her take notes while I'm writing. We do this every night and she is getting better, but it is VERY frustrating!!! Her teacher advised me of this technique. My dtr is starting to gain more confidence and thinking a little more about the things we read, but I just have a feeling that this is just going to be a long road and could possibly be a weakness that she will have to focus more on than other areas. Good luck.

Hi. I would talk to the teacher asap. Find out what's going on. With this "no child left behind" law teachers are more and more focusing on making sure their students pass the state tests that lets them keep their jobs, I don't blame them. Teachers are given far too much too do on too little money and resourses. Still you need to find out what is going on, maybe he just needs a little extra one on one attention, maybe a tutor. Does your school offer an after school tutor program? Talk to the school and find out what resourses they have so you can help your son. Maybe the teacher has some ideas of what you can do at home to help him. I know she should have gotten in touch with you sooner on this but she's only human and I think we tend to forget that. Good luck!

I am wayyyy to familiar with the frustrations of sending a child to school. I'm going through elementary school for the third time! (first my daughter, then my grandson and now my granddaughter) The first time I would tell you is not to put 100% stock in anything the teacher tells you. They are people and they have attitudes on some days and they have frustrations like everyone else and sometimes it is your child who bears the brunt of it. I completely agree that you would have been notified that there was a problem, but again you can't trust the teachers to keep you informed. You have to be very proactive! As for the curriculum, I was amazed to see my first grader coming home with mathmatical word problems. She couldn't even read them! They are also all over the map which had me very worried. One day its addition, then the next subtration, and the next multiplication! (she's in first grade, helllooo!) Now they are working on telling time and money. Homework is all handouts, just like yours. Your sons placement in grade level may very well be because of the change in districts - each district is different - some move faster than others. I think if I were you, I would find my nearly Kumon Math and Reading Center and enroll your son. I did that with my grandson and it helped him tremendously. They start at the basics, like kindergarten work and go from there. Your son will progress at his own rate and they will not let him progress until he has mastered what he's working on. Because they start at square one, the child immediately feels success because they start with stuff he already knows and build on that. They fill in the gaps that might have been created by the schools moving too fast for your son to grasp the concept. Again, they are wonderful and very affordable compared to other learning centers like Sylvan. I would definitely meet with the teacher and tell him/her that you want to be kept advised if your child is having problems, but asking for it and getting it are two different things. When my daugher was in elementary school I asked the teacher to complete a very simple little form each day which required only a check mark in an appropriate box (class work was complete; class work not complete; behavior satisfactory; behavior unsatisfactory,etc.) I got back a good report each day so I didn't worry. next thing I know I'm receiving progress reports saying she's failing because she's not doing her class work and she is misbehaving! I scheduled a meeting with the teacher and principal, brought in all the reports I had (I kept them all!) and asked them how could this be and they both looked at me like idiots and simply said "I don't know" end of discussion! I hate school more as an adult than I ever did as a child! Good luck but do look into Kumon, it will do wonders for your child's self-esteem and love of learning!

I could respond on so many levels...especially to folks who encourage the push down of academics...but, right now, check out k12.com (for enhancement, not the homeschool part unless that ever becomes a need as the Homeschoo part is free through department of education, but the enhancement is a purchase. It is a very fun,creative, problems solving.) Lakeshore sells some interesting story comprehension kits. Have him draw out book reports with illustrations (first this happened to this character in this setting (outer space, ocean waters, island)and then this problem happened, and then it turned out like this) By giving him a chance to draw these scenes out, he is storyboarding, editing, organizing in a creative fun way. Next he can add words (like a comic strip) and sentences to re cap..He can relax, fold them and make mini books at home..and he can use coloring tools, those old fashion thing a ma jigs we used called crayons and markers ...which developmentally most boys do not prefer in preschool and kindergarten as they need whole body movements (run, jump, talk etc) but we ask them to sit, color, be quiet and color and cut despite their whole bodies still need more movement. Now as things settle and their fine motor skills start to sharpen, we ask them to use their upper brain prematurely to read and problem solve like 4th and 5th graders..but anyway, as I said, I could go on. Best of luck. Keep school aware that you are concerned and document in a friendly informative way so that if a need for assessments, which may prove a need for support which costs money, you have cause to ask.

1 - Sounds like you might want to find a school that teaches more creatively - think about a charter school.

2 - He's only in 2nd grade. In hindsight, I would not have freaked out so much about how my kids were doing in 2nd grade. They're still babies.

