Early Kindergarten vs. being advanced and entering at a proper age

[eloquacious]

So here is our situation: for various reasons, we have agreed to afterschool rather than homeschool. We have a fantastic classical charter school in the area, and we look forward to sending our boys there. Our older son is presenting a bit of a challenge, though: he is not yet 4, and reading at a 2nd grade reading level. I estimate by the end of this school year, he'll be at a 3rd-4th grade level. (We are using a number of tools, including OPGTR and the I See Sam books.) He is capable of doing Kindergarten and even 1st grade math with manipulatives and on the iPad. Next fall, he will be 4.5.

 

Do we have him enter Kindergarten, knowing that he will already be advanced in some ways, and not terribly advanced in others (physically, emotionally), or do we hold off another year, at the risk of him advancing even further and then being so far ahead that school becomes a joke and he becomes a behavior problem?

 

Or, a third option, if we hold off another year and they decide to start him in 1st grade, skipping kindergarten, will he then have missed the opportunity to bond with his classmates for a full year?

 

 

Thoughts?

[eloquacious]

Oookay. Nevermind, this shows how clued in we are: they've already done enrollment. http://www.archwayveritas.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=210

 

 

The year after, then (2013-2014)... and figuring out how to challenge him in the meantime without "spoiling" him for school.

[regentrude]

I know you don't need a quick answer now because your enrollment deadline has passed, but here's my general take.

A child who is that accelerated will be bored in school, no matter whether he enters on schedule or skips one grade - because he will be learning faster than his class mates

I would be inclined to keep this child home as long as possible to allow him the extra time to learn at his own pace before being forced to conform to institutional learning. If he is that advanced, I would be prepared for him to learn very little in elementary school. I'd be inclined to postpone the inevitable as long as possible.

[SKL]

Where I live, even getting him into KG in 2012 would be difficult to swing.

 

I would probably be guided first by his social/emotional readiness to sit in that kind of group setting for the required period of time.

 

I have a dd who is also very advanced. She's a year older than your son and I just succeeded in getting her promoted from pre-K to KG. She is years ahead of the KG in reading, and probably about a year ahead in math. Basically the only things she'll learn academically in KG are how to write better and whatever the teacher reads to the class. But she will at least be with kids whom she can relate to. She is socially on the level with the KG class (at least).

 

I have no idea how KG is going to go over with her. I think she will be bored during some of the stuff, like doing phonics worksheets with her class. It will be interesting to see how that goes. In other areas, I think there is enough leeway for her to do things her way, e.g., decorate her drawing or write a caption based on how her own brain works, select a free reading book at her level, etc. I think my biggest concern is that she will "politely" question the teacher too much, LOL. Or be social at inappropriate times.

 

Meanwhile, I will continue to challenge her after school. She's learning to play music, speak and read foreign languages, tell time, count money, etc. She explores maps, globes, nonfiction and fiction challenge books, and creative writing. We go to museums and other educational places. I don't think her brain will atrophy between now and whenever she qualifies for gifted classes / advance placement classes in school. I think my goal right now is to get her ready to pursue her own academic interests whenever she gets the chance.

[Roadrunner]

If you can keep him at home, do it.

My kids go to school to play. They have learned some spanish and art. That's it. I have a 5 year old in K reading anything at this point. He sits all day and repeats "Have, Play, Drum"..... Somehow, he isn't complaining. It was the same story with my older boy (now in 1st grade). He is learing how to add to 20 at school, while at home he is getting ready to start 3rd grade math. I know they can't accomodate individual children, so I wouldn't have much hope for that if I were you.

If by any chance you can avoid this at least until third grade (at which point I am assuming and hoping things will speed up), I would do it. We can't right now :(

[jenbrdsly]

Those lottery/style entries can be a headache!

 

My DS6 was a lot like how you are describing your child. I tried to get him into half day K, but then our district went through budget cuts and changed it to Alternate Day Kindergarten which was hideous. The upshot was that I got to Afterschool/Homeschool him on the off days. Then he entered our district's first grade gifted program, and everything was fine.

