Another Kindergarten update

kdrew · Guru

Another Kindergarten update

CoffeeQueen · Guru

That is great that they confirmed that for you.

I think there is no sense of pushing a kid through because of the age. Wait, how old is Sarah? If she did not start Kingergarten until 2010 then she would graduate in 2023, no? Am I counting wrong ?

Why did you have to type out how old you will be. I do not want to think of age.

kdrew · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

That is great that they confirmed that for you.

I think there is no sense of pushing a kid through because of the age. Wait, how old is Sarah? If she did not start Kingergarten until 2010 then she would graduate in 2023, no? Am I counting wrong ?

Why did you have to type out how old you will be. I do not want to think of age.

No I wrote that she'll start in 2011.

Yeah, I thought you'd all love the age thing. LOL.

Makes me not feel so bad about turning 40 next year.

muffy · Guru

Cecile was 2 days on the wrong side of the school cutoff. I decided to hold her back that year instead of trying to push her forward. I am SO thankful I did - you are right, that extra maturity really helps.

I think you absolutely made the right decision here!

dorian · Senior Member

just wanted to add that we've made a final decision for Cole too, he'll be doing a 'bridge' program next year for kids not quite ready for full on Kinder

Marc is super hestitant, but I think cole's maturity and self confidence will greatly benefit from the extra year to get his bearings

the extra year will also give us time to figure out what we will do about his schooling, we've already been burned by the public schools in the area but private school isn't exactly in our budget either...so we'll see

kdrew · Guru

kdrew wrote:

oops I meant to say she's doing another year of preschool, not Kindergarten.

Duh.

-- Edited by kdrew on Wednesday 18th of November 2009 03:14:50 PM

daisy · Guru

cool, sounds like the right choice, and it's very nice that you have experience with these teachers already kwim?
definitely puts more weight into their input.
in what ways are the other girls more mature?
i'm just wondering bc i'm seeing SO many different things in the girls in R"s class lately. R is by and large among the shyest, but the teachers say she's keeping up just fine (i havent directly asked if she was ready for K though). i know academically she's ready.
i dont think i'd hold R back on teh basis of shyness....but i am seeing huge ranges in social behaviors among the girls. just wondering what youre seeing among sarah and her friends.

kdrew · Guru

daisy wrote:

cool, sounds like the right choice, and it's very nice that you have experience with these teachers already kwim?
definitely puts more weight into their input.
in what ways are the other girls more mature?
i'm just wondering bc i'm seeing SO many different things in the girls in R"s class lately. R is by and large among the shyest, but the teachers say she's keeping up just fine (i havent directly asked if she was ready for K though). i know academically she's ready.
i dont think i'd hold R back on teh basis of shyness....but i am seeing huge ranges in social behaviors among the girls. just wondering what youre seeing among sarah and her friends.

The most noticeable to me is the way they talk.

They speak very clearly where Sarah still talks like a baby and you can't understand what she's saying a lot of the time. It's the context too. They have more "big girl" conversations and Sarah still has one sentence interactions.

It's just really obvious.

Also, and I'm not banking her whole school career on this, LMAO, but most of them are into Hannah Montana and older stuff where Sarah just asked to watch a Blue's Clues DVD the other day. LOL.

Most of them can write their names, she can only do a couple of letters.

Stuff like that.

Secretly I'm OK with it because she's my baby and I get one more year with her.

daisy · Guru

kdrew wrote:

daisy wrote:

cool, sounds like the right choice, and it's very nice that you have experience with these teachers already kwim?
definitely puts more weight into their input.
in what ways are the other girls more mature?
i'm just wondering bc i'm seeing SO many different things in the girls in R"s class lately. R is by and large among the shyest, but the teachers say she's keeping up just fine (i havent directly asked if she was ready for K though). i know academically she's ready.
i dont think i'd hold R back on teh basis of shyness....but i am seeing huge ranges in social behaviors among the girls. just wondering what youre seeing among sarah and her friends.

The most noticeable to me is the way they talk.

They speak very clearly where Sarah still talks like a baby and you can't understand what she's saying a lot of the time. It's the context too. They have more "big girl" conversations and Sarah still has one sentence interactions.

It's just really obvious.

Also, and I'm not banking her whole school career on this, LMAO, but most of them are into Hannah Montana and older stuff where Sarah just asked to watch a Blue's Clues DVD the other day. LOL.

Most of them can write their names, she can only do a couple of letters.

Stuff like that.

Secretly I'm OK with it because she's my baby and I get one more year with her.

oh ok, i see. it's amazing how the girls are already into hannah montana right?? i'm seeing that too - we're still on little bear here - LOL.

Juanita · Guru

daisy wrote:

kdrew wrote:

daisy wrote:

cool, sounds like the right choice, and it's very nice that you have experience with these teachers already kwim?
definitely puts more weight into their input.
in what ways are the other girls more mature?
i'm just wondering bc i'm seeing SO many different things in the girls in R"s class lately. R is by and large among the shyest, but the teachers say she's keeping up just fine (i havent directly asked if she was ready for K though). i know academically she's ready.
i dont think i'd hold R back on teh basis of shyness....but i am seeing huge ranges in social behaviors among the girls. just wondering what youre seeing among sarah and her friends.

The most noticeable to me is the way they talk.

They speak very clearly where Sarah still talks like a baby and you can't understand what she's saying a lot of the time. It's the context too. They have more "big girl" conversations and Sarah still has one sentence interactions.

It's just really obvious.

Also, and I'm not banking her whole school career on this, LMAO, but most of them are into Hannah Montana and older stuff where Sarah just asked to watch a Blue's Clues DVD the other day. LOL.

Most of them can write their names, she can only do a couple of letters.

Stuff like that.

Secretly I'm OK with it because she's my baby and I get one more year with her.

oh ok, i see. it's amazing how the girls are already into hannah montana right?? i'm seeing that too - we're still on little bear here - LOL.

SG does it all, lol. She watches everything from Little Bill to ICarly, lol

Juanita · Guru

I think that you know what's best for Sarah.

Although, SG can't write her name, this is just her first year of preschool and they've only gotten to letter H so far. I guess by the time school starts next year they will have finished the alphabet.

supergrover · Guru

Juanita wrote:

daisy wrote:

kdrew wrote:

daisy wrote:

cool, sounds like the right choice, and it's very nice that you have experience with these teachers already kwim?
definitely puts more weight into their input.
in what ways are the other girls more mature?
i'm just wondering bc i'm seeing SO many different things in the girls in R"s class lately. R is by and large among the shyest, but the teachers say she's keeping up just fine (i havent directly asked if she was ready for K though). i know academically she's ready.
i dont think i'd hold R back on teh basis of shyness....but i am seeing huge ranges in social behaviors among the girls. just wondering what youre seeing among sarah and her friends.

The most noticeable to me is the way they talk.

They speak very clearly where Sarah still talks like a baby and you can't understand what she's saying a lot of the time. It's the context too. They have more "big girl" conversations and Sarah still has one sentence interactions.

It's just really obvious.

Also, and I'm not banking her whole school career on this, LMAO, but most of them are into Hannah Montana and older stuff where Sarah just asked to watch a Blue's Clues DVD the other day. LOL.

Most of them can write their names, she can only do a couple of letters.

Stuff like that.

Secretly I'm OK with it because she's my baby and I get one more year with her.

oh ok, i see. it's amazing how the girls are already into hannah montana right?? i'm seeing that too - we're still on little bear here - LOL.

SG does it all, lol. She watches everything from Little Bill to ICarly, lol

Koda has suddenly become too cool for playhouse disney on many days... idc, its that or christmas music. I have a hate for nick, I'm not even sure why. Probably all the commercials that Koda suddenly thinks he NEEDS more stuff.

kdrew · Guru

Juanita wrote:

I think that you know what's best for Sarah.

Although, SG can't write her name, this is just her first year of preschool and they've only gotten to letter H so far. I guess by the time school starts next year they will have finished the alphabet.

Last year in preschool they would come in every morning and wash their hands and then go to a table, find their name, and then get a piece of paper and try to write it.

Half of the class could do it by at least February.

They still practice all the time so it's not like she hasn't had the time to learn it.

Which is totally fine, I'm not worried, but when comparing her to the kids that she'd be going to Kindergarten with next year, I can tell that she'd struggle seeing where they all are.

Juanita · Guru

kdrew wrote:

Juanita wrote:

I think that you know what's best for Sarah.

Although, SG can't write her name, this is just her first year of preschool and they've only gotten to letter H so far. I guess by the time school starts next year they will have finished the alphabet.

Last year in preschool they would come in every morning and wash their hands and then go to a table, find their name, and then get a piece of paper and try to write it.

Half of the class could do it by at least February.

They still practice all the time so it's not like she hasn't had the time to learn it.

Which is totally fine, I'm not worried, but when comparing her to the kids that she'd be going to Kindergarten with next year, I can tell that she'd struggle seeing where they all are.

I think you're a great mommy

plus it gives me something to be on the lookout for with SG!

daisy · Guru

kdrew wrote:

Juanita wrote:

I think that you know what's best for Sarah.

Although, SG can't write her name, this is just her first year of preschool and they've only gotten to letter H so far. I guess by the time school starts next year they will have finished the alphabet.

Last year in preschool they would come in every morning and wash their hands and then go to a table, find their name, and then get a piece of paper and try to write it.

Half of the class could do it by at least February.

They still practice all the time so it's not like she hasn't had the time to learn it.

Which is totally fine, I'm not worried, but when comparing her to the kids that she'd be going to Kindergarten with next year, I can tell that she'd struggle seeing where they all are.

i overheard our teacher telling a mom today that she needs to start working more with her daughter on name writing.
i was surprised. 1) she shouldnt have had that convo in earshot of other moms, and 2) it's only november. like jen said, i feel like there's still so much time in the school year to learn this stuff.
i can remember learning to write my name in preschool and skipping the "e" everytime bc of the round part - the K, Ls, and Y were nice and easy - lmao.

kdrew · Guru

daisy wrote:

kdrew wrote:

Juanita wrote:

I think that you know what's best for Sarah.

Although, SG can't write her name, this is just her first year of preschool and they've only gotten to letter H so far. I guess by the time school starts next year they will have finished the alphabet.

Last year in preschool they would come in every morning and wash their hands and then go to a table, find their name, and then get a piece of paper and try to write it.

Half of the class could do it by at least February.

They still practice all the time so it's not like she hasn't had the time to learn it.

Which is totally fine, I'm not worried, but when comparing her to the kids that she'd be going to Kindergarten with next year, I can tell that she'd struggle seeing where they all are.

i overheard our teacher telling a mom today that she needs to start working more with her daughter on name writing.
i was surprised. 1) she shouldnt have had that convo in earshot of other moms, and 2) it's only november. like jen said, i feel like there's still so much time in the school year to learn this stuff.
i can remember learning to write my name in preschool and skipping the "e" everytime bc of the round part - the K, Ls, and Y were nice and easy - lmao.

I guess I also compare her to where Jack and Ryan were at this point with letters and writing and speaking.

I will say one thing, that girl can scissor like there's no tomorrow. LOL

happylib · Guru

Kristi, I think it's great that you have a teacher that you can trust so much to help you in making that decision. We have not decided if we are going to send E to kindergarten next year or not. I am actually leaning toward waiting, but I don't know that dh is on board with it. I am with you. I think it's better to have them able to jump right in and go then have to struggle to keep up (even if it's just a little bit). Frankly, I think it's just fine to let them take their time and be little kids. It's not like they will ever have this chance again.

mally · Senior Member

kdrew wrote:

We have pretty much made our decision to have Sarah do another year of preschool. Unless she makes huge strides by next Sept.

I always ask the 4yo preschool teachers at the spring conferences if they think the kids are ready for Kindergarten and for both of the boys they said absolutely.

Both boys had one of the teachers that Sarah has now, I always request her for the 4yo class because she's so observant of the kids and I totally respect her opinion.

Well, early/priority preschool registration is due in a couple if weeks so this morning 2 of Sarah's teachers pulled me aside and suggested that she not go to Kindergarten next year and stay for the pre-K class at the preschool instead.

Nothing like hearing that to finalize my decision. She's so obviously not as mature as the other girls in her class.

So I'm actually excited that she'll possibly be a bit more mature than the other kids and have a leg up when she actually does start in 2011.

I've always kicked myself for not holding Jack back when I see the boys who did get held back. They just seem to struggle so much less.

So that's the deal. Sarah will officially be the class of 2024.

And I'll be 54 years old when she graduates.

-- Edited by kdrew on Wednesday 18th of November 2009 03:15:13 PM

I will be doing the same for Christopher. My girls were more than ready. He is so different.

Boots and Bananas · Guru

Obviously Lucas's situation is slightly different but he will more then likely be held out too. I had his conference yesterday (which I will post about later when I have more time) and basically told his teacher not to try to push him through because she thinks that's what I would want her to do. It is exactly the opposite of that, I would much rather he have another year of preschool then lose skills in Kindergarten where the class is bigger and he doesnt have as much one on one interaction.

I don't get to see many kids his age that function at normal maturity skill/levels but I know just based on my niece and nephew who are younger then him he still lacks in so many areas.

YAY for July 05'ers in the class of 2024 LOL

Sara · Guru

Owen will also be held back. You saying that about Jack on facebook to me was one thing among many that helped seal our decision on it.

Owen is more than ready academically. But the trend around here is to hold your child back. So knowing that Owen will be a brand new five year old in there where some kids are over a year older then him just really turns me off to the whole idea. That and he is small for his age, even though he is a little spit fire. ;)

I have went back and forth until I was blue in the face and have consulted so many teachers and friends.

In the end you will never find one person who says they regret the decision to hold their child back so that is what we are going with.