Skipping preschool?

[mama2j&t]

Does anyone have any experience with sending a child to full day kindy without any preschool? Assuming that the child doesn't have any apparent socializing issues and is pretty average in terms of what a preschool age kid "should know".... is there any reason that a child "needs" preschool?

[leighann79]

My DD didn't go to preschool and did just fine jumping right into full day kindergarten. She really hadn't had much daycare either. Just a couple days a week at 3 years old for about 6 months.

One thing that I think made a difference is that she was 5 1/2 when she started. I don't think she would have done as well if she was closer to 5. I think the older the child is, the better they will do.

[Boobiemama]

None of my kids went to preschool and have done fine.

[leighi123]

my mom teaches kg - she says that kids who have done preschool do much better in kg, even if they know more than the kids that when to preschool -
they are better socially than kids that have been in daycare/playgroups and are also more used to a daily 'schedual' than other kids which makes transitioning between activities easier - - Id have to ask her but there are a lot more benifits to going to preschool first - she said those kids learn more faster!

just curious - why wouldnt you want to send your lo to preschool?

[mama2j&t]

thanks mamas, i appreciate the input.

Originally Posted by leighi123

just curious - why wouldnt you want to send your lo to preschool?

i never said i didn't want to send my son to p/s. i just don't know that i believe it's a necessity. i was interested in the experiences of those that chose not to

[Lingmom]

It certainly didn't used to be necessary! But these days many kids do go to preschool. I think if you don't want to do it, you could probably get similar effects by signing her up for a structured group activity or classes that involved following directions... perhaps some kind of dance, or sport, or art, or religious education like Sunday school? And just making sure she knows her colors, numbers and letters... It wouldn't hurt for either of you to sit in on a kindergarten class to see if you think she'll be ready for it in the fall.

[messy mama]

Neither of my boys went to Preschool. They had plenty of opportunities to learn socialization through various structured activities/story-times.

My 4 y/o isn't in kindy yet, but he can already read and do simple math along w/ knowing his color, numbers, and letters. He knows how to skip too. I think he'll be fine.

One thing I do notice about both of my boys is that they do not like to sing and do little dancy type things in a group setting. I don't know if that has anything to do w/ not going to preschool. But I really don't care because I hate that kind of stuff too.

Both of my boys were/are older 5's going into kindy.

[s_kristina]

If the child has other places to get used to adults other then mom/dad being in charge then sure it's not needed. Some of the simple social skills can also be learned by doing things like standing in line to get groceries. It might also depend on what children entering kindergarten are expected to know in the school your child will be attending. I've seen lists of things that kindergarten children are supposed to know on entering school that has me :

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by leighi123

just curious - why wouldnt you want to send your lo to preschool?

Oh, I dont' know...maybe it's the $200+ a month or a 7hr day out of the house for a three year old : .

[jauncourt]

Originally Posted by Emmeline II

Oh, I dont' know...maybe it's the $200+ a month or a 7hr day out of the house for a three year old : .

Here, it's 200/week, and there is a long waiting list. DS1 is 4-almost-5 and will be in kindergarten before there's a spot.. Also, he was in preschool last year and had a terrible time with teachers ignoring his IEP (behavioral, family history of severe LDs, sensory issues), labelling him aggressive (he actually isn't - they just ignored his IEP and did exactly what they were not to do, because he's very verbally advanced), and being abusive with food (and using his food sensitivity instructions as an an excuse to do so . We ended up pulling him out, with the blessing of his HeadStart teacher.

So, yeah, no preschool for us. I'm homeschooling instead for preschool, and we slowly transitioning from his preschool schedule to a kindergarten schedule, with activities, 1-hour naptime, scheduled meal/snack, etc. He also does very well in social situations. I have nearly a year to prepare him.

Maura

[Mary-Beth]

I don't see a "need" for preschool.

If you have one and you want to send your child, fine. But you shouldn't feel like your child will fall behind or struggle in Kindergarten if he doesn't attend preschool. I know many kids who skipped preschool and are doing wonderfully in Kindergarten.

[kmeyrick]

I would consult an experienced kindy teacher. Unfortunately, a lot of districts are designing their curriculum based on the presumption that the students have gone to preschool. So ones that don't have suffered. So find out if that's the case in your area. The research has been overwhelmingly positive for preschool- effects that apparently last throughout all the school years. I'll look it up on ERIC.

[Mary-Beth]

So kids don't learn at home?
:

[lerlerler]

We ended up with a great co-op preschool for DD (3 hours, all outside in the southern cali sunshine - and we LOVE it), but we had initially decided to not
to DO preschool... But our town offers a "preschool prep" program, which we thought of doing. It was something like 3 weeks long 3 hours a day, 3 days a week during the summer before kindy, and they basically stressed lining up, raising your hand to go to the bathroom, and dealing with structured days. Plus, it was AT the kindergarten classroom so it got them acclimated.