 

Questions for you:

1) Does your district have a gifted program?

2) If you do get into the charter school, will they promise to differentiate instruction as needed, and let your son work grade levels ahead?

3) Is there an affordable Montessori school in your area, where you could do three hours of school a day this year, and Afterschool him in the afternoon?

4) Is there a Homeschool Resource center in your district, where you could get a budget of $500 or so, homeschool for K, and then enter first grade?

5) Do you need any Afterschooling ideas? Shameless blog plug. :tongue_smilie:

[Laura Corin]

I know you don't need a quick answer now because your enrollment deadline has passed, but here's my general take.

A child who is that accelerated will be bored in school, no matter whether he enters on schedule or skips one grade - because he will be learning faster than his class mates

I would be inclined to keep this child home as long as possible to allow him the extra time to learn at his own pace before being forced to conform to institutional learning. If he is that advanced, I would be prepared for him to learn very little in elementary school. I'd be inclined to postpone the inevitable as long as possible.

 

It was a very poor fit when Calvin was in elementary school (age 4-6). We then home educated him until he was thirteen. He now goes to a fairly academic private school and is one year accelerated. He's not challenged by all his classes, but his teachers have leeway at this level to stretch him and he has the maturity to cope with the dull spots.

 

Laura

[bettyandbob]

I didn't do early K. However, I was very advanced. My parents demanded and got a grade skip. My parents don't realize this, but it was a disaster. I was so unhappy that I skipped my senior of high school too (I recieved a diploma after my first year of college). My parents think this was because I was "sooo advanced". I was in the highest courses my school had to offer. However the real reason was I hated school. I was completely socially out of place and depressed. I had been bullied in late elementary and went to school with the same kids through high school.

 

Fast forward. ds is extremely intellectually advanced. Early reader etc. We homeschool, but for various reasons start in a private school mid second grade. Ds decides after one semester in second grade in the private school (geared toward advanced students) that he should go to the fourth grade the next year. DH is all over it and says he definitely should. I express misgivings. School director agrees with dh and ds. grade skip proceeds. At that point, while miles ahead intellectually, ds was obviously socially behind his age. Ds ends up being bullied in 6th and 7th grade and we leave the school. Ds is now a senior in high school and obviously not ready to go to college. He is looking at and applying to military colleges. I honestly think the structure in those environments will help him be successful. His recent observation that showed a bit of growth in maturity is that after touring campuses of a few universities, he liked them, but he thought he might find way too much to do that did not involve actual academics and he didn't think he could regulate himself. I thought this was huge.

 

You really can't take back a grade skip (well you could, but that may give you more issues to deal with). You can give your children intellectually stimulating hobbies and activities when school is lacking.

 

JME. I there are people who think grade skipping or starting school early can be the answer and maybe it works for them. It did not for me or my ds.

[Barb_]

I have kids in Archway Trivium and Trivium Prep. I'm familar with Veritas. I've also got GT kids of varying levels of maturity. I'd be happy to make connection and talk specifics if you'd like. PM me.

[Dmmetler]

We did early entry/grade skip into K, with DD entering K at 4. It worked, I guess, as far as being a slightly better social fit (although DD's best friend was a girl who had done K at home, but not been registered as homeschooled, then ended up entering school at 7 and being placed in K), and by January even the teacher suggested that we homeschool. One year wasn't enough. As her teacher put it, she was pretty convinced that she could have put DD in ANY elementary school grade and that by the time they did the beginning of the year review, DD would have caught up on anything she didn't already know and would start getting bored, but that any grade much past 1st would probably be a nightmare for her as far as the expectations of sitting still and being quiet went.

 

I do think, overall, though that the early entry was a good thing, simply because in EVERYTHING else DD has done, she's ended up being moved ahead to a slightly older group, even those activities which are physical in nature (and she's NOT physically advanced at all) when the teacher/coach sees her and sees her interact with other kids, and this way when she moves to the older group, she can simply state her grade and be in the range most of the kids are, where her age would put her substantially younger.

