How is Kindergarten/Pre-K going?

Lucy · Senior Member

How is Kindergarten/Pre-K going?

supergrover · Guru

Koda is continuing in preK this year. I continue to struggle a little bit with having him there. It isn't quite the right fit, but K isn't even close to an option either. Really, I just need to be a full time SAHM so we can get to homeschooling, but that is one year off.

He has the same head teachers, new student teachers. Quite a few of the kids are returners, though I struggle most because he is so much bigger than the others there (he is already a HUGE 5 year old, so it is even more obvious. I don't think he notices or cares, it just bothers me- which is lame)

No bus. The school is literally on the other side of a huge univerisity parking lot.

Given the options we had, I KNOW this was the best one. It just isn't perfect.

He's happy, lol, it is his mom who overthinks everything.

Juni · Guru

Great, great, great! We love it. I LOVE his school. I am beyond happy we got in. I love his teacher. This is her first year teaching Kindergarten and was a first grade teacher before. I'm really happy about that because she is used to the younger kids but also knows what is expected in 1st grade so I think she will get them ready for 1st grade really well. She is really sweet and a total kid person so I really like that.

Gavin has strengthened his friendship with a little boy. They are in the same church class but he never really talked about him or hung out with him outside of church. They ride the bus home together and he talked about him and I'm happy about that. He is a nice little boy. They also live on the street right over from us so that is great.

He has had a little bit of homework. One thing last week - draw your favorite part about the first week of school. He had some this week but I think it was more things he missed during school because he was out sick two days. I am going to talk to Doug because he brings the kids home. I want Gavin to get in the habit of coming home, checking homework and getting to work on it. When it gets to be more actual work (and hopefully I will be home by then) we will do a snack first and then homework. He has no issues about homework. He is my rule follower so he just sits right down and gets to work. He is really doing great and I am so proud of him!

3s_a_crowd · Guru

Kaylen loves it. She does have homework maybe once or twice a week. Its just cursive pages to work on. I do have her do it right after she eats lunch.

Juanita · Guru

3s_a_crowd wrote:

Kaylen loves it. She does have homework maybe once or twice a week. Its just cursive pages to work on. I do have her do it right after she eats lunch.

cursive??? most Kindergartners are just learning how to write and K's already learning cursive?

WOW!

-- Edited by Juanita on Friday 10th of September 2010 05:32:26 PM

Juanita · Guru

SG loves it!!!! Although we've had to miss 2 days already because of pink eye, and she cried because she couldn't go to school, haha

3s_a_crowd · Guru

Juanita wrote:

3s_a_crowd wrote:

Kaylen loves it. She does have homework maybe once or twice a week. Its just cursive pages to work on. I do have her do it right after she eats lunch.

cursive??? most Kindergartners are just learning how to write and K's already learning cursive?

WOW!

-- Edited by Juanita on Friday 10th of September 2010 05:32:26 PM

I know I was shocked too. I guess Abeka just starts cursive instead.

Juanita · Guru

3s_a_crowd wrote:

Juanita wrote:

3s_a_crowd wrote:

Kaylen loves it. She does have homework maybe once or twice a week. Its just cursive pages to work on. I do have her do it right after she eats lunch.

cursive??? most Kindergartners are just learning how to write and K's already learning cursive?

WOW!

-- Edited by Juanita on Friday 10th of September 2010 05:32:26 PM
I know I was shocked too. I guess Abeka just starts cursive instead.

seems like I was in 3rd grade when we started learning cursive..i think it was 3rd, I don't know, that was 100 years ago, haha

supergrover · Guru

Juanita wrote:

3s_a_crowd wrote:

Juanita wrote:

3s_a_crowd wrote:

Kaylen loves it. She does have homework maybe once or twice a week. Its just cursive pages to work on. I do have her do it right after she eats lunch.

cursive??? most Kindergartners are just learning how to write and K's already learning cursive?

WOW!

-- Edited by Juanita on Friday 10th of September 2010 05:32:26 PM
I know I was shocked too. I guess Abeka just starts cursive instead.

seems like I was in 3rd grade when we started learning cursive..i think it was 3rd, I don't know, that was 100 years ago, haha

Did you know some schools don't even teach it now? We have students that can't read cursive! Crazy to me!

Domimom · Senior Member

Dominic loves kindergarten, his teacher is awesome, this is also her first year teaching kindergarten, she has taught 1st, 3rd and 4th grades but just had a baby in December and wants to do half day. He has not had any homework yet but probably next week, I know she has to get their binders ready. Her classroom is pirate/sea life themed and they get jewels to put in sand buckets for good behavior, when they get 30 they get to pick a prize. He has made a few friends and we leave a little bit early so he can play for about 15 minutes before school starts. It is really cute to see him with the other kids and line up with them. The thing that sucks is that I think I have a job after 18 months of being laid off and if it is for sure I will have to take him out of the kindergarten and put him in the daycare he was in before because they have an all day kindergarten class. They have daycares that transport but I don't trust them and it is $130 a week and the full day kg is $160 so I would rather he be in 1 place all day and me not have to worry, I hate to pull him out but I don't really have a choice, I took him by the daycare and alot of the kids remembered him and at least he won't have been in this class too long but it still sucks. At least it is now and not in the middle of the school year.

