Skipping Kindergarten... an update

[EthansMom]

Before you make a decision, I'd highly recommend talking with the school's teacher(s) and having them evaluate your child. You don't want him to be bored, yet you also don't want him to always be the "last" one done with his paper.

That is what we're doing on Friday. We're meeting with the Kindergarten teacher to have her assess DS's abilities. DS will just "coast along" unless he's given something challenging to do, so it's possible that he could be in a classroom for a while before the teacher realized his potential. In all likelihood, DS WON'T skip Kindergarten, but I would feel better to have his Kindergarten teacher have a better grasp of where he's at curriculum-wise.

 

[Daxx]

How is your child's reading comprehension and recall of the stories/poems and details!? Can your child relay the story in order? Can your child sequence a series of 4 events that occured in a story?

I have Kdg. students that come to me knowing how to "read" ... although many memorize words and aren't sounding them out. Regardless, they lack comprehension skills about what they've read.

In many Kdg. classes, it's a rarity that kids come in NOT knowing their letters, letter sounds, how to print, how to add, subtract, and many of the things you've mentioned that your child has accomplished. Does your child recognize numbers through 100 randomly? If you give him/her a number, can he/she print it out? How about counting objects to 100 -- point and count.

As for printing ... your child needs to master printing skills for 1st grade as they're taking spelling tests and doing a lot of writing (at least in my school). My Kdg. students are all writing extensively off the board by February.

I don't know about your school, but in my school, my students are taught addition and subtraction in March and they learn how to figure things out using algebra. For example, they're given

**** + = 7

____ + ____ = 7

so they count the stars in the first row and add the number. Then they put a star in the second row and see if it equals 7. If not, they add another star. Once they've filled in enough stars in the second row to get a total of 7 stars, they fill in how many stars are in each row. After that, they are shown the same problem and are taught to figure it out using subtraction. IE:

**** + = 7

4 + _____ = 7

7 - 4 = ______

Yep, that in Kdg.!

I don't know if your Kdg. curriculum is as intense as mine is. But, my students have to know a TON before they leave my classroom. It's no longer cutting, pasting and learning the ABC's.

A good teacher, worth his/her salt, will find ways to challenge those who are "ahead" of the game. In my classroom, I break my students into 3 groups -- at level, below level and advanced. My advanced kids are doing more intense work than the at -or- below level kids. I make sure each child gets what they need ... and then some.

I am honestly surprised that your school only has a half-day program for Kdg. How are these kids ever prepared for 1st grade?! With our Kdg. curriculum, I'm often amazed that I'm able to squeeze it all in by the end of the year!

 

[Mary Anne]

First off I admit I did not read the whole thread but Daxx when I read your reply, I knew immediately you were a NYState teacher by what was being taught so I had to go back and sure enough I was right.

My son, who is starting his first year of college in September was taught how to read by Christmas of his Kdg year (and that was 1993/94 school year. We had went to school for a full day and had homework. I don't know about other states but NYS kids are challanged in Kdg.

 

[Sleeping~Beauty]

Actually, it looks like she is left-handed, so it may be more that I need to fix the mouse for her to use with that hand. Actually, if anyone has any ideas for helping a lefty with writing, I could use help there too!

Momtoalix, you can get a wireless mouse. We have one and it is so much better. My husband and I are both left-handed, but my DS3 appears to use his right hand a lot more. It's really easy to switch it from side to side.

As for teaching her to write, allow her to use the left hand and don't make an issue out of the left hand. When I was little the teachers would only show right-handed, and then say, "And lefties do the opposite". Which was a terrible way to teach to a lefty. And it would be upsetting when teachers got upset with me for being lefty.

 

[Divamomto3]

She's 11 now & just finished 7th grade on Monday.
Summer is here...hooray!!

Just curious...my son is 13 and just graduated from 8th grade...is it hard for her socially due to her young age? I imagine it doesn't matter in first grade or even 5th grade, but I imagine as the whole "teen" thing starts...driving, dating, going out, etc, it would be very hard for a kid to be so much younger than the rest of their classmates. My other son is 11 and just finishing 5th grade. He's in no way as mature as a 7th grader, nor does he have the same interests.

