I love that I got differing definitions about what decoding skills are.
It's just one of the list of 71 expectations on her report. I particularly like the "Public Speaking" section.
I remember Kindergarten as an afternoon of play. No more.
Well, it can mean all of those things depending on the context. When I taught K it meant figuring out new words based on previous knowledge or context.
I didn't think education was as uptheass here, compared to what I read on gbcn but I took G to "meet the teacher" (for JK, starting this fall) and they didn't assess him but instead, asked me a bunch of questions about his skills, behaviour, socialization, etc.
One of the things she suggested we work on over the summer is writing. As in, he should know how to print his name by September.
Now, I know it's not crazy for some 4 year olds to know how to do this, but I still think it's crazy. My kid is so far away from even wanting to learn this sort of thing (though, I do think he would be receptive in a school environment, you know, 6 months from now).
That's BS booby. There is NO requirement that a child come in writing their name for JK.
This.
In my 4 year old's class (granted, it's a hippy, play based Quaker school), the kids in the JK (3-5 year olds, mixed age classroom) are asked to "sign in" every day. At the beginning of the year, almost none of the 3-4 year olds can do it. By November, they all can, because they practice it every single day.
You can get kids ready for kindergarten without making them hate school.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
This is such a foreign concept to me, lol. Kindergarten here is not academically focused at all. They learn their letters, and the sounds in K, but it isn't like a big deal or anything. The big K thing here is social, so even though my daughter could read, the teacher didn't care because it wasn't part of the curriculum. Instead she got a C in "developing her personality" because apparently I am raising a sociopath, lol. I was so happy when grade 1 started and the report cards looked "normal".
Oh look I made this all about me.
What does that even mean? LOL a "c". Is her personality too developed? Not developed enough? So many questions...
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
This is such a foreign concept to me, lol. Kindergarten here is not academically focused at all. They learn their letters, and the sounds in K, but it isn't like a big deal or anything. The big K thing here is social, so even though my daughter could read, the teacher didn't care because it wasn't part of the curriculum. Instead she got a C in "developing her personality" because apparently I am raising a sociopath, lol. I was so happy when grade 1 started and the report cards looked "normal".
Oh look I made this all about me.
What does that even mean? LOL a "c". Is her personality too developed? Not developed enough? So many questions...
I know, lol. I had asked the teacher and basically she was too shy to ask when she needed something.
I would totally send my kid there. I'm so stressed about testing and all day structure in kindergarten this fall. If I didn't earn over half of our household income I'd be really tempted to homeschool, which is something I never thought I would say.
I love that I got differing definitions about what decoding skills are.
It's just one of the list of 71 expectations on her report. I particularly like the "Public Speaking" section.
I remember Kindergarten as an afternoon of play. No more.
This is one of the reasons we are sending Kirklette to a private school in the fall. Their afternoon is nap time, centers, music, free choice, and play.
In our public district, the skills successful Kindergarteners needed to know went from about 10 bullet points to 4 pages. Hell no!
Finley is in private school, it's more intense than public
A "thesis statement" is academic vocabulary that is introduced around 2nd grade.
And yet they come to college still writing nonsense book reports with no real point...
I'm resurrecting this thread a bit, but this is why I was shocked that kids are writing thesis papers in 4th grade. Because when I got to college barely anybody in my English Comp class knew what the heck a thesis paper consisted of. Which means it's probably good they're learning about it younger than I remember learning it (which was around 6th grade).
We wrote thesis statements this year with guidance. During our information unit each table group read about a topic, butterflies for instance. They would take notes (I won't go into but you can look up RAN charts) while they read and at the end of a few days of reading about their topic we would write this using this frame:
The important thing about _____ is ______ because. For example, ______. Another example is _______. One thing that changed my thinking was ______________.
We did several models together and then by the end of the unit they were writing their own with the frames available to help them. It was pretty impressive.
Post by jeaniebueller on Jun 3, 2015 10:30:48 GMT -5
Kindergarten in our district isn't bad. They do learn to read and basic math, but they don't have homework or anything like that, so I am cool with it.
Post by sparkythelawyer on Jun 3, 2015 10:34:11 GMT -5
My cousin, a first grade teacher, is all excited because her district is finally offering full day kindergarten. And apparently my district will be offering it come fall. Am I the only one who's a bit "Oh goodness no" about it? I don't need a five year old in school all day. I want them outside, getting dirty.
Maybe this will chance by then, as clearly I have years to wait for that decision :-)
This stresses me out. It doesn't help that MIL is constantly asking if she's reading yet (H could read at 3). She'll be five next week! I was considered an "early reader" in K and I was just about 5. Ughhhh.
My cousin, a first grade teacher, is all excited because her district is finally offering full day kindergarten. And apparently my district will be offering it come fall. Am I the only one who's a bit "Oh goodness no" about it? I don't need a five year old in school all day. I want them outside, getting dirty.
Maybe this will chance by then, as clearly I have years to wait for that decision :-)
My cousin, a first grade teacher, is all excited because her district is finally offering full day kindergarten. And apparently my district will be offering it come fall. Am I the only one who's a bit "Oh goodness no" about it? I don't need a five year old in school all day. I want them outside, getting dirty.
Maybe this will chance by then, as clearly I have years to wait for that decision :-)
I'm JAZZED our city has all day K. Lol.
Apparently in our district I could do it for the low, low price of an additional $4,000. And then I'd still need to shell out for aftercare. I think that answers that for me :-)
My cousin, a first grade teacher, is all excited because her district is finally offering full day kindergarten. And apparently my district will be offering it come fall. Am I the only one who's a bit "Oh goodness no" about it? I don't need a five year old in school all day. I want them outside, getting dirty.