Lucy · Senior Member

supergrover wrote:

Koda is continuing in preK this year. I continue to struggle a little bit with having him there. It isn't quite the right fit, but K isn't even close to an option either. Really, I just need to be a full time SAHM so we can get to homeschooling, but that is one year off.

He has the same head teachers, new student teachers. Quite a few of the kids are returners, though I struggle most because he is so much bigger than the others there (he is already a HUGE 5 year old, so it is even more obvious. I don't think he notices or cares, it just bothers me- which is lame)

No bus. The school is literally on the other side of a huge univerisity parking lot.

Given the options we had, I KNOW this was the best one. It just isn't perfect.

He's happy, lol, it is his mom who overthinks everything.

Doesn't the overthinking thing suck? I do it too, I think it is part of being a mom but really I get on my own nerves sometimes spinning myself in circles over the decisions I make for them.

Lucy · Senior Member

Juni wrote:

Great, great, great! We love it. I LOVE his school. I am beyond happy we got in. I love his teacher. This is her first year teaching Kindergarten and was a first grade teacher before. I'm really happy about that because she is used to the younger kids but also knows what is expected in 1st grade so I think she will get them ready for 1st grade really well. She is really sweet and a total kid person so I really like that.

Gavin has strengthened his friendship with a little boy. They are in the same church class but he never really talked about him or hung out with him outside of church. They ride the bus home together and he talked about him and I'm happy about that. He is a nice little boy. They also live on the street right over from us so that is great.

He has had a little bit of homework. One thing last week - draw your favorite part about the first week of school. He had some this week but I think it was more things he missed during school because he was out sick two days. I am going to talk to Doug because he brings the kids home. I want Gavin to get in the habit of coming home, checking homework and getting to work on it. When it gets to be more actual work (and hopefully I will be home by then) we will do a snack first and then homework. He has no issues about homework. He is my rule follower so he just sits right down and gets to work. He is really doing great and I am so proud of him!

That is so good for you that you have found a good fit for him. He is at an arts school right? Do you think you will send Owen there too? Will it fit his personality?

btw you are soooo lucky that he is a rule follower!

Lucy · Senior Member

Joe is liking kindergarten ok. I wouldn't say he loves it but he does go willingly everyday and seems to have a good time while he is there. He really likes his teacher, another first year teaching K, he taught 3rd before this year.

Homework is our problem spot right now. He just has homework on fridays and it only needs to be handed in the following thursday but I'm so worried about forgetting about it that I make him do it as soon as he gets home off the bus so that we can put it finished in his bag ready to go back on monday. Plus I want to get him into a routine of just doing and getting it out of the way so he can enjoy his weekend. Getting him to concentrate at 4pm on a friday after a long day at school though is hard work. I might have to find a regular time over the weekend though to fit it into (sunday morning maybe?).

Anyway all in all things are going good. I don't think he has a particular friend yet but is going to the birthday party of the girl he sits next to tomorrow and it will be interesting to see how he is with everyone. He is very sociable but can be a little eccentric and bossy and it can put some kids off so I'm curious about tomorrow.

kdrew · Guru

Super happy with my decision to keep her in pre-k.

She's going to have such a leg up next year and will be totally ready at that point.

She's just a bit more mature than the kids in her class but still definitely not Kindergarten mature.

I like that she's not the baby now. It'll be interesting to see how much she changes this year.

Side note - next year will be the only year ever that my 3 kids will be at the same school. Unless Jack does the 8 year college plan.

Juni · Guru

Lucy wrote:

Juni wrote:

Great, great, great! We love it. I LOVE his school. I am beyond happy we got in. I love his teacher. This is her first year teaching Kindergarten and was a first grade teacher before. I'm really happy about that because she is used to the younger kids but also knows what is expected in 1st grade so I think she will get them ready for 1st grade really well. She is really sweet and a total kid person so I really like that.

Gavin has strengthened his friendship with a little boy. They are in the same church class but he never really talked about him or hung out with him outside of church. They ride the bus home together and he talked about him and I'm happy about that. He is a nice little boy. They also live on the street right over from us so that is great.

He has had a little bit of homework. One thing last week - draw your favorite part about the first week of school. He had some this week but I think it was more things he missed during school because he was out sick two days. I am going to talk to Doug because he brings the kids home. I want Gavin to get in the habit of coming home, checking homework and getting to work on it. When it gets to be more actual work (and hopefully I will be home by then) we will do a snack first and then homework. He has no issues about homework. He is my rule follower so he just sits right down and gets to work. He is really doing great and I am so proud of him!