I'm amending my post due to a personal message from Paula, above. I certainly think a kid should not be falling behind, but from everything C. says, it sounds like failures on the school's part. They didn't inform her of her son's reading status, they teach by handouts, and they switch subjects too quickly. My experience with 3 kids has given me the knowledge that as a parent you do not necessarily need to overreact to something that happens in one semester. C. doesn't want to switch schools, and she's right to not want to move her child around a lot, but so far this school doesn't sound great. Maybe it's just his teacher this year. Most of it depends on which teacher your child is lucky enough to get, or not get. Too much homework and rote teaching in 2nd grade will not "light the fire" that education is supposed to do.

I highly don't recommend moving home and school a lot. It's hard for a lot kids. Please speak to your son's teacher to seek for advice to assist your son at home. The teacher is here to assist you. Work as a team. It's good not to be hostile. Every teacher, school and district will be on a different pace on subject matters. The state and school based standard are a lot higher than before. All the subjects standards have come down. The 1st graders have the old 2nd grader standards and the 2nd graders have the old 3rd grade standards. Yes, 1st graders need to know how to tell time, count money, measurement, lots of computations on addition and subtraction with word problems. As for reading, your son needs to be able to have good fluency and comprehension when he reads. If he only can decode, that's not enough to be a fluent reader. Make sure your son knows at least his 200 sight words. That will help with his decoding when he reads. To be at grade level, 2nd graders should be able to do this. If not, definitely you need to get a tutor beside the additional support at home. Don't forget the writing standard. It's there beside the standardized test. Since there is not a state budget and the budget cuts, a lot of school districts are starting to cut class size reduction. The classes will have 1 teacher per 30 kids from K-3 instead of 1 teacher to 20 kids.

Hi C.,

Unfortunately, I don't have any good advice since my kids are not in grammar school yet. However, what you have written scares me!! I'm very worried about putting my children in the public school system since it is completely overcrowded and the teachers are forced to teach to the standardized test, beginning in 2nd grade (Ugh!!!). It's completely overwhelming and I do not believe it's the best way to teach or learn. That being said, is there any way for you to seek out an alternative school? I'm considering a non-religious, arts based private school. Unfortunately, it's very expensive, but my thought is that it's worth it if it gets my kids off to a strong and positive academic start. I'm looking forward to reading how other moms feel about this.

Hope it all works out well for you and your family.

It sounds like your child is in the same district as mine. Please go to your sons teacher and voice your concerns. She doesn't know the things that you have observed because there are so many other children in her classroom. Also speak to the special reading teacher to see if she is aware of his habits; reading too fast, distracted by pictures. Mine loves math, but doesn't like to read all of the instructions, which makes it hard for him to do the assignments correctly. Always keep open communication with the teachers or yes your child will be "left behind".

Talk to the teacher as soon as possible!

I'm right there with you! I have a 3rd grader and a 1st grader and try helping both at the same time struggle with all of the homework. My older daughter's second grade teacher used to be a 4th grade teacher and she told us that she now has to teach her 2nd graders the same thing she used to teach her 4th graders!!! They move through things quickly - too quickly in my opinion too, but that is the cost of being in a school with a 9 -10 rating.

The sad part is I work in the class once a week and there are kids there who get it right away - have all of the answers right, all of the time etc. So the problem is when your kid doesn't, boom you are falling to the bottom. In most case it is not the teacher's fault, she is teaching to the curriculum, and the smarter kids get more difficult homework to still keep them challenged, but our poor kids feel bad because they don't "get it". It is so very frustrating when your child is working on homework for HOURS and other kids in class take 30 minutes or so. It's not that your child isn't trying; it just takes her longer to get it.

I feel your frustration, and I agree with everyone here. Talk with your teacher and get on board with any extra help you can do at home to help it along. Just know there are many of us out there going through the same thing as you!

Good Luck!

Hi C.!

I'm so sorry that you are going through this very emotional time. This is so hard on a mommy! This response also got VERY long! Anyway...

What is being taught in your son's 2nd grade class, is being taught to all California 2nd graders, as the State declares the Standards. HOW the standards are taught, however, is up to the teachers' style of teaching.