[AimeeM]

I vote "no". Been there, done that.

Autumn was very advanced academically at that age, was able to test into K over a year early, but was far too "age appropriate" socially and behaviorally to fit in well.

 

For example, at barely four (as in, turned four a couple days before K and the other children were 5 and 6) she could not sit still for seat work, had hand/eye difficulties (compared to other children - but age appropriate), still had a problem understanding how and when to appropriately interact with others during play (ie sharing), was behind verbally, etc.

 

In short, while she was far ahead academically, she was miserable, her teacher was miserable, and she was a distraction to the classroom. We pulled her and put her in a private preK program where she was much happier. Academic supplementing can happen at home.

[eloquacious]

I would be inclined to keep this child home as long as possible to allow him the extra time to learn at his own pace before being forced to conform to institutional learning. If he is that advanced, I would be prepared for him to learn very little in elementary school. I'd be inclined to postpone the inevitable as long as possible.

 

Yes, this was my thinking for the longest time: homeschool during the elementary years, then go to either one of the Great Hearts Classical Prep schools or a BASIS high school, which offers advanced coursework. My son also has eye tracking difficulties which concerns me because the pediatric ophthalmologist predicts he won't really outgrow it until 10 or 11, even after his surgery, and I don't want him to be "Lazy Eye Nikolay" or some other annoying grade school moniker. (Thankfully, one of the things I know about the school we want to send him to is that they are great about preventing bullying. A friend's daughter is extremely bright but visually impaired due to prematurity, and my friend informs me that it is simply a non-issue there.)

[eloquacious]

 

Questions for you:

1) Does your district have a gifted program?

 

I'm not sure. I know that our former landlord, who is a psychiatrist, has said that he would be willing to test my son for the GT program, so I'm sure there is one ... but then, I was in GT programs in CA and RI when I was younger, and they weren't entirely what I wanted/needed, either.

2) If you do get into the charter school, will they promise to differentiate instruction as needed, and let your son work grade levels ahead?

 

This is something I will have to explore with said school.

3) Is there an affordable Montessori school in your area, where you could do three hours of school a day this year, and Afterschool him in the afternoon? That is the question! I know there are several, but the affordable bit might be the glitch. ;)

4) Is there a Homeschool Resource center in your district, where you could get a budget of $500 or so, homeschool for K, and then enter first grade?

5) Do you need any Afterschooling ideas? Shameless blog plug. :tongue_smilie:

 

Ha! Yes, I've seen your blog. It's been very helpful!

[eloquacious]

For example, at barely four (as in, turned four a couple days before K and the other children were 5 and 6) she could not sit still for seat work, had hand/eye difficulties (compared to other children - but age appropriate), still had a problem understanding how and when to appropriately interact with others during play (ie sharing), was behind verbally, etc.

 

In short, while she was far ahead academically, she was miserable, her teacher was miserable, and she was a distraction to the classroom. We pulled her and put her in a private preK program where she was much happier. Academic supplementing can happen at home.

 

 

Yes, this is exactly what I'm afraid of. And moreover, my son is on the slower side of normal when it comes to gross and fine motor skills. I would hate to have him be the shrimpy kid who can't throw a ball to save his life!

[cindergretta]

Yes, this is exactly what I'm afraid of. And moreover, my son is on the slower side of normal when it comes to gross and fine motor skills. I would hate to have him be the shrimpy kid who can't throw a ball to save his life!

 

This is why we waited with my oldest to start K. I didn't want him to always be the youngest and smallest in his class, struggling to make friends due to emotional/social immaturity. We ended up starting our hs'ing career after his first grade year. If I ever found myself in a similar situation, I would do the same again. :)

[AimeeM]

It's a problem that has no easy solution. I'm not a fan of skipping elementary grades for this reason - there are just so many factors (other than intelligence) that play into what makes a good classroom experience in a school environment. Add to that, many gifted children are a bit... behind (compared to today's perception of "normal") socially, so there may be an additional hit on that.

