Question on pre-k schooling

[atlnewf]

My son is effectively in pre-k, though he's in a local church school instead of a state sponsored program. I've loved this school, he's been there from MMO on. This year, though, he doesn't seem to be challenged like before. I'm not the only mom that is having this problem. One mom pulled her daughter (one of my son's best friends) today to enroll her in a pre-k that's state sponsored.

My son has been acting as though school has been rather 'boring' the last couple of months, so I started asking around to other moms and trying to get my son to tell me about his day. I finally took the time to spend the day with him in his class, and discovered that it's mostly supervised play time. They have what they call 'centers' which is directed play areas. One area for dress-up, one for building, one for art, etc. They come in, find their name, put it on a board. They then have an "assignment" to count out a particular number of fish before they can go play. Once done, they do table activities (puzzles and such). After everyone is in and has done their fish, they do 'circle time', where they read a story, talk about the days of the week, month, etc. This lasts about 20 minutes. The rest of the morning was spent on 'centers'. Some mornings they have music, one morning a week they have P.E.

This is all great and such, but I talk to moms with kids in different schools and they're doing a LOT more. They're writing letters (in my son's class, they write their names. They haven't gone further.), they're learning spanish, or geography, or other topics. I'm somewhat concerned that my son is going to be behind when he starts Kindergarten next year.

Am I just a worry wart? I'm going to step up my involvement at home. I just picked up word wall set-up today. He has all sorts of software to teach math & reading at home already that he plays, though he hasn't started reading yet. We read stories, but I haven't tried making him read a primer like Jack and Jane.

One of his best friends just moved (last day of school was yesterday). I find out today that the other one is being pulled to go to a different school. He has an interesting mix of kids in his current class, including two who are autistic. But most (from what I've seen) are younger 4's to his 5.

Should I pull him to a state sponsored school, or would supplementing at home be enough? Suggestions?

Ashley

 

[peg2001]

In my most humble but honest opinion, pre-schoolers need ZERO academic work and plenty of time for free play. It sounds to me like the school your child is in handles things perfectly.

It's not a race. Let your son be young and carefree.

Peggy

 

[janette]

Centers are usually very effective in pre-school. Learning should be at a child's pace and they do allow that.

Almost all studies show that kids average out by 3rd grade regardless how early they read. Kids can be taught to read very early but usually it takes longer, the gain is only temporary.

 

[aprilgail2]

My 4 year old daughter gets enough free play time at home and on playdates...I don't feel she needs to do more of it in school...I pay over 2,700 for preschool and I expect them to do a balance of work and play. Its only 3 days a week for 3 1/2 hours a day but they write all their letters already and my daughter can print her first and last name and recognize small words. She is very happy there and loves learning new things. She loves challenge and I think it helps her a lot being in a structured setting. They also have cooking class, a dress up center, a computer room and a library that they use, a music room they do a lot of singing in and a big playground for the warmer weather. They are learning about Monet, Bach, Beethoven and how to count money and tell time. They are studying the ocean right now and when they are done they all go to Red Lobster for lunch.

 

[Arabella Figg 2003]

Originally posted by peg2001
In my most humble but honest opinion, pre-schoolers need ZERO academic work and plenty of time for free play. It sounds to me like the school your child is in handles things perfectly.

It's not a race. Let your son be young and carefree.

Peggy

It sounds to me like you son is bored with "free play" and is looking for something a bit challenging. Learning can be incorporated into fun activities.

I don't believe in pushing academic achievement at a preschool level but I do believe that if a child shows an inclination to stretch that the opportunity to do so be given to the child. It soudns to me like tthe children in that school aren't being given the opportunity to do that.


My younger daughter was a little sponge. In her 3-year-old class, each child was expected to learn how his or her own name looked when an adult wrote it. My daughter not only learned to read her own name, but also learned to read everyone else's name. By four she knew all the alphabet and could count to 100.

No one made her do it, she WANTED to learn. She would have been bored to tears in the school your son attends.

Children should learn at their own pace, especially at the pre-k level. But they shouldn't be denied the opportunity to learn, either.

 

[atlnewf]

Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it. My DH and I are going to take the holiday and sort it all out. My son is asking to be taught to read, so we'll have to take that into consideration.

Ashley

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I suppose I would look around at what is available and teach concepts at home.

 

[cati]

My DD age 3 attends the state sponsored Pre-K program. She absolutely loves it. She is the youngest child in her class, but the teacher says she is also the most popular. She loves to learn. They do sooo much that I am amazed at all she has learned this year. I am one that will back the state sponsored program.

 

[Gupsmom]

We switched preschools for the same reason. We finished off my son's 3 yr old preschool but it was obvious that he was bored with the play-only environment. He basically hated it. He had always been a sponge. We looked around and switched him to a wonderfully balanced preschool. Along with plenty of play time, they had a wonderful curriculum. He loved it.

I also agree that there is no reason to push academics on a 4 yr old...but there is also no reason to hold them back.