I'm not even sure that moving has been the difference in your situation. Unless moving was completely negative, I think kids are more resiliant than that and adjust just fine. Just because your son is not doing as you expected in Reading, doesn't mean he's at the "bottom" of his class. Or, is he struggling everywhere? Usually, these are the types of changes/concerns that a mom see's in 3rd or 4th grade. K & 1st grade just seem to "ease" our kids into school, and are graded on basic behavior, as well as, doing school work as practice for being a "bigger kid". If those skills aren't developed enough yet then I'm wondering............

I'm wondering if your son is one of those children that was able to start school a little "early", and now it might be catching up to him.

I do think your first step is to meet with the teacher. Conferences should be around the corner, if not happening already. Either way, contact the teacher. She probably didn't contact you beforehand, because your son is probably not a "problem" in her mind. She probably considers him a normal 2nd grader, who could benefit from a little help at home.

If your son DID start school early, then you might want to consider having him repeat 2nd grade to help him "catch up" emotionally enough to stay on task in the classroom. Otherwise, you could be having these same "issues" and worries each year from here on out. That would be too emotional to go through....always wondering.....

Anyway, I hope something I've said has helped you in some way. I think these types of issues are very difficult to handle because we all want the best for our children without difficulties in school.

Good Luck, C.!

~N. :o)

First and most important, go to the teacher. She is there to work with you and help your child learn. If you are not getting the answers you need (that is different from "want to hear") then go see the principal. Every year the curriculum ramps up, so kids are up for the the challenge right away, some need more time. With the change in school it might take your son a little longer.

The math program sounds like the one at my kids school. It spirals through the curriculum. The students are not meant to master all these concepts, they are being exposed again and again (and the program includes a nightly homework sheet) and mastery on most standards is not until later on in the year. If this is the first year your school is using it, the teachers are also struggling with it some and may be giving "assessments" before mastery just to check in with the students.

Just because he is not in the lowest reading group, does not mean he is behind in the standards. Be careful no one in comparing him to other students! He may not be reading at a level of other kids, but that might be because many are reading well above grade level. He might be right where he needs to be.

Good luck!

Hi C.,

First things first, get the teacher on your side, even if you think she's dumb. I'll tell you why, she's the one who's got your kid for now. Turn on the Yoga mojo, loosen and relax into the blockage and sift the problems out of your son's circumstances.

While you improve your relationship with the teacher (expecting the teacher to come to you about your son's reading level is a bad recipe for true success), start your son on something that you and he both agree and know that he's good at, something that will help him get "steered" back into the general educational situation and work your way out of the hole from there. Begin with a modest, reachable effort and beware of the hidden ego games.

The same thing happened to me and my son;same grade too. We both could clearly see the deficiencies in his teacher's teaching style but that was not going to do us any good because the principal was "unseasoned" and we had no one else on our side; except for us.

We had to be our own best champions in order to get to a better place. Also, it takes a committed, energetic effort. You'll probably get an honorary black belt for it later,...if you both make it through.

Namaste :),
-M

Hi!
I've worked with a teacher who taught kindergarten, 1st grade for a few years, and now she is in 3rd, for 9 years.She was my daughter's kindergarten teacher. We hit it off so well that I stayed in that class along with moving up each year with my daughter. Without seeing the work, I would say that the teacher is going too fast for 2nd graders. I understand that the teachers are pushed to teach to that darn test(federal money for good test results), but if they don't learn the stuff, what is the point? It is ok that he is in a remedial reading group. If the teacher is good, he will learn by leaps and bounds. He needs to be reading at home for at least twenty minutes a day, and comprehension is important also.Ask a few questions about the story. Parent participation is so important. We can tell the kids who have been worked with at home compared to the others who have not. As for the math, you will probably need to work with him at home. I don't know how many kids are in the class(hopefully just twenty)but it is hard to keep up with all of them. You should have an active part in his education. One of the best things to do is to volunteer in his class. Not just for an hour, but maybe from the morning to the lunch time. You need to do that consistently, once a week at least. That way you are on top of what is happening, and in touch with the class. I volunteered in my daughters class from Kindergarten through the eigth grade, and was glad I did. It really opens your eyes.School is not like it was when we were there.Working with the kids is so rewarding. Also if you see that the teacher is not effective maybe there is another 2nd grade teacher at the school you could switch him to? Get in his class if you can.
I love my little school, and am now a Board member for it!
GOOD LUCK!
M. Neider

My daughter and I were talking about something similar yesterday. We transferred out of a Back-to-Basic's public school to a Montessori private this year. The pace at public is brisk, to put it mildly. We were discussing that she, at age 10, can not read an analog clock. She said that in school they had maybe 2 weeks of practice in reading a clock and then they move on, regardless of whether the child has learned it. So instead of instruction being based on mastering the skill, it introduced each year in hopes that they will eventually figure it out. And don't get me started on the weeks devoted to STAR testing! Good-luck!