My 2 1/2 year old son knows most of his letters, numbers (by sight and sound); all of his shapes and colors, and is beginning phonics (and doing quite well, I might add). However, other than this academic "stuff", he can only say (maybe) a dozen words. Because of serious medical problems, he was kept isolated for much of his infant/early toddler life. When we go to Mommy and Me, he poke other children and says "What dat?". Yep - he has a difficult time recognizing other children. Lol. While he may be at a Kindergarten level academically, he could NEVER fit into a K classroom because he doesn't have the other skills that make up a successful public/private school Kindergarten experience - he can't color, write, draw a semi-straight line, dress himself, verbalize his needs and wants; he isn't potty trained, doesn't sleep through the night, and he still occasionally nurses. Lol. I can't see my nursing tot wearing a backpack and going off to school :lol:

Yes, this is exactly what I'm afraid of. And moreover, my son is on the slower side of normal when it comes to gross and fine motor skills. I would hate to have him be the shrimpy kid who can't throw a ball to save his life!

[eloquacious]

Adaptive P.E. and therapy helps with that, no? Won't he qualify with his vision problems?

 

What is adaptive P.E.? I didn't realize there would be accommodations. He had surgery for bilateral amblyopia when he was two, and most of the time now his eyes are straight, except when he is concentrating on something nearby (as in reading or watching a screen), or when he is sick or tired. The doctor mentioned that he would likely need bifocals when he is "really reading," (hi, that would be now) but would likely not need further surgery. By the time he is 10 or 11, when his eyes have hopefully evened out and one eye is not farsighted, he might not need any further accommodations. (We currently patch the stronger eye twice a day.)

 

Anywho, all this to say, I didn't expect him to be the star in P.E., but I didn't think there would be special measures taken there, either. So much to think about!

[Dmmetler]

What is adaptive P.E.? I didn't realize there would be accommodations. He had surgery for bilateral amblyopia when he was two, and most of the time now his eyes are straight, except when he is concentrating on something nearby (as in reading or watching a screen), or when he is sick or tired. The doctor mentioned that he would likely need bifocals when he is "really reading," (hi, that would be now) but would likely not need further surgery. By the time he is 10 or 11, when his eyes have hopefully evened out and one eye is not farsighted, he might not need any further accommodations. (We currently patch the stronger eye twice a day.)

 

Anywho, all this to say, I didn't expect him to be the star in P.E., but I didn't think there would be special measures taken there, either. So much to think about!

 

And there may not be. My DD is on the slower side of normal as well on gross motor (due, probably, to prematurity) and didn't qualify for APE or any form of therapy for motor skills, which, when you put her with mostly 6 yr olds at age 4, was a concern. Her K teacher, after the first few weeks of school, suggested sending her to PE with the JK class (stating that it would be no trouble for DD to spend the K PE time reading in the classroom or in the library and that she could easily handle missing the class time to do PE with kids her age), and the PE teacher flat out refused because DD's IEP didn't call for PE off of grade level and her skills were developmentally normal for her age. But emotionally, it was very, very hard for DD to be that far behind her classmates in PE, and she HATED every second of that class-which played into our decision to pull her.

 

Bottom line-I would NOT count on getting services for motor skills for a grade skipped child if they're still in the normal range for their age, even if they're far off the norm for their grade.

Edited December 19, 2011 by dmmetler

[Guest]

I know you don't need a quick answer now because your enrollment deadline has passed, but here's my general take.

A child who is that accelerated will be bored in school, no matter whether he enters on schedule or skips one grade - because he will be learning faster than his class mates

I would be inclined to keep this child home as long as possible to allow him the extra time to learn at his own pace before being forced to conform to institutional learning. If he is that advanced, I would be prepared for him to learn very little in elementary school. I'd be inclined to postpone the inevitable as long as possible.