Yes, it WOULD be great if kindy was for learning that stuff (as it SHOULD be) but we figured, a few days of prep might be helpful...

[UUMom]

Some of my kids went to a play rpgram two mornings a week for two hours , so a total of 4 hours a week. I am not familiar with local preschools here that don't have child care components that meet more than 2-3 hours a day. There are many child care programs that have preschool components, however. But kids don't have to be there the whole day.

Preschool can be lots of fun, but I do not think it's necessary. Our preschool was underwritten by the local synagogue, so it's cost was quite low. My kids loved it and still talk about it. We have sweet photos of fun parent/child activies etc. Most of the time preschool is much more fun and far more appropriate than most kindies, so I have more philosophical issues with school-school for littles than I do for sweet 'preschool' programs. Sometimes i think, go to preschool, skip Kindy. lol

Although my kids had nice Kindy expereinces, too.

[heket]

Originally Posted by kmeyrick

I would consult an experienced kindy teacher. Unfortunately, a lot of districts are designing their curriculum based on the presumption that the students have gone to preschool. So ones that don't have suffered. So find out if that's the case in your area. The research has been overwhelmingly positive for preschool- effects that apparently last throughout all the school years. I'll look it up on ERIC.

You could also say that one could simply check state standards as to what is expected of incoming kindergarteners or what is expected of children enrolled in kinder. One could decided from there if it's worth sending a child to preschool or not. In my state, school is not mandatory until a child turns 6 by December of their enrolling year. If one wanted, they wouldn't have to send a child to kindergarten either.

As for research, I'm sorry, I guess I'm in the "it can easily be skewed to what your preferred outcome would be" camp. I don't buy into the No Child Left Behind Act, and I loathe that in a some of my professional work has to meet my state's First Five standards (it's answer to NCLB.) I have friends who never went to preschool that were still AP students in HS (besides numerous outside activities) that went on to UC and Ivy League schools. I don't think a simple mandate that starting young is the answer. Granted, the world 28-29 years ago isn't what it is now. However, if a child is receiving enough that they could satisfy preschool and adjust to kindergarten while being home, I don't see why institutionalized preschool would be necessary.

My problem with the emphasis on early learning is that to me it's a publicity stunt. We start them young by guiding and nurturing. I can't speak for everywhere, but where I'm at, we have small class sizes from k-3. We focus on all this attention to the kids when they are young. Guess what? Those cute kinders one day get older. From fourth grade up, in my state, forget class size. Now, you're on your own. I just feel we leave them hanging here at the most crucial point of their influential lives. Suddenly they are 'tweens and teens that are so "problematic" or "difficult" to work with during the middle school and high school years. Put hormones aside and look at the fact that we have them crammed into rooms of 35-40 students (well, where I am located, that is.)

Okay, I went off, but I think you get my point. Everyone is focused on preschool. Well, what about what happens after? I don't think that just because you were the kid who could read, write their name and put things nicely away, you will necessarily be the valedictorian of your HS class. Yet, that's the sentiment I get from initiatives like these and the parents who are unquestioning ask to otherwise. Just look at that Tutoring Toddlers article in this forum. : At the end, even those parent conceded that they need to let their child learn at their own pace.

[sofiabugmom]

DD didn't go to preschool first, but we had intended on homeschooling. That was before we moved to a country where it's difficult to HS legally. DDs having some adjustment issues in dealing with set scheduling and joining in on group activities, but the teacher gives us regular progress updates and says she's improving greatly in both.

However, this school did NOT assume she knew how to read when she got here, which she could do pretty well for a five-year-old. Perhaps because it's an international school and many of the kids come in with very little to no English (it's an Anglo-American school). The teacher started with the basics; her first weeks' reading lessons were learning about the letters and the sounds they make.

I don't know what a US school would expect a kindergartener to know. I think a PP made an excellent suggestion to find out from a K teacher as to what they'll be covering during the year.

[heket]

Originally Posted by sofiabugmom

I don't know what a US school would expect a kindergartener to know. I think a PP made an excellent suggestion to find out from a K teacher as to what they'll be covering during the year.

Why not from a local school district instead of the K teacher?

[sofiabugmom]

Originally Posted by heket

Why not from a local school district instead of the K teacher?

Hmm, good question. I guess I said "teacher" because in my case, the school district entity doesn't apply (independent school, legally separate entity from the government educational system).

Either option makes sense: school district would certainly have the state standards and district standards available for parents to review, but the teacher has the hands-on experience of what the kindergarten kids will be taught, and would probably be able to better guide the OP on whether or not preschool would be necessary.

[MamaOutThere]

Yep, dd1 started kindergarten at 5 1/2. No social problems, very confident, walked right in for her first teacher/student conference. Had no clue what an alphabet even was. She'll be skipping a grade next year.