I understand how you feel. Second grade is a very challenging year as there is so much material that needs to be covered, especially in math. My son's teacher was an excellent teacher and I can remember hearing her say how overwhelming it was for her to teach so much material in such a short period of time, while also preparing her students for the STAR test. I was worried about my son, too. He was always a top reader, but in second grade we noticed he wasn't comprehending as well as he should and sometimes when he had to learn new concepts in math he would have a difficult time. I often would do supplemental work with him at home and this helped him immensely. I think it's a good idea to meet with his teacher as often as you can and review with her/him what they will be covering that way your son will hopefully understand the material when it's presented to him for the first time. I hope I was able to help.

I'm not a big fan of all the current testing of students and "no child left behind".
Check out the web page greatschools.org

Also, Parents Helping Parents in San Jose might be able to help with education issues www.php.com

In case you ever need it, an exceptional program for teaching reading at home or school is 'Spell To Write and Read' by wanda Sanseri.

I homeschool and we don't start muliplication until 4th grade. I think these teachers are wrong and their overload approach is hurtful at best.

Blessings,
Gail

I would talk to the teacher. My stepdaughter moved around a lot with her mom and changing schools and districts, which effected her learning. When she came to live with us 3 yrs. ago, she was behind, 2 yrs. her grade level behind. All school districts are different, some are more advanced.

Right up front I spoke with the teachers and have received all sorts of help. Her teachers were willing to talk to me and my stepdaughter, hold conferences whenever I wanted one scheuled. She is now in the 5th grade and her current teacher keeps me informed on a weekly basis of her progress via email. It has been her teachers that have saved my sanity these past three yrs. with school. She has already made up one grade level, but is still beind by 1 yr.

The teachers are there to help, not to discourage or overwhelm your child. Reach out to them and find out what is going on.

If for some reason you have a teaher not willing to help, I would then seek another source such as the principal for guiddance on how to proceed with your concerns.

I just went visiting last night with two ladies, one a current 4th grade teacher,the other a retired teacher. They were talking about it has gotten harder to teach.

What used to be taught in 4th grade last year is now being pushed down to 3rd grade this year. So the 4th graders this year are expected to be learning 2 & 3 digit multiplication, without having had the opportunity to learn 1 & 2 digit multiplication that is now taught in 3rd grade. It's very hard for her as a teacher because she knows they NEED time on this, but the state says DO THIS. (This is in AZ, btw)

She has 4th graders who are reading on the 1st and 2nd grade levels, and she aches to be able to help them (and so very much wishes their parents would read to them!!!!) but there is only so much you can do as a teacher. Do you ignore what the state tells you to be teaching, and teach to the student, (then risk losing your job) or do you teach what you need to be teaching this year so they've got that before they go on to the next grade, even though they haven't got the solid foundation they needed for this grade?

Please at least talk to the teacher. Talk about how and why she does the things she does, what she's noticed about your son and specific ways you could help him in the needed areas. Dont tell her how to teach - she's already got too many people doing that and she's going to listen to the one who gives her her paycheck.
Can you volunteer in his classroom? I am sure the teacher would love having someone work with a group (or one-on-one) while she has another group of students.

My son's classwork/homework is also very much based on hand-outs. However the homework packets are tailored to the student's abilities. I am not sure how many "levels" of homework packets she has but there is at least an "upper" and "lower" level for reading & math & spelling (he is in 1st grade)

If you have talked with and still are not happy with the teacher, and think the school overall is fine, talk with the principal. You may be able to switch him into another class (or at least get next year's teacher) that has a teacher that better meets his learning style.

Hi! I'm a second grade teacher and a mom of a second grader. Unfortunately, the California standards for second grade make it so teachers have to cover a lot of material in a short amount of time. And, I know at least in my district, we can ONLY use district-provided materials (Core Curriculum), which may be why all your son's homework is handouts... So, my advice would be to talk to your son's teacher as soon as possible. He or she can probably give you some ideas for things to do at home to help your son. He or she may also be able to tell you if any before or after school interventions are available. You also might try your son's school's (or district's)website. Sometimes there are links to helpful websites...
Good luck!