 

I would have to agree. Schools are not set up fpr kids like this unless they are gifted schools. We have one here in Houston, you may have more options where you are. Any other type of school will not be a fit for him, for the teachers, or for the other students in his class. This is one reason we homeschool. Our sons were never going to fit all the little boxes. Realistically, either find a school specifically for gt kids or homeschool him. Anything else is a recipe for disaster.

 

Just my 0.02$

[Bang!Zoom!]

18 forms of acceleration

 

I don't know if this list could provide any new thoughts or not, just thought I'd throw it in this conversation on the chance it could.

 

I'm having a big "swiss-cheese" sort of day intellectually, that's the best I've for now.

[SKL]

Interesting to think about the physical aspects. While I agree that it's important that the child is able to write somewhat legibly, stay awake and sit on a chair through instruction, and manage potty needs, I personally would not allow sports aptitude type issues to trump social readiness.

 

I can see why it would be important socially to be able to participate in large-muscle play with the other kids, but I may have a more relaxed view of "ability to participate."

 

My dd4 is not an athlete and she never will be. She'd probably be on the wussy side of even her pre-K class. Doc says maybe she has flat feet, gymnastics teacher says she has poorer muscle tone than other kids. And she does not "love" sports. But, she is able to participate. If she's otherwise ready for KG socially, I think the fact that she won't be winning any races should not control.

 

I know she could be teased and taunted for not being athletic (I was called "easy-out" many times myself, and I'm pretty strong). I think my job in that respect is not to shelter her, but to teach her how to respond. After all, if it's "easy-out" today, it will be a racial epithet tomorrow, an egghead epithet the next day, etc.

 

I'm not saying the OP should push for acceleration in school. I just think that assuming no severe delays, social readiness would trump physical competitiveness, imho.

[SKL]

He had surgery for bilateral amblyopia when he was two, and most of the time now his eyes are straight, except when he is concentrating on something nearby (as in reading or watching a screen), or when he is sick or tired. The doctor mentioned that he would likely need bifocals when he is "really reading," (hi, that would be now) but would likely not need further surgery. By the time he is 10 or 11, when his eyes have hopefully evened out and one eye is not farsighted, he might not need any further accommodations. (We currently patch the stronger eye twice a day.)

 

Have you checked into whether vision therapy might be helpful for your child?

[Lecka]

I was an early reader, but my reading interests were age appropriate. I read the same books when I was 4, 5, 6, and 7 that would have been read to me (and were read to me) if I wasn't able to read them myself.

 

At my son's school the early readers seem to be accomodated pretty well. He is in 1st grade and half his class started at Level L on the first day of school. That is a goal for my son to reach by the middle of second grade. But -- he is at the same place as these kids developmentally.

 

I think it is different when kids are at a different place conceptually and with their interests. That is when I think there is a reason to move kids up. But early reading by itself, if the kids are otherwise interested in the things typical for their age, I don't think is a reason to move up.

 

In K my son did a lot of learning about seasons, apples, butterflies, and things like that. It would be appropriate for some kids who could already read but for other kids it would not be appropriate.

 

The K teacher also had a huge range of reading materials in her room. I think a good reader who was still interested in typical 5-year-old things would have done very well in her room. They did very little reading instruction as a class. The ranges were huge, and so it was all done as centers. The kids rotated through centers and one center was working with the teacher.

[eloquacious]

I was an early reader, but my reading interests were age appropriate. I read the same books when I was 4, 5, 6, and 7 that would have been read to me (and were read to me) if I wasn't able to read them myself.

 

At my son's school the early readers seem to be accomodated pretty well. He is in 1st grade and half his class started at Level L on the first day of school. That is a goal for my son to reach by the middle of second grade. But -- he is at the same place as these kids developmentally.

 

I think it is different when kids are at a different place conceptually and with their interests. That is when I think there is a reason to move kids up. But early reading by itself, if the kids are otherwise interested in the things typical for their age, I don't think is a reason to move up.

 

In K my son did a lot of learning about seasons, apples, butterflies, and things like that. It would be appropriate for some kids who could already read but for other kids it would not be appropriate.

