How worried should I be for Pre-K.....

[HIU8]

DS is 4 1/2. He knows his alphabet and numbers up to 20. He started to write his name during the school year in preschool last year (He can do a couple of letters-his name is 4 letters). He has paper, pencils, crayons, tracing books etc... at home, and we do take them out to do some fun things together. However, he always tells me he doesn't want to write or read or learn numbers (he watches letter factory, we read together every night and he picks out letters etc....). I'm hoping that Pre-K will jump start his interest in doing somethings at home. My intention was to work with him this summer a little bit. Since he has absolutely no interest (and is rather adament about it) we have backed off. Should I be worried? DS is super sensitive and extremely headstrong at the same time. I don't want him to hate learning so I have left well enough alone. I'm worried though b/c all the talk around here is how prepared they have to be for K (hoping it's all talk and the public school can really handle children of varying levels and that DS falls into place and things start to click for him).

[Wife_and_mommy]

I would say it depends on where he's going for K. If the school as a whole runs ahead in any subject, I would start working with him on that subject.

My DD was on level for K but the (private) school she's attending works a year ahead on math. She would have been fine to attend our public school. Heck, she might have been ahead according to some teachers's stories I've heard.

You don't have to be doing workbooks to work with him. It can be done in the car while you're driving. I recommend Jack Hartmann CD's. His math songs esp. are fun and educational.

[egoldber]

He sounds ready for Kindy to me. :) Seriously, people around are here all talk about how hard core MoCo and FCPS are and how K is the new first and frankly, I do NOT see it. He is fine and if anything ahead.

[HIU8]

I want to assume that. The preschool doesn't push, but I see the parents of these kids push like crazy (about half will go private and the other half public). DS will go public. We obviously have yet to go to K roundup here. That should happen next May. All the parents in my neghborhood seem happy with the school (some with much more advanced kids than others). I don't want to turn DS off from learning so we haven't done much, just let him lead us and use that as a way to teach/help him.

Yes, people around here get hard core when it comes to K preparation. It's almost frightening actually. I'm just so laid back when it comes to this, that I thought I might actually have to be worried next year.

[egoldber]

People here are nuts. Seriously. And I think MoCo may be worse than FCPS (just from my observations at DCUM forums). Step away from the madness..... :ROTFLMAO:

[HIU8]

Stepping away, very very far away......Far enough away so that the mom's who are concerned that I am not up in arms that DS will not get into the pool, will leave me alone. So, DS won't get into the pool--Not going to push him and make it so he never gets in and learns to swim....sheesh. I think I want to move some place where there is less pressure to excel (and less pressure to be analyzed if you don't/can't excel).

[brittone2]

Stepping away, very very far away......Far enough away so that the mom's who are concerned that I am not up in arms that DS will not get into the pool, will leave me alone. So, DS won't get into the pool--Not going to push him and make it so he never gets in and learns to swim....sheesh. I think I want to move some place where there is less pressure to excel (and less pressure to be analyzed if you don't/can't excel).
Just a big :hug:

He sounds completely on target to me for preK.

Your son is fortunate to have a parent that can take the big picture into perspective. I agree...stay away from the madness. Just because it is the default in your area doesn't mean it is "normal" parent behavior ;)

[AnnieW625]

He should do fine esp. if he is not a late birthday and misses the district cutoff (not a fan of holding back unless it's for age). I am not sure what MoCo and FCPS stand for. There is soo much pressure these days and it's kind of irritating too. Good luck!

[egoldber]

Sorry, a little local lingo. :)

MoCo = Montgomery County public schools

FCPS = Fairfax County public schools

The crazy school districts the OP and I belong to are right next door to each other and serve similar (overachieving, Type A) populations. :)

[jse107]

Sorry, a little local lingo. :)

MoCo = Montgomery County public schools

FCPS = Fairfax County public schools

The crazy school districts the OP and I belong to are right next door to each other and serve similar (overachieving, Type A) populations. :)


Ain't that the truth! (Says me, living in MoCo...)

I think your DS will be just FINE in pre-K or K! The only kids I worry about are the ones who start K with NO school/academic-exposure experience--not even at home. In MoCo, that child would be a bit overwhelmed at first.

[niccig]

My DS is the same age and about the same ability. I posted about him not wanting to write or trace anything...I got some great suggestions about using lacing cards/stencils etc to help work on the skills needed for writing, but without actually writing. DS refuses to write and I'm not pushing him at all. A friend's DS just finished up pre-K and they are holding him back for a number of reasons. She said her son refused to do any writing through pre-K and it was always a struggle to do the homework from pre-K. She backed off and the other day he picked up a workbook and did it for 20 mins...she was shocked. He is still not going on to K, but the development to write etc can take longer for some children.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We did a play based preschool and kindergarten and he was perfectly well prepared for 1st grade. he was never "taught" to read. They never sat down and were made to practice writing. They had the tools available for the kids to practice and they encouraged the kids to write (in kindergarten) stories but there was no pressure. Ds spent most of kindergarten drawing and using his imagination. I think k and pre-k just need to back off. :) There are so many ways for kids to learn without having them trace, do worksheets or anything like that.

