Every time a thread starts the debate about when kids should start kindergarten, I think of a conversation that I had with a friend (I was wondering if I should enroll my just turned 5 son in kindergarten). My friend's husband is a native Kiwi who moved to the states to marry her. She said that in the NZ school system, children enroll into level 0 when they turn 5. If they enroll between July and December, they are passed onto Level 1 the next year. If they enroll between December and July, they stay in Level 0 for the next year.
Isn't it amazing? No huge debates about whether kids are ready for school, testing, age cutoffs. Whenever your child turns 5, they can start. They are required to start by age 6. The teachers have a steady stream of new students enrolling throughout the year, which I think is interesting from a classroom management point of view.
Here is a link if you would like to read more.
What do you think? If there are any Kiwi parents or teachers, I would love to hear what you have to say about this system, whether it works. I am also curious to hear about education policies in other countries.
Isn't it amazing? No huge debates about whether kids are ready for school, testing, age cutoffs. Whenever your child turns 5, they can start. They are required to start by age 6. The teachers have a steady stream of new students enrolling throughout the year, which I think is interesting from a classroom management point of view.
Here is a link if you would like to read more.
What do you think? If there are any Kiwi parents or teachers, I would love to hear what you have to say about this system, whether it works. I am also curious to hear about education policies in other countries.
