K or 1st Grade?

[faiths13]

My ds's bday is Sept 6. Here in Cali you can start K if you are 5 Oct 1st for 2013-2014 (It was Dec, and they are moving it up one month every year until it gets to Sept 1). So I started him with K last Sept. We have been doing a gentle K. Im just not sure if I should consider it a Pre K or K and move him on to 1st this fall. By CA I can, but I know lots of other states he would tech be just starting K. So I was hoping I could get some input into making a decision. Here is what he has been doing:

 

Get Ready, Get Set, Go For the Code (he is on the last book now)

Reading Eggs (Reading Age "5.25") so he knows most of the letter sounds and can blend sounds. He has read short words on Reading Eggs, but just today I was able to encourage him to read a sentence from a short reader. I don't think he felt he could do it, but now seems encouraged.

 

Singapore Math K Essentials A and just started B

 

Handwriting Without Tears Get Set For School, Letters and Numbers For Me (just started this and working on it slowly. It isnt his strong suit)

 

Other than that we have done tons of reading, esp for science. Lots of short, colorful picture books. We just started doing longer books, but still with lots of pictures. I recently tried to read Stuart Little to him, and he couldn't sit still. I am not so sure he will be ready for that type of book by Sept or not...but he has been much more interested in the longer books with lots of pictures. We are mostly sticking to fairy tales, etc.

 

I would love thoughts and opinions : )

[Tawlas]

I posted a similar question last year. Best advice I got was to just call it whatever grade is same-aged peers are currently in - and do whatever you like as to actual content. My son is all over the page - grade two reading, K math, etc. But here, all the kids born in 2007 (right up to december 31st) are in Kindergarten. So we call it Kindergarten and go from there - keeps it simple :-)

[faiths13]

I am more concerned about the level of work than the grade name. I am looking at different currics and thinking of where he is at and wondering if we should continue with more of a K level than progressing to a 1st grade level. Alot of 1st grade level work gets pretty hard. Its still quite a few months away and Im not sure where he be will in Sept, but I am doing alot of research now into curric so I can choose something in the next few months.

[Tawlas]

I guess I was looking at the work he is doing now thinking all of those books have an obvious "next thing". If you were going to continue with ETC, Singapore and HWOT, then that would just be the next book. If you were looking at different curriculum, I can see your dilemma. Kids are so hard to read at this age, aren't they? My own Ker goes back and forth between very little/very slow progress to all of sudden making huge leaps. So much just seems developmental lol.

 

Just guessing here, by the tone of your first post, it seems like you're leaning more towards K next year? Even if it turns out to be easier for him than you expected, doesn't hurt to build his confidence and you can always supplement, move quicker etc. Working through something too difficult is frustrating and disheartening for everyone.

 

I'm sure you know this already - don't know if that helps?

[ebrindam]

I think that looks like a pre-k year, so I think this year would be K.

[faiths13]

Ive been wondering if what we have done is too light for K. I also wonder if he will be ready for 1st. But then I have this guilt like Im holding him back because Ive been calling it K, so if we do K "again" I would feel bad. Honestly Ive never even taught K or 1st before this, so Im not exactly sure what I should be looking for as far as readiness.

[Walking-Iris]

I wouldn't worry about what to call him unless it's the law you have to declare his grade. Then Just pick his grade based on where his age mates are and then just keep doing what you're doing. If he can understand SM Essentials and he finishes B then he's solidly able to do 1st grade math.

 

The handwriting doesn't matter. The K book isn't going to be drastically different than the one you're doing now. Just finish up the pre-K book and start the K book. You could easily finish those two books by the end of summer...easily. If he's struggling with the handwriting then just stick with it.

 

Follow his lead with reading. In a typical K class you would have some learning letter sounds, some learning CVC words and some fluently reading at a 1st grade level. You'll want to continue phonics at least until 2nd or so, so just keep working through ETC if it's working for you. Or if he understands the letter sounds and gets plenty of handwriting practice in HWT, them just go right to the first ETC and skip all the Get ready Set Go books (which are just letter basically handwriting practice, unless you really feel he needs it).

 

Maybe he just didn't like Stuart Little? There's a ton of other chapter books to read. I have to read those style of books at my Kinders bedtime. During the day it's really difficult to sit still for a longish read aloud. Just stick with quality picture books if that's the extent of his daytime attention. There's no reason a 1st grader should sit still for long read alouds either imo.

 

Another option is to just split the difference. Work ahead where he can (like that math if he's cruising along in SM) and work behind where he needs help (in the reading etc) and just don't stress the grade level.

[bakpak]

Also longer picture books may be more appropriate/interesting to him at first. Keep it fun!

[throughpagesandfields]

I don't know if this relates at all - but I'm kinda planning on doing 2 years of K. Maybe even more. I'm calling it Pre-K next year... but he'll JUST turn 5 the year after that... so we'll just see where he's at.

 

I looked through so many threads and am a ridiculous oober researcher... and I gotta say I think most people say for the early years to take time... and that at least until 7 it's better to go too slow than too fast. So maybe start out at K - just see how it goes? It sounds like you're doing good things. It certainly doesn't sound like he's "behind" or whatever that means.

 

I think it's common for boys not to excel at handwriting... and sitting still is always hard for them too. My boy will sit still for reading... but nothing else! haha! We go to storytime and he's one of the younger ones... will sit during the whole story every time really well.... but get's about 8 seconds into crafts and just decides it's boring and gets up and does other stuff. I think they all have different attention spans. I know that my son will just NEVER be able to do some of the curriculum plans that I read about people so successfully doing in here. He's just no ever going to be into workbooks, I don't think.