It sounds like your pre-k isn't pushy. I would not be pushy either. Your ds will learn just fine, at his own pace and it may not be in the traditional way. Again, my ds was just as or more prepared for first grade than the kids who attended more acadmice kindergarten programs. When things fall into place in their brains, learning just takes off. Pushing it sooner doesn't make your child smarter, imo. It would be a temporary blip that may not stick around once peers start catching up.

Beth

[Sillygirl]

Echoing the idea of a PP, it may be a fine-motor strength issue that keeps him from wanting to write. Lots of the Montessori materials for the four year olds exercise those small hand muscles because writing is very uncomfortable until they are stronger. In addition to the lacing cards, you can do clay play or look under "manipulatives" in the Lakeshore catalog or something similar.

[g-mama]

I also live in Fairfax Cty and I think your ds will be just fine. My ds will start K in September. He's a late August birthday and could've gone last year but we put him in a 5-day pre-K instead. He shot forward like a rocket this past year in pre-K. It was truly amazing. I kept telling the two teachers how awesome they were and they assured me that it is what happens at age 5 and that they could not take the credit.

My ds would not sit and write ANYTHING last summer at almost 5. Nothing. Would not put crayon/pencil to paper for longer than ten seconds. For that reason (and many others), we decided not to send him to K that year. This past year, he began *wanting* to write and draw seemingly overnight...as if someone flipped a switch. He began sitting for an hour at a time making detailed drawings and asking me how to spell this or that.

This area is NUTS and only gets more nuts the older your kids get. Don't get me started on the parents I encounter in my upcoming 3rd grader's classes. And if it's not academics, it's travel soccer and black belts and swim team and football and on and on...all the while complaining about how they have no free time. Whatever. Sorry, I got off on a tangent there. ;)

[HIU8]

DS is a late bday--November. He will turn 6 in K by Thanksgiving.

[Ceepa]

DS sounds like he'll be just fine. I was in FC when it was old school, academic bootcamp and even then the K classes weren't exceptionally aggressive. So I'd say your DS will do great and will have many opportunties in Pre-K to acquire new skills before moving up to elementary. And to chime in with everyone else, don't let the local moms discourage you, they have issues.

[C99]

It sounds like he is on the right track for what they will teach in PK. Actually, I think he might be a bit bored in PK, since IME, what your DS knows is what they cover. DS1 is like your son -- he enjoys school while he is there, but he doesn't want to work on academic stuff at home. It's taken me awhile, but I've come to the conclusion that that is fine. He's 6 -- most of his free time *should* be spent in free play, not in sitting at a desk. It's not a motor skills issue with DS1, who likes to draw and will get out paper and crayons or markers on his own at some point during the day.

[Cam&Clay]

I teach in FCPS. You have to understand that kindergarten teachers here (in most schools) are dealing with students at opposite ends of the spectrum--those who have been in years of pre-K and can almost read, if not already read. Then, there are students with little or no English skills who have had no prior preschool experiences. These days, we are happy if a child has experience with books, knows the alphabet and numbers, and can handle being in school (lining up, sitting still, etc.). You'd be surprised how many come in with none of that.

He'll be just fine, I'm sure.

[egoldber]

Actually, I think he might be a bit bored in PK, since IME, what your DS knows is what they cover.

This is what I was also thinking. Sarah did that stuff in her 4 year old preschool year. Which is why I said he was ready for K, even though I knew you meant he was going into PreK4. ;)

[daisymommy]

I agree, he sounds ready for Kindy to me! Don't listen to those other moms! He'll be fine!

[JTsMom]

Just had to add one more, "he sounds more than ready" to the chorus. I really wouldn't worry. At all. Keep doing what you're doing, b/c it sounds to me like you're doing an awesome job.

[kransden]

He's fine. The alphabet, 1-10, and name really all they are looking for. Don't sweat it.

[AnnieW625]

Honestly unless the district cut off is September 1st I wouldn't send him to Pre K. I think your son will do fine in kindergarten and worst case scenario he'll have to repeat the following year. I am not a big fan of holding kids back and not a real fan of the Pre K concept. I too live in an area of lots of A type personalities too and it's a tad irritating. I am not looking forward to chosing a school in the next two years.

[egoldber]

Her cutoff is 9/1.

[MamaKath]

If you are in Mo. Co. and he is only going into PreK, you should be FINE!!! I would set some simple goals to reach over the next year and find fun ways to work on them. Things like work on him properly writing his name (Cap first letter, the rest lower case), singing lots of songs like the days of the week, read a lot together. But sounds like no need to be stressed!!!