 

The K teacher also had a huge range of reading materials in her room. I think a good reader who was still interested in typical 5-year-old things would have done very well in her room. They did very little reading instruction as a class. The ranges were huge, and so it was all done as centers. The kids rotated through centers and one center was working with the teacher.

 

 

Lecka, I think this is so true. I suspect that we will finish our phonics instruction around September of this year, giving me a full year to continue to work with him on some reading (perhaps Master Reader? I bought a used copy super cheap), probably introducing some Montessori-style word work (a phonetic farm and some grammar materials,) and using our spelling apps to work on spelling. I will begin to teach him some gross-motor handwriting skills (large letters perhaps), though I am undecided as to what sort of handwriting to teach. The school will begin in K with Spalding-style printing (they teach Riggs, a Spalding spin-off), but ideologically I go with the cursive first theory... what use is teaching cursive for a year only to have him moved to printing, though? Not sure.

 

I look forward to continuing our read alouds (a lot of classic "good" books as seen here http://www.greatbooksacademy.org/curriculum/good-books-list/ and Ambleside Online, etc.

 

Mainly, though, as far as reading is concerned... I think the year between our "learn to read" year and his K year will be the "have fun applying what you've learned and rock the library card" year. :) How awesome for him to have a full year to spend just reading (which he LOVES) and checking out various books.

 

I have learned that the school is able to accommodate advanced math skills by placing students in higher classes, which is fabulous, so we'll keep going with our MEP/MM/Miquon combination and see where it takes us. I do find myself wondering how a school can do this - putting a Kindergartener in a 1st or 2nd grade math class I can get. But what happens when they're in 3rd or 4th? They can hardly go to the upper school for classes, I'm assuming the scheduling would be a nightmare. Perhaps there will be a sizable group with advanced skills, and they will form a class. Oh I am so excited about this school, strange to think that we have no guarantee whatsoever that we'll win a spot in the lottery. The school is just so "right," I can't really imagine my son not going. Hmmm. Time to adjust expectations. ;)

[Lecka]

My son's school has a teacher who is the "Math Enrichment Specialist." She goes to every classroom for one hour a week (they have art once, and music and pe 3 times, during that time). I am sure she works with the more advanced children or prepares lessons for them in some way.

 

But, I don't think they move kids forward in math, either. I think they just do harder work but without moving onto the next topic. I think that is just how it is at his school. They are doing Math in Focus though and it is popular.

[zenjenn]

I just want to say, an accelerated or gifted child is not necessarily bored at school just because they are not challenged by the core curriculum.

 

Gifted children can often engage themselves with school by socializing, reading, doodling, goofing off, and helping others. The trick is finding him teachers that will recognize that this is necessary for the gifted child, and not expect their gifted or accelerated students to sit down, eyes front, silently absorbing information that is trivial to them. As long as the gifted child can continue to demonstrate that classwork is trivial to them, the wise teacher will give these students a lot of freedom to learn independently, and if you're lucky, even have plenty of resources available for the child to learn in a Montessori fashion while the teacher is busy teaching the core stuff to the rest of the class.

 

It's not ideal, and it's not necessarily challenging, but it doesn't have to be boring either. Elementary school can be very fun, and gifted children are creative and resourceful and will find ways to entertain themselves and learn, as long as they don't have a teacher that is actively stopping them. Unfortunately, there ARE teachers who will actively stop kids like this, so you need to be careful.

Edited December 20, 2011 by zenjenn

[jennyleettu]

I realize this is an old thread but I'm new to this forum! LOL!! This was what we were dealing with over the summer and continue to deal with now. Everyone that had worked with my daughter (she was speech delayed and was in speech therapy for 2 years) said she was more than ready to start kindergarten but there is a strict age cut off here and she missed it by less than a month. The only way to get in early is for a kindergarten prospect to pass the 3rd grade test...yeah makes no sense to me but whatever. We were presented with what sounded like a good option but it is proving to be less than ideal so we are back at square one. I am trying to figure out a way to homeschool but for now it looks as if afterschooling is going to have to work for us.