Jess

 

[figment95]

I am a pre-k teacher and have been for about 6 years. This is one of my pet peeves. Many 4 and 5 year olds are ready to read, most are not. Many 4 and 5 year olds are ready to write, many are not. Geography and Spanish are not concepts that a 5-year old can truly undrestand. Please don't think that just because the children are playing, they are not learning. Children learn through play. It is not appropriate for children of that age to sit and do worksheets or read text books. Social development is the most important function of preschool. Yes, we do teach phonics and number concepts but in developmentally-appropriate ways. We expose the children to concepts in geography and science but it is always through play. Your child will learn to write in Kindergarten. Did you know that there are many different stlyes of writing and if your child learns a different stlye than his elementary schol uses he will have to re-learn to write? I'm sorry to make this so long, please think about your decicion carefully. Sorry if I sound preachy

 

[Gupsmom]

figment95


By saying that we switched to a more balanced preschool, I didn't mean worksheets. My kids did maybe 5 worksheets the entire year. Our old preschool was more like 2 adults watching kids play for 2 hrs. They did a little craft and the did read a story but that was pretty much it. No learning through play...just play. Our new preschool does painting with different colors and shapes or painting using ice cubes or corn stalks (talking about smooth/rough/colors/ etc). They learned to recognize letters through memory games and bingo. They learned to count with M&M's and stinging beads (as well as to make patterns). Etc etc..

Now, my son was the exception you are talking about. He learned to read at 4. I didn't set out to teach him...he just picked it up. He also learned to write. His preschool teacher (wonderful lady) did give him some games and other toys that were more at his level. She helped him spell words when he asked etc. Well, different style in kindergarten or not, I think it's ridiculous to say that I should have prevented my child from learning something that he wanted to learn and was obviously ready for. I actually had someone tell me that I should make him stop reading. I think that's nuts. Reading and writing early didn't hurt him in K or 1st (he's in first now). He did have to adjust some of his letters to a new style but given that he was able to learn to write the first time, he was definately capable of making the adjustment....w/o sress.

There is such a wide range of what is normal for children. I don't think you should push any young child to learn reading and writing skills, but I think you can do just as much harm by purposely holding them back..

Jess

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by janette

Almost all studies show that kids average out by 3rd grade regardless how early they read. Kids can be taught to read very early but usually it takes longer, the gain is only temporary.

ACK. This is not set in stone. Some kids are ready for more, earlier, and it continues throughout their schooling. If they are socially mature and can handle the academics... why not let them give it a try? The real crime is that, IMO, the majority of these kids are held back.

If your child is ready for learning as a preschooler, then IMO you are doing the right thing trying to find that for him. You may find that he flourishes with the challenges, or you may find that he does not. Either way... you try to do what you feel is right for your child.

Good luck!!!

 

[Gupsmom]

CJMickeyMouse


I completely agree. I want to cringe when I hear that statement (and I've heard it before). It makes me wonder if the reason that kids are reading at the same level at 3rd grade is because we are hold so many children back. Sure, many kids will even out (and that's great), but does it make sense to tell the parent of an advanced 5 yr old reader that they should just hang out for the next 2-3 yrs and wait for the other kids to catch up.

Jess

 

[janette]

An above average child will be ahead by 3rd grade regardless of what they did in pre-school. My oldest DD is now in 6th grade, she did attend an academically based pre-school and was reading in kindergarten. She is still in the advanced programs in school. Some of her friends that are also in the advanced programs didn't attend pre-school at all. They stayed home and played until kindergarten and in the public schools here they don't learn to read. I really can't say that what she did in pre-school has made that much difference in her academics except in the early part of her school career.

Yes they average out, that doesn't mean they are all the same it means that the ones that learned more in pre-school will not maintain an advantage over other children of the same academic ability.

If the child isn't happy at the school it could be for a variety of reasons. With a child that age I'd interview a few schools and when I had it down to a few take your child with you for a visit. I did this when changing schools with my oldest and it worked out well. The school I might have favored she wasn't comfortable with at all. The one she liked had a higher teacher / child ratio but less children in a room. It worked great for her and was a diaster for my youngest. Academics aren't the most important thing, as others have said they are learning so much in their play. A pre-school that understands how a child learns is most important.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by Gupsmom
CJMickeyMouse


I Sure, many kids will even out (and that's great), but does it make sense to tell the parent of an advanced 5 yr old reader that they should just hang out for the next 2-3 yrs and wait for the other kids to catch up.

Jess

When my godson went to Kindergarten he was already reading (he was in the hospital for months and months from 2-5 and did attend preschool when he was feeling well enough for it). After a few months of school he asked his teacher if they would be reading books soon and she replied "Kindergarten kids don't read"...he came home in tears thinking he was doing something wrong!!
My four year old can look at a map with no states written on them and name each state. We hung a big map in her room when she was 2 and put pins in all the states we ha ve visited and she loved asking about each state so much that she memorized where all the states are (I hate to admit that I couldn't even do that in 8th grade!) She can also name the first 10 presidents and is working on the 11th. I have to say that I am learning them along with her, I loved science and computers, Geography and history were subjects I HATED so I never paid much attention way back when I was in school! My brother is a history teacher so he teaches her about presidents as does the young man next door who is also a history teacher...as a joke they told her who the first presiden was and from there she just kept going! Santa is brining her an electronic president toy with all the presidnet on there, you push one and it tells you his name, where he was from, when he served and who his vice president was, she is going to love it!