That is so good for you that you have found a good fit for him. He is at an arts school right? Do you think you will send Owen there too? Will it fit his personality?

btw you are soooo lucky that he is a rule follower!

Yep, an arts school. I was worried that it might not be a good fit for Owen but I'm not anymore. It's really not so different from the regular public school it just has more art offerings but it is in the form of so many different things - foreign language, drama, music, etc. so it's just a little bit different. Their philosophy there is more in line with what mine is too so I like that.

I am definitely lucky he is a rule follower but don't be too jealous - I still have Owen to deal with. ;)

LucsMama · Senior Member

Lucas just finished his second week. He is really loving it and loving riding the bus. He gets sent home a sheet that tells how he did all that day. This week was all smiley faces. The week before was 4 smiles and 1 straight face. Both weeks he got to pick a "prize" for good behavior (blue playdoh, and a hot wheel)

He has had homework but it was practicing writing his name and writing how he got his name. He had the whole week to do it (that's how they will always do it... come home Monday and due on Friday)

They've been doing color of the day and he's really liked bringing in something that represents that color for a mini show and tell.

Alicia · Senior Member

She still loves school and her teachers. She gets a homework packet on Friday and due back the next Friday. Didn't even touch it until Tuesday and that was a mistake. She liked doing everything in it but not something that could be done all at once. She also has a reading log that is considered homework.

Alicia · Senior Member

Lucy wrote:

Joe is liking kindergarten ok. I wouldn't say he loves it but he does go willingly everyday and seems to have a good time while he is there. He really likes his teacher, another first year teaching K, he taught 3rd before this year.

Homework is our problem spot right now. He just has homework on fridays and it only needs to be handed in the following thursday but I'm so worried about forgetting about it that I make him do it as soon as he gets home off the bus so that we can put it finished in his bag ready to go back on monday. Plus I want to get him into a routine of just doing and getting it out of the way so he can enjoy his weekend. Getting him to concentrate at 4pm on a friday after a long day at school though is hard work. I might have to find a regular time over the weekend though to fit it into (sunday morning maybe?).

Anyway all in all things are going good. I don't think he has a particular friend yet but is going to the birthday party of the girl he sits next to tomorrow and it will be interesting to see how he is with everyone. He is very sociable but can be a little eccentric and bossy and it can put some kids off so I'm curious about tomorrow.

Homework/study time was where I went wrong with my DS and I don't want to repeat that with Raven. I want to set a time(maybe 15 mins) everyday. I'm still trying to find the best time to do it. I don't like doing it right after school. Maybe right after supper.

Lucy · Senior Member

Alicia wrote:

Lucy wrote:

Joe is liking kindergarten ok. I wouldn't say he loves it but he does go willingly everyday and seems to have a good time while he is there. He really likes his teacher, another first year teaching K, he taught 3rd before this year.

Homework is our problem spot right now. He just has homework on fridays and it only needs to be handed in the following thursday but I'm so worried about forgetting about it that I make him do it as soon as he gets home off the bus so that we can put it finished in his bag ready to go back on monday. Plus I want to get him into a routine of just doing and getting it out of the way so he can enjoy his weekend. Getting him to concentrate at 4pm on a friday after a long day at school though is hard work. I might have to find a regular time over the weekend though to fit it into (sunday morning maybe?).

Anyway all in all things are going good. I don't think he has a particular friend yet but is going to the birthday party of the girl he sits next to tomorrow and it will be interesting to see how he is with everyone. He is very sociable but can be a little eccentric and bossy and it can put some kids off so I'm curious about tomorrow.

Homework/study time was where I went wrong with my DS and I don't want to repeat that with Raven. I want to set a time(maybe 15 mins) everyday. I'm still trying to find the best time to do it. I don't like doing it right after school. Maybe right after supper.

Yeah I'm thinking that after supper would work well for homework. We already do our reading journal at that time but I could shift that to just after school.We will try that for a week or so. I really want to have a set time for this stuff. Then if he doesn't have homework to do he can do some extra reading at that time. I don't think we have enough time in our day for everything we need to do.

JenM · Senior Member

Jillian is in full day kinder and it's going very well :) She is in a charter school (along with Ryan). This is our first year here, and so far with her I really like it. She enjoys going every day, and has made friends. She comes home everyday and tells me all about the other 2 girls.

The school is a "no homework" school for Kinders, but you can request work for them to do. So we have, and she's been very good with it. In fact, if I don't remind her to go and sit immediately after school she tells me "Mom, I need to do my homework" lol. I make them both sit and have snack and then homework, because Ryan is getting to an age to start habits and I don't want to deal with it later.

She's getting good behavior awards almost everyday, so I'm really proud of her.

Anyways our only issue is still mornings. She's so damn tired in the am no matter how early she's in bed. She is NOT a morning person (like before 8, we have to be up at 6:30) so sometimes we are scrambling trying to eat breakfast and do hair.

All in all, this are going very well. Although its so weird not having her home all day with me!