 

If you can keep him at home, do it.

My kids go to school to play. They have learned some spanish and art. That's it. I have a 5 year old in K reading anything at this point. He sits all day and repeats "Have, Play, Drum"..... Somehow, he isn't complaining. It was the same story with my older boy (now in 1st grade). He is learing how to add to 20 at school, while at home he is getting ready to start 3rd grade math. I know they can't accomodate individual children, so I wouldn't have much hope for that if I were you.

If by any chance you can avoid this at least until third grade (at which point I am assuming and hoping things will speed up), I would do it. We can't right now :(

This is exactly how I feel right now. DD is learning Spanish which is great because although I have all but begged my ILs to teach her they still haven't, but that's about it. I'm shocked that she isn't acting out or complaining at school but she doesn't. At home it's a different story. She has told me since the beginning of school that it's boring and now she is putting up a fight about going every day. At school they are learning letter recognition and sounds, at home she is reading books to anyone that will listen including her dolls!

 

imho early K is useless when your child was ready at 2.5 -3.5. He will be just as bored at age 5 as he will be at 4 or 6. We did an ontime entry, then a grade skip, then afterschool/subject accel. Bonding with classmates was a nonissue - in this area, children are cliqued before they enter preschool. The only people ds had a chance with were the transfers in and that went fine; he has friends in several grades that he knows from extracurriculars. The more pressing problem is the budget cutting...school has cut IB and other advanced courses so mayhap to grad in 3, or take distance learning for half of senior year classes.

Thank you for this. The one thing her school has offered is if DD continues at the rate she is then when she is to go into the 1st grade they will allow her to skip into 2nd. She socializes with kids that are a year ahead of her in school anyway because she prefers to be around older kids and she is advanced with gymnastics as well so she is with the older kids there as well. I was a little concerned about it but it makes sense when you say she will continue to be as bored as she is right now. Her school is also in the middle of the process of becoming an IB school (this is their first year) so we'll see how that goes too.

 

While I would prefer to stay home and homeschool I know that right now that isn't an option. It makes me feel better knowing that there are others that are working with similar situations and making it work! My friends and family think I'm a freak! LOL!!

[Roadrunner]

I realize this is an old thread but I'm new to this forum! LOL!! This was what we were dealing with over the summer and continue to deal with now. Everyone that had worked with my daughter (she was speech delayed and was in speech therapy for 2 years) said she was more than ready to start kindergarten but there is a strict age cut off here and she missed it by less than a month. The only way to get in early is for a kindergarten prospect to pass the 3rd grade test...yeah makes no sense to me but whatever. We were presented with what sounded like a good option but it is proving to be less than ideal so we are back at square one. I am trying to figure out a way to homeschool but for now it looks as if afterschooling is going to have to work for us.

 

 

This is exactly how I feel right now. DD is learning Spanish which is great because although I have all but begged my ILs to teach her they still haven't, but that's about it. I'm shocked that she isn't acting out or complaining at school but she doesn't. At home it's a different story. She has told me since the beginning of school that it's boring and now she is putting up a fight about going every day. At school they are learning letter recognition and sounds, at home she is reading books to anyone that will listen including her dolls!

 

 

Thank you for this. The one thing her school has offered is if DD continues at the rate she is then when she is to go into the 1st grade they will allow her to skip into 2nd. She socializes with kids that are a year ahead of her in school anyway because she prefers to be around older kids and she is advanced with gymnastics as well so she is with the older kids there as well. I was a little concerned about it but it makes sense when you say she will continue to be as bored as she is right now. Her school is also in the middle of the process of becoming an IB school (this is their first year) so we'll see how that goes too.

 

While I would prefer to stay home and homeschool I know that right now that isn't an option. It makes me feel better knowing that there are others that are working with similar situations and making it work! My friends and family think I'm a freak! LOL!!

 

 

Welcome to this board!

My family and friends think I am a freak as well. :001_smile: