my Kinder daughter needs a tutor already!

[bellflower]

3 days into the school year and I get a note saying she qualifies for extra help. A few kids in each room are getting pulled out by the reading specialist for extra help 30 min. every day and for some reason it's bugging me. I feel like I should be happy they have such programs, grateful she gets the small group attention, heck...i've even worked for these programs before.

I think why it bothers me is this. K ain't what it used to be. My daughter can write her name and knows a handful of letters (she also has an incredible ability to rhyme and create stories, has a great vocabulary, devours complicated chapter books). The thing is she has just not been interested in "learning letters" yet and as she just turned 5 in May (just beginning to show a bit of interest now), I have never pushed it and purposefully sent her to a play-oriented pre-K for that reason. I feel like everything you read on child dev't says that early for academics does not mean better and that every child will develop at their own pace. I felt like K was the time and place to start really trying to learn letters if she wasn't interested before. But it's just amazing to me that b/c she doesn't know all her letters she's considered at the bottom of the class and needs extra help. I guess I'm also worried she'll always be considered "behind" now. Am i overreacting? my husband thinks so.

I guess I feel like that's the whole problem with public schools. Kids should be allowed to develop at their own rate, not considered "behind" or "below" if they're not meeting certain standards. And didn't people always go to K to learn their letters before?

[RiverSky]

Originally Posted by bellflower

And didn't people always go to K to learn their letters before?

I don't think it has been like that for a long time, actually. I don't think it's good either, but it's reality. By the end of public school kindergarten, my DS was expected to read 100 sight words.

What if you were to buy her the Leap Frog video, "Alphabet Factory"?
http://www.leapfrog.com/do/findprodu...pKey=preschool
I know our library carries it and my daughter picked up all the letter sounds and started sounding out words after watching it once or twice, at the age of 3 or 4. We have never taught her to read, just read to her and let her watch some Leap Frog videos a few times. Each child is different but I really do suggest that you try those videos out.

[wildmonkeys]

I wouldn't look at it as if she is behind. With a May birthday, she is on the younger end of the kids in her class. It makes sense that some of the older kids might already know some stuff that she doesn't yet and it wouldn't really work for them to spend too much time reviewing stuff they already know --- that seems to be when they lose interest and behavior stuff happens.

I volunteered in my sons kinder class last year and the reading specialist came in and worked with a handful of the kids --- they used that little Leap Frog fridge magnet, played bingo, and stuff in the corner. It didn't seem to last too long or be too involved or anything. If you are concerned, I would find out a little more about what they will be doing during that time.

BJ
Barney & Ben

[CarrieMF]

It depends on the school/district. At the schools here kids starting K are not expected to know thier letters though most do. Reading is not really emphasized until Grade 1. In K they do some sight word reading, but I think they really do it enough the kids are more memorizing what the book says than actually reading, iykwim.

Kids are taken out for speech here. If a child is behind in that day's school work an aid or parent helper will take them to another room to help them finish it that day or the next day.

In K the kids are only taking out for reading for one-on-one reading and all of the kids do it. It helps the lady who does the home reading program help the kids pick out books at their level.

[chellemarie]

My son went to a private school for Kindy. They didn't have the same reading curriculum the public school has. So when we sent him to public in 1st grade, we were not happy to hear he needed extra reading help. I wasn't very nice about it, either.

I cannot tell you how grateful I am that he had that opportunity for extra reading instruction and practice. He did the program for a year and hasn't needed it since. I wish I'd been nicer about it with the teachers because it made a big difference for him.

I was concerned he'd be labeled and he'd forever be in the lowest reading group and be stuck. It didn't turn out that way. In fourth grade, his teacher agreed to bump him from the second to the top reading group. He'd been getting A's in reading in the second group, so I suggested we move him up and see if he could meet the challenge. He did. It was a little tougher, but the confidence gained from being moved up did a lot for him bouyed him.

I guess I feel like that's the whole problem with public schools. Kids should be allowed to develop at their own rate, not considered "behind" or "below" if they're not meeting certain standards.

I understand the way you feel about this. But there has to be some measurement of how well the school is doing its job. I do feel I had to teach my kids more on my own before they went to Kindergarten. The things I remember learning in Kindy are things I taught them myself or that they learned in preschool. That frustrates me and makes me wonder if my grandchildren will be expected to be born singing their ABC's.

[mommy68]

I think all schools are probably different with this. : I also think some schools take children too early and probably should tell the parents to hold them back a year but I'm sure they're afraid to tell parents that because they will get angry with them. They can't win! Then the child starts K and still aren't up to par and they need to help them out some with extra tutoring. It's hard for a school to make the decision I bet.

I do know in my child's school that she will be expected to be able to write her name and a few other words and know her ABCs out of order. She isn't writing at all yet, just a few weird looking letters and she is due to start kinder next fall. I try not to worry although I know if the time comes and I feel she isn't ready I will just homeschool her or hold her back a year.

My oldest child learned to read at age 5 1/2. I don't expect my youngest to learn any earlier, especially due to hyperactivity issues. I have friends who homeschooled and some of them have children that didn't read til age 7 or 8 so it's not a BAD thing if a 5 yr old is a bit behind the others in class.

[TexasSuz]

I totally agree with you 100% - this is one of the main reasons I decided to homeschool my children. I hate what we have done to children - making them develop at such a fast/early pace. Studies have shown that early learning/reading does not transfer into more advanced learning or better grades later in schooling. The child that learned to read at age 4 and the child that learned to read at age 6 or 7 all level out by 7th grade. But a child's self-esteem can be damaged early on when they see others excelling in school at an early age when they are just not ready for the information.

Is there any way you could pull your child out and wait another year to enroll her in K? I truly believe that the cut-off for Kindergarten should be age 5 by March or April at the lastest. Many May, June, July, and August babies struggle with school in the early years because those few months mean a lot in terms of maturity and life experience at that age.

Sorry, no other advice. I am sorry that Kindergarten is not playtime like when I was a kid. Children have all of their lives to read/write/do math but only a very short time to play and be a child. And I was 6 in Kindergarten!

[chellemarie]

I didn't catch that your daughter turned 5 in May. My son's birthday is in July and we didn't start Kindergarten until he was 6.

Given her age and the current expectations for children entering Kindergarten, I'd consider taking her out and waiting until next year.

Suz said, "Many May, June, July, and August babies struggle with school in the early years because those few months mean a lot in terms of maturity and life experience at that age."

I think it is important to consider how their age will affect them down the line, as well. I was "old" for my class and believe my age and maturity were a major factor in my success in high school.

[quaz]

No, I don't think you are over-reacting. I personally hate this trend that is hitting schools.

Tammy

[bobandjess99]

Since your child IS on the edge of the cutoff....would you personally feel more comfortable keeping her home another year?
Perhaps do a second year of Pre-K, before starting K?
At first, i was AGHAST at the idea of "holding my dd back", but as i have done more and more research and learned more and more..i am FIRMLY convinced that "formal schooling" should not start until MUCH later...at LEAST 8 years old....and I am coming to terms with NOT pushing academics.......