I just think there's more to being in a "grade" than just the school work. Just my opinion though.

 

[Divamomto3]

DS knows his phonics and can read books with consonants, short vowels, and is working on the long vowels and mixed letter sounds (like "th", "ch", "sh", "ph"). He is only just recently interested in sitting down and writing his letters, though, so we're working on practicing his upper and lower case printing.

I'm not convinced that DS is ready for First Grade, but I know he'll be more advanced than the Kindergarten curriculum and want make sure that they can offer him a challenge, where possible.

As far as socially, I don't think skipping would be much of a problem. We have a small school with only one class per grade (except for this fall's K which is split). And DS knows kids who will be in the First Grade class as well as the Kindergarten class.

At least, the school is taking me seriously and his teacher will have a better idea which curriculum DS will need.

I would just let him sit down and learn to write the letters in kindergarten. And I haven't read all the responses yet, but there is definitely something to be said for being the smartest kid in the class. It wouldn't be a bad thing! And please believe me...other mothers can back me up here..."social" in first grade and "social" in 8th grade are 2 completely different things. There is really so much more to kindergarten than simply the school work.

 

[nuke]

I never taught my son to read. By four or so he knew a lot of sight words. All we did was start with the ABC's when he started talking and we had a magnadoodle that we would do the letters and numbers on. After he knew the letters by site we would do the a sounds like, b sounds like etc. He thought it was fun.

 

[daisyduck123]

Just curious...my son is 13 and just graduated from 8th grade...is it hard for her socially due to her young age? I imagine it doesn't matter in first grade or even 5th grade, but I imagine as the whole "teen" thing starts...driving, dating, going out, etc, it would be very hard for a kid to be so much younger than the rest of their classmates. My other son is 11 and just finishing 5th grade. He's in no way as mature as a 7th grader, nor does he have the same interests.

I just think there's more to being in a "grade" than just the school work. Just my opinion though.

No, it actually has been smooth sailing with her. Everything really worked out for the best. She has always been physically taller...she's 5'5" and got her period at 10, when her 11 & 12 year old friends still hadn't gotten theirs.

Emotionally, she is the same as the other kids. When her Algebra teacher found out she'd skipped a grade (another student told him) he said he really couldn't believe it, due to her maturity level.

She even has a 13yo boyfriend, this is her 2nd one. But mind you, by boyfriend I mean all they do is talk on the phone & computer...not going out at all! They don't see each other outside of school.

She is also the first & only one in her group of friends to ever have had a so-called boyfriend. The others seem a little too shy to talk to the boys. Mine talks to her "boyfriend" on the phone as much as we will let her.

I remember 2 summers ago when she was 9. We met our new neighbors & talked with them outside awhile. The mom asked, "Does your DD do any babysitting?" I said, "She's only 9. She doesn't babysit. She gets babysat". The neighbor couldn't believe it. The neighbor said she thought she was about 14 because of her size & the way she carried on a conversation.

So yes, she's been fine socially.

 

[taximomfor4]

Curious for those whose pre-k kids can read......how did they get to that point? Do you work with them? Are you trying to teach them to read? My son (entering K in the fall) could read numbers at age 2-1/2 and could read letters sometime thereafter. He started to be able to write numbers and letters (both cases) this year in pre-k. He can count to 100 and beyond no problem and can also read numbers beyond 100.

.

My second dd, at age 3 and a couple months, was at another little girl's birthday party. The little girl got some books as gifts. DD picked up a book and began reading. We have NO idea how she learned to read. She had never been to daycare, was starting preschool the following week so had never been to preschool. Very shocking, to us! She watched a little Barney, and a little Sesame Street, but not often. Funny enough, the moms at the party sneered. The dads gathered around the couch and handed DD book after book. It was very funny. BTW, she knew her alphabet well before age 2, and could add and subtract single-digits before K yet we did NOT gradeskip her.

My oldest dd, who has scary-genius IQ, didn't read fluently till age 6. She gradeskipped in 2nd grade. She is 12, and going into 9th grade in the fall. She marches to a different drummer. I have often believed that reading will click into place miraculously when the child is ready. I have a friend who does flashcards, workbooks, etc with her kids before K. Not us.

Ds (now 6) just finished K. He is reading, but his writing is awkward. He can, however, do mental math that shocks us. My oldest dd was showing off and challenging DS one day. Asked him 2+4. He thought quickly, then answered 6. So she asked him 7+7. He thought quickly, said 14. We were VERY surprised. She then asked him 7+7+7. He thought quickly, then said 21. Talk about SHOCK. He is the All-American boy to us. We had no idea he could figure out math that quickly.

 

[lady9]

My DD will be 5 in July. She started reading when she was 3 by memorizing books word for word. That led to recognizing some words,then more and more. When she was 4 she was begging me to teach her to read "real" words, i.e. words she didn't know. I used the Distar program to teach her to sound out words. She is now reading books close to a 3rd grade level. Does she understand everything she reads? No, but she does comprehend words in first grade stories which is what I encourage her to read because comprehension is the main point of reading. She will be entering kindergarden in the fall. My DD writes her own little stories (with some spelling help from me). She counts well above 100, by 2's and 5's, and does simple arithmetic. I would never consider skipping her ahead mainly because I don't want her in high school with kids older than she is. She will already be one of the youngest in her class because the cut off date for our district is Aug. 1. There is so much more to Kindergarden than academics. For starters, the whole school rountine, social aspects, rules of school, and a ton of other little things to be learned. If a child is truly gifted, he/she will not be bored whatever the placement. A gifted child will always think of a way to challenge themselves or find some way to stimulate his/her mind. In preschool, as the class was learning letters and coloring alphabet books, my DD was adding other pictures that began with that letter or writing words that began with that letter. As the class learned to count, she taught herself to skip count BACKWARDS from 100. It is great if a child is above level but that does not mean he/she is gifted. My DS is academically advanced and was in the gifted program in 1st and 2nd grade. He started to struggle at the end of 2nd grade so we placed him in a reg. ed. class for third grade. He still earned all A's but I don't think he was truly gifted, he was well enriched by us. We had a much happier year in reg. ed. and his teacher did provide challenging work for him and others who needed it but weren't in the GT program. As for DD, we'll wait and see what happens but I won't have her tested until the school recommends it. To the OP-good luck with your decision, I am sure you will do what is best for your son.

 

[NEM]

I skipped kindergarden when I was a kid and I hated it! I was always a year behind in age than everyone. My friends could date, I couldn't. My friends could all drive, I had a year to go. My friends turned teenages, I was still 12.
Doesn't seem like a big deal maybe when you are an adult looking at it, but as a kid it sucked!
Obviously it did have effect on me because even after all these years (35 or so) It still bugs me enough to warn parents to think long and hard. LOL

Ditto, what she said. I was the same way. I had the intelligence to be advanced, but the social skills were so much harder. My best friends were in the grade behind me - but the same age as me. It did not make a bit of difference by the time I finished, but it was very difficult being the youngest kid in the class. It was not something that manifested itself until the later years grades 9-12, but then it was really hard. My close friends and family know that I say it is much better to be the smart one with kids your own age than smart and socially a year behind everyone else.

Michelle

 

[Divamomto3]

No, it actually has been smooth sailing with her. Everything really worked out for the best. She has always been physically taller...she's 5'5" and got her period at 10, when her 11 & 12 year old friends still hadn't gotten theirs.

Emotionally, she is the same as the other kids. When her Algebra teacher found out she'd skipped a grade (another student told him) he said he really couldn't believe it, due to her maturity level.

She even has a 13yo boyfriend, this is her 2nd one. But mind you, by boyfriend I mean all they do is talk on the phone & computer...not going out at all! They don't see each other outside of school.

She is also the first & only one in her group of friends to ever have had a so-called boyfriend. The others seem a little too shy to talk to the boys. Mine talks to her "boyfriend" on the phone as much as we will let her.

I remember 2 summers ago when she was 9. We met our new neighbors & talked with them outside awhile. The mom asked, "Does your DD do any babysitting?" I said, "She's only 9. She doesn't babysit. She gets babysat". The neighbor couldn't believe it. The neighbor said she thought she was about 14 because of her size & the way she carried on a conversation.

So yes, she's been fine socially.

Your daughter sounds a lot like my oldest son. He's 13 and done with 8th grade. I think he could sit down in a Sophomore year in high school class and no one would look at him twice.
Glad it has worked out well for your daughter!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Curious for those whose pre-k kids can read......how did they get to that point? Do you work with them? Are you trying to teach them to read?

My 3 older kids all learned to read right at 5yo. My youngest was a little older, but he was older when he was in K (just finished K today) and when he started reading he took off quickly and has done VERY well.

My 3 oldest kids were not taught to read whatsoever. I read to them and read a lot. Read everything. That's probably why my 4th child didn't read as early--he had a hard time sitting still and being read to, but once he started reading his teacher asked me why he was such a good reader and told me that he much get read a lot to at home. I almost laughed, but restrained myself.

Jake, my 4th child is good at reading, but very good at math.

He begs me to give him math problems. He's been doing multiplication the last couple weeks (6x6, 12x5, etc). He doesn't always solve the problems in the traditional way. When I asked him how he solved 12 x 5 he told me he knew that there are 48 minutes in a basketball game and that there are 4 quarters that each quarter is 12 minutes long. He then took that 48 minutes (which he knew was 4 x 12) and added one more 12 to make 60. That was a very unique way to figure out the answer.

He can quickly add 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 in his head to get 36. Nothing is memorized yet. He understands the concept of division and can do easy division. Addition and subtraction is easy.

Anyway, I'm getting off on a tangent, but it's so fun to see how his mind works. IE, so unlike mine.

 

[taximomfor4]

If a child is truly gifted, he/she will not be bored whatever the placement. A gifted child will always think of a way to challenge themselves or find some way to stimulate his/her mind. .

This is so not true. What is sad is how many educators believe it. DD was extremely bored. She came home truly upset and frustrated every day. We tried for weeks to get her to tell us what was wrong. Finally, one day, through her tears, she said "Do you know how hard it is to learn the same things over and over, Every Single DAY?" She spent her days paired up wth the kids who struggled. She "helped" them through, thus they learned. DD learned how to help others, but didn't learn.

Another example...my brother who also has a freaky genius IQ. Never learned to try, never had to. Got to University for pre-med. Had no self-discipline to crack open the books regularly. Dropped out.

One VERY common misconception is that the stars of the classroom are the highest IQ kids. This is simply not necessarily true. And the reverse: the highest IQ kids will perform at the top of their class. My point is that there are high achievers, and there are academically gifted kids. The two are NOT necessarily the same kids. I had a "superior" IQ. I was a classic high achiever. Everyone thought I was soooo smart. Don't tell my brother that my IQ test results were completely not even in the same league as his. He'd never let me live it down!

 

[lbgraves]

Gosh I wish that they let the kids go to the next grade for some subjects in our school! DS has been so bored the past 2 years. He started first grade reading at a 3rd grade level & doing double digit addition. He has learned multiplication at home during the year. He is only a month past the cut off date & is as big as some of the 3rd graders at the school so I'm not concerned about that at all. I just want him to be challenged & not totally lose interest in school.

 

[Beth76]

I always say DS learned to read out of necessity - if he wanted to see one of his shows from TIVO he learned to tell The Wiggles from The West Wing. And if he wanted to play games on the children's web sites, he learned to recognize those on the menu.

You know, actually, DS does this too. He can recognize all of his shows on the tivo menu. And he knows the different buttons (start, quit, yes, no) on computer games too. But I don't know if it's actual reading or just recognition.

I remember when he was about 3 we were driving past the Infiniti dealership and he said "Is that where you got your car daddy?" And we're thinking how did he know that, he never went there? We figured he must've recognized the symbol. He can definitely recognize store names/logos. Even at different locations than where we normally go.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Gosh I wish that they let the kids go to the next grade for some subjects in our school! DS has been so bored the past 2 years. He started first grade reading at a 3rd grade level & doing double digit addition. He has learned multiplication at home during the year. He is only a month past the cut off date & is as big as some of the 3rd graders at the school so I'm not concerned about that at all. I just want him to be challenged & not totally lose interest in school.

And are you sure they won't? Now that I know our school will do this, I will insist that my son go to the correct place for math next year (his K teacher is the one who told me he will probably be sent to 2nd grade for math). I didn't realize this could be done for his older brother and he just wasn't challenged in math even though he went into elem school strong in math.

 

[taximomfor4]

You know, actually, DS does this too. He can recognize all of his shows on the tivo menu. And he knows the different buttons (start, quit, yes, no) on computer games too. But I don't know if it's actual reading or just recognition.

I remember when he was about 3 we were driving past the Infiniti dealership and he said "Is that where you got your car daddy?" And we're thinking how did he know that, he never went there? We figured he must've recognized the symbol. He can definitely recognize store names/logos. Even at different locations than where we normally go.

This is so funny! My DS was really little, like 18 mos or so...you know, just really talking. Anyway, I was reading a magazine and he was playing on the floor. He looked up, pointed at the back cover of my magazine, and said "Ohhhh....MONEY!" I flipped the magazine over, and looked...it was a teeny tiny Mastercard logo. We didn't have a mastercard but it was VERY funny!

 

[cats mom]

Jake, my 4th child is good at reading, but very good at math.

He begs me to give him math problems. He's been doing multiplication the last couple weeks (6x6, 12x5, etc). He doesn't always solve the problems in the traditional way. When I asked him how he solved 12 x 5 he told me he knew that there are 48 minutes in a basketball game and that there are 4 quarters that each quarter is 12 minutes long. He then took that 48 minutes (which he knew was 4 x 12) and added one more 12 to make 60. That was a very unique way to figure out the answer.

Gotta love that! I always told my DS's teachers if he ever had a problem grasping a concept all they needed to do was relate it to sports somehow (specifically baseball) and all would be good.

I agree with others about reading just clicking at some point and then most kids are off and running.

My oldest DD was obsessed with learning to read at a young age (pre-kindergarten) so we got her a phonics program and it just frustrated her. I just don't think she was ready, even though she wanted to be.
She was doing some reading before she started K but she really took off mid year when that 'something' clicked for her.

Didn't do any type of reading program with 2nd DD.
I was helping in her K classroom the day the reading specialist tested the kids. DD's teacher told her to start with a higher level for DD - she didn't and DD was in there FOREVER! Reading spec. had to run get higher level books than she had brought at one point. DD finally said her eyes and her voice were both getting tired and refused to do any more somewhere around the 6th grade level.

Of course her comprehension was nowhere near that level - but that kid could read. Just clicked at a younger age for her than for her sister.

 

[Caradana]

Keep Ethan with his peers and, if it's meant to be, he will be the smartest kid in the class. You don't want him to be challenged but grading at the average in his class. You want him to be reasonably bored and testing like a rock star. I'm sure there would be some Mommy Pride if he skips kindergarten ... but I'm positive that there will be Mommy Pride when he gets into MIT. He'll need to play some sports. Do you have Ethan running around outside with his buddies?

It's true that the explosively gifted kids don't tend to mind boredom in class. They find ways to make the days pass, and they show glimmers and shots of genius from time to time. The kids who show all that potential and then peter out for lack of work ethic ... that's not the level I'm talking about. I'm referring to the kids who are so explosively gifted that they're the talk of the teachers room. This year I interviewed a kid for my alma mater, and if the 1600 SAT wasn't enough, the 5s on 13 different AP exams would've been ... if he hadn't also been captain of the swim team, captain of the football team, prom king, and he taught himself Latin on the side. Those are the kids who have an argument for skipping kindergarten.