Maybe this will chance by then, as clearly I have years to wait for that decision :-)
Um, for people who fucking work, full day kindergarten is a godsend. Come on.
Not to mention it gives teachers greater flexibility for accomplishing instruction interspersed with age appropriate fun/interests.
My cousin, a first grade teacher, is all excited because her district is finally offering full day kindergarten. And apparently my district will be offering it come fall. Am I the only one who's a bit "Oh goodness no" about it? I don't need a five year old in school all day. I want them outside, getting dirty.
Maybe this will chance by then, as clearly I have years to wait for that decision :-)
Um, for people who fucking work, full day kindergarten is a godsend. Come on.
Not to mention it gives teachers greater flexibility for accomplishing instruction interspersed with age appropriate fun/interests.
See above, I'd still need aftercare, and would be expensive.
But again, I'm only a whopping 3.5 months into this whole shebang. I'm sure my perspective will change.
Apparently in our district I could do it for the low, low price of an additional $4,000. And then I'd still need to shell out for aftercare. I think that answers that for me :-)
Oh ours is free. If it wasn't she'd be doing half day. :-P
I remember going to back to school night & was in DD1s Kindy classroom & another parent came in & was going on & on about how reading just clicked with his daughter (also entering K) this summer. I think that was the moment that panic set in (my DD was nowhere near reading clicking) & I think that panic remained for like 3 yrs. lol
My cousin, a first grade teacher, is all excited because her district is finally offering full day kindergarten. And apparently my district will be offering it come fall. Am I the only one who's a bit "Oh goodness no" about it? I don't need a five year old in school all day. I want them outside, getting dirty.
Maybe this will chance by then, as clearly I have years to wait for that decision :-)
Um, for people who fucking work, full day kindergarten is a godsend. Come on.
Not to mention it gives teachers greater flexibility for accomplishing instruction interspersed with age appropriate fun/interests.
I danced a jig last fall when DS started all day kindergarten and I only had to pay for after school care. Plus, he did full day pre$chool (since I work) last year, so he was more than ready for full day kindergarten.
Um, for people who fucking work, full day kindergarten is a godsend. Come on.
Not to mention it gives teachers greater flexibility for accomplishing instruction interspersed with age appropriate fun/interests.
See above, I'd still need aftercare, and would be expensive.
But again, I'm only a whopping 3.5 months into this whole shebang. I'm sure my perspective will change.
$4000 over the course of a school year is like $100/week. Plus aftercare of about $50-150/week.
Still cheaper than aftercare from 12-6. Trust. Not to mention it regularizes the aftercare options in the district, making it easier to find seamless care.
See above, I'd still need aftercare, and would be expensive.
But again, I'm only a whopping 3.5 months into this whole shebang. I'm sure my perspective will change.
$4000 over the course of a school year is like $100/week. Plus aftercare of about $100/week.
Still cheaper than aftercare from 12-6. Trust. Not to mention it regularizes the aftercare options in the district, making it easier to find seamless care.
And full day kindergarten isn't a gulag, ffs.
You raise very valid points.
Like I said, I'm sure my perspective will change by the time Kindergarten actually rolls around.
My cousin, a first grade teacher, is all excited because her district is finally offering full day kindergarten. And apparently my district will be offering it come fall. Am I the only one who's a bit "Oh goodness no" about it? I don't need a five year old in school all day. I want them outside, getting dirty.
Maybe this will chance by then, as clearly I have years to wait for that decision :-)
I'm JAZZED our city has all day K. Lol.
So am I!
I know it's more rigorous than when we were in school but David's class does a ton of singing, dancing, playing outside, arts, story time. It's not all reading and writing the whole time they are there- that's one of many, many things he does. I'm also pretty amazed by how much David has learned this year. I am impressed by the thing he comes home talking about and the things they are teaching at such a young age. I was really happy with kindergarten this year but he also has an amazing teacher.
it's all full day here, which is fine by me. half day preschool drove me crazy. it didn't really feel like enough time to do anything while he was gone....which is obviously my first priority when making our educational decisions.
Most academic subjects are taught in the morning in K. The afternoon is left for centers and play time. It's not like K's are asked to sit in silence for hours on end. Minutes maybe, not hours.
See above, I'd still need aftercare, and would be expensive.
But again, I'm only a whopping 3.5 months into this whole shebang. I'm sure my perspective will change.
$4000 over the course of a school year is like $100/week. Plus aftercare of about $50-150/week.
Still cheaper than aftercare from 12-6. Trust. Not to mention it regularizes the aftercare options in the district, making it easier to find seamless care.
And full day kindergarten isn't a gulag, ffs.
i read this too fast and i thought you said that full day kindergarten IS a gulag. LOL! i thought it was kind of an extreme position.
in related news, J is going in to fourth grade and this is the first time EVER he will do back to back school years in the same school. *content sigh*
Um, for people who fucking work, full day kindergarten is a godsend. Come on.
Not to mention it gives teachers greater flexibility for accomplishing instruction interspersed with age appropriate fun/interests.
This was my thought up until I realized they only gave full day kindergarteners 15 minutes of recess a day and gym class every other day. They expect 5 and 6 year old's to sit still and learn for 7 hours a day. It's total bullshit.
Um, for people who fucking work, full day kindergarten is a godsend. Come on.
Not to mention it gives teachers greater flexibility for accomplishing instruction interspersed with age appropriate fun/interests.
This was my thought up until I realized they only gave full day kindergarteners 15 minutes of recess a day and gym class every other day. They expect 5 and 6 year old's to sit still and learn for 7 hours a day. It's total bullshit.
That's fucked up. They get an hour total recess at the school L will be attending, plus one free center in the afternoon. That seems so much more reasonable.