[throughpagesandfields]

I just thought of something else that might help. I've been feeling kinda insecure about what how to do Kindie/1st also... So I've managed to collect a number of different curriculum options. It's there if we move into it... but also gives me an average of what others might be covering. I never want to restrict myself to just "grade level" stuff.. but it's nice to use as a compass, you know?

[boscopup]

My ds's bday is Sept 6. Here in Cali you can start K if you are 5 Oct 1st for 2013-2014 (It was Dec, and they are moving it up one month every year until it gets to Sept 1). So I started him with K last Sept. We have been doing a gentle K. Im just not sure if I should consider it a Pre K or K and move him on to 1st this fall.

 

I'd probably call this year PreK, based on what you're doing now and his attention span and such. That way, you won't feel internal pressure to get him reading before fall or able to copy sentences before fall, etc. You can take it easy and call NEXT year K, learning to read, etc. Just keep going in the curricula you're using (so you'd be doing first grade math next year, probably), but label him "K".

 

My son has a November birthday, and he is a 6 year old K'er now. In my state, he's K anyway, but even if our cutoff date were later, I probably would have called him K this year for maturity reasons. We didn't even start really formal handwriting until 2nd semester when he was already 6. It's going a lot better than it did when I was trying earlier in the year. Reading has taken him a bit longer than his brothers, though he's right on target for "K". I'm glad he's labeled "K" so that I don't feel any guilt about him not reading like a first grader yet, kwim? He's "ahead" in math, but that gives us more time to play with the math. ;)

 

Other than that we have done tons of reading, esp for science. Lots of short, colorful picture books. We just started doing longer books, but still with lots of pictures. I recently tried to read Stuart Little to him, and he couldn't sit still. I am not so sure he will be ready for that type of book by Sept or not...but he has been much more interested in the longer books with lots of pictures. We are mostly sticking to fairy tales, etc.

 

My K'er couldn't get much out of pictureless chapter books at 5 either. He is doing better this year at 6. My oldest didn't get a lot from listening to them until closer to 7 (despite the fact that he could READ them himself). Just keep plugging away with longer picture books, pictureless short fairy tales, etc. I'm reading Little House in the Big Woods right now, and my K'er loves it! When I read this in my oldest's first grade year, he kind of tuned out. We didn't even finish it that year (and again, he could have read it himself and comprehended it fine - just couldn't sit and listen to me read).

[ByGrace3]

Based on curriculum I would call in pre-K, but long term I don't think it matters all that much.

[lea_lpz]

I would say it sounds like he'd be placed at K level next year and this past year was a pre-k year. but you could go according to the school year he'd be in and work at the appropriate pace for him or hold him back a year. I live in California and I know every state varies, but in my opinion I feel like because the standard k math and Lang covered has become more advanced over the years, most kids should be 5 by Sept.1st and children who don't seem ready, I would wait and start them at 6.

 

It's really your call.

 

My dd is enrolled in a charter homeschool and they told me I could enroll her in k if she meet the cut off date but work at a pre-k level and re-enroll her as a k'er the following year if I wanted. Or we could just continue and work below grade level, so long as she showed over all progress through out the years.

 

I don't know if you plan to do a charter or not but that could be an option.

 

What do you plan to use for 1st? If working at K, do you plan to continue with what you have listed?

 

We are using MFW K and have added Singapore math early bird book B and HWT K with multisensory tools and Bob books. If you are Christian and looking for a gentle Charlotte Mason approach that has a lot of hands on stuff but teaches a solid fondation in k math and Lang I would strongly suggest it. If you do a charter, it covers the literature, science, social sciences, art, physical education, and music needed.

 

MFW has guidelines about what a child should know to be a 1st grader. Does the 1st curriculum you're looking at have some guidelines to help you decide, or are you planning to move on to the next level of your math, handwriting and phonics program? If so, than all that is pretty much k level stuff.

 

[Um_2_4]

I am in Cali too, and my DS had a bday in Jan, so I had to look at that, but since the govt here doesn't care, I assume you are more concerned about curriculum??

When I taught at a private school here, what you have described would NOT be enough to progress to 1st grade. The child would have been held for another year of Kg.

I taught the Kg class and all kids were expected to be able to read simple readers fluently, as well as to be able to spell and write quite well (nostly CVC words and some sight words).

So I would call what you have done preK and just keep moving forward. (PS If something should happen and you HAD to put him in public school here, they will just go by age, not what books you were working on at home. That has been the experience of several HS families I knew here in several school districts. Like my DS they would put into 4th next year, even though we are doing 5th/6th grade work in many subjects this year. You might convince them to test him if he were ahead by several levels, but not all schools will agree (happened to my friend's daughter).)

[faiths13]

Thanks for all the great responses : ) It really helps me out! I am trying to let go of "what he should be doing" because of his age and do what he is ready to do. it has been very difficult for me, lol. im glad we have done what we have done this year and i dont think he has been ready for more. i have been feeling like i wanted to start pushing him more to make sure he could do more 1st level work, but i think doing another year of K, or even half a year, is the best idea for him right now.

[HS Mom in NC]

Grade levels are the biggest scam in American education. Many children aren't really ready to start any academics until they're 8 years old. Relax.

 

My middle child who wasn't ready to start learning to read until she was almost 8 (we got out phonics and did for a few weeks every couple of months from the time she was 5) just turned 15 and will be starting community college in the Fall.