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HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

Last post 09-17-2008, 10:37 PM by simplehealth. 9 replies.
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  •  06-07-2008, 9:56 AM 2076

    HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    I'm the mom of an exceptionally bright 4 year old who just completed Preschool.  He enjoyed the socializing aspect of preschool but had to be challenged daily because he is so bright.  He has been reading for a year now and currently reads and comprehends on a 1st grade level.  He knows all the letters, letter sounds and can write all the letters.  He sounds out words and has quite the vocabulary.  He can write several words.  He can count and is grasping addition.  He is probably more computer savvy than me.  I can't take any credit for any of this.  It has all come naturally.

    The issue in our household is whether to send him onto Pre K next year (he will not turn 5 until November) or to have him tested for Kindergarten.  My husband thinks his little brainiac should go to Kindergarten but I, on the other hand, realize that my little Einstein is a bit immature and may benefit from another year with peers his own age.

     
    I'm looking for advice from parents in similar situations or from teachers who know better than me. 
     

  •  06-08-2008, 10:45 AM 2078 in reply to 2076

    Re: HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    Hi there,

    As a family therapist and school counselor I often get this question.  My bias is generally to keep kids with their same-aged peers, as academic development is not the only focus of the school experience.  Kids also need to develop as emotional and social creatures, and this can be challenging if they regularly attend school with older kids.  Consider that many parents in our area already have their kids begin K a year late for various reasons, chief among them an apparent desire to make their kids more competitive as they age (sports, academic scholarships, etc.) -- though some have valid concerns about their child's maturity or readiness for school.  Whatever the reason for their choices, consider too that generally, girls mature more quickly physically and sometimes emotionally -- so a boy leaping ahead of his age-mates could have classmates a couple of years advanced in areas besides the academic.  This isn't wholly negative, but it means you'll have to contend with certain issues earlier.  Your child's friends may be driving cars, considering sexuality, or experimenting with and considering substance use and abuse earlier than you may be comfortable. 

    As for your child's academic needs, there are wonderful programs already in place in many Illinois public schools that challenge kids who need or want additional challenges. 

    No matter your choice, remember that you are the expert on your child.  For me, while there are endless whiny days when I just wanna drop kick my offspring to the moon (or to college a little early...), I'm occasionally jealous of those parents who thought to keep their kids back a year before beginning kindergarten.  They get to enjoy them at home another year, and can revel in the cozy illusion a tad longer that they can actually insulate their babies from the harsher realities of 'real life' beyond the nest.

    Good luck!

    Jennifer DuBose, M.S., C.A.S.

     

  •  06-10-2008, 9:55 AM 2087 in reply to 2078

    Re: HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    Thank you.  I will certainly share this information with my husband.  Unfortunately, the school district we are in does not offer accelerated programs for my son.  We have him in private school and his preschool teacher was helpful in keeping him challenged, but I'm afraid his teacher next year won't be so helpful.  (We hope to be in a new district before our son starts Pre K)....

    Are there any programs outside of school I can look into?  I was also told that Montessori would be a wonderful experience for my little guy...but it's super expensive (we're on one income right now).  Our park district is just OK (again, we're trying to move).  They offer some nice-sounding programs but are located in a higher-crime area of our town.  Scary.

    Again, I would appreciate any suggestions.  In the meantime, my little smarty pants is so bored that he is cutting his sister's hair.  HELP!


     

  •  06-12-2008, 11:04 AM 2104 in reply to 2087

    Re: HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    I am actually in the same boat. My son is 5, November birthday too, and is exceptionally bright.  His twin sisters are 6 and will be going into the2nd grade and he will be just starting Kindergarten.  My son can read just as good as them, count, add, and even subtract like his them too.  I was told by the district (schaumburg) that they only go by age.  So 5 year old goes into Kindergarten no matter if they are the brightest.  I am still debating on taking him into a private school or homeschooling him.

     

  •  06-12-2008, 11:09 AM 2105 in reply to 2087

    Re: HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    I am actually in the same boat. My son is 5, November birthday too, and is exceptionally bright.  His twin sisters are 6 and will be going into the2nd grade and he will be just starting Kindergarten.  My son can read just as good as them, count, add, and even subtract like his them too.  I was told by the district (schaumburg) that they only go by age.  So 5 year old goes into Kindergarten no matter if they are the brightest.  I am still debating on taking him into a private school or homeschooling him.

    Over the summer I am giving him worksheets that print on the computer so that he doesn't fall behind.  Also crafts and computer games should help him stay out of his sisters hair.  I have to keep them all active all the time.

  •  06-12-2008, 1:40 PM 2112 in reply to 2105

    Re: HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    Does your school in Schaumburg offer an accelerated program for gifted children?  Our district (as well as the private school he attended this past year for Preschool) does not offer one and it is a shame since these are the kids who really slip through the cracks.  They get into more trouble because they get bored with the curriculum and start to act up. 
  •  07-03-2008, 11:14 PM 2231 in reply to 2112

    Re: HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    The Chicago Public School System offers testing for the GEAP program to city residents who think their children would be able to handle the accelerated work load. These schools rank among the best in state. My daughter goes to a  gifted center and we still offer her additional work at home to give her even more info on the subjects she is interested in. There is so much you can do at home in addition to school to give them a well rounded education which the schools don't have budgets for. You can make sure they are challanged. We added musical instruments and additional foreign language education outside of school to keep her mind busy.
  •  08-03-2008, 12:25 AM 2433 in reply to 2076

    Re: HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    As a long-time preschool and kindergarten teacher, and also the parent of kids who were very early readers, I have a few recommendations.

    First--do have him tested. That will give both you and the schools you're considering a firm idea of exactly where he stands. The schools will be able to tell you how he'll fit into their curriculum and how they pan to address his needs.  That will give you more concrete information on which to base your decision. (Having the testing done is also quite helpful in another way--it helps the schools see that your concerns are real, and that you're not just a pushy parent who thinks her kid is more brilliant than anyone else's kid.)

    Secondly-  a little brainiac who is less mature than his peers may not have a good social experience in school. If the school can give him enough academic stimulation so that he doesn't act up out of boredom--and any good preschool should be able to do that--there's no reason to push him ahead.

    Finally-and perhaps more importantly--I wouldn't underestimate the value of kindergarten for your child, regardless of his academic skills. After several years in which the trend in education was more formal teaching at younger and younger ages, we're now beginning to see that kids were suffering from a decreasing amount of time in which to just play. Unstructured free time--time to think, daydream, follow their own interests, and maybe even do nothing--and in your child's case, read--has a great impact on nurturing children's creativity and their enjoyment of learning. He'll spend the rest of his childhood sitting at a desk, so an extra year of a good quality preschool could be a great gift.

    BTW there's an article in the July 28 issue of the New Yorker magazine called "The Eureka Hunt" that discusses the brain science of how people, like inventors, get insights--and unfocused, unstructured time is definitely a factor.

  •  08-05-2008, 4:19 PM 2441 in reply to 2433

    Re: HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    Sorry, what I meant to say in the next-to-last paragraph was, "I wouldn't underestimate the value of PRESCHOOL for your child. (That's what I get for posting at 2:25 AM!)
  •  09-17-2008, 10:37 PM 2731 in reply to 2076

    Re: HELP...Pre K or Kindergarten?!?!?!

    Hi, there,

     

    In my opinion, you should pay more attention to your son's intelligence developments, not Pre K or K. All kids are smart, maybe yours is smarter. However, School will teach your kid knowledge, but not make kids smarter, at this period of time. It is not uncommon to see smart kids fail in school.

    Matt

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