public school K at 5 or 6?

[maize]

Anyone with experience to share re: sending a kid to K as a young 5 or young 6?

 

My current 6 year old started kindergarten this year in a Chinese immersion program. He turned 6 in June so is old for his grade (school let me decide between K and 1st for him). He is quite happy at school, and I have been impressed by the teachers and staff. Language immersion is such a unique opportunity and important to me.

 

My next son turns 5 in August--just before the cut off. I'm thinking of sending him along with his brother next year. I wish someone would give me a crystal ball to know if he will be ready! Both these kids have an ADHD diagnosis, both are in speech therapy, both have some level of anxiety, both have some sensory integration issues; younger ds has had some developmental delays and other challenges that have hinted at ASD but he does not have that diagnosis at this point. So...a complicated kid. I wouldn't even consider public K at 5 if not for the fact that he actually does quite well in a structured environment--I put him in a Montessori preschool four days a week this fall and, while we had frequent difficulties with the home-to-school transition, once at school he was happy and did well. And he can be a very challenging kid to have at home.

 

K is a 3/4 day for the immersion program; my older son is in the "afternoon" class this year and his school day is 10:45-3:25.

 

Oh where is that crystal ball...

[PeterPan]

You are placing dc2 in the same program as dc1, yes? And dc 1 went into their K5 program at newly 6 and did well, yes? And dc2 has similar disabilities and would be a newly 5? I would definitely wait for the newly 6. That year is HUGE at that age, and with that list, including the anxiety, you're likely to have behaviors if you jump the gun. Better to keep it all stress free. A failure would create stress that would carry over to home. 

 

I'd definitely wait till newly 6, like the other sibling. 

 

But that's talking the chinese immersion program. Fwiw, I'm guessing they aren't set up to handle "challenging" kids. I'd get your ASD diagnosis, begin your ABA, get the IEP, then put him in the ps. Or go ahead and put him in the ps program while getting your diagnosis and going through the IEP process. But to put a challenging, very possibly ASD kid into a mainstreamed program that isn't set up with resources to handle challenging behavior, that might not go well. It might, but it sounds like it won't. You've gotta assess that. What will they do when he's having his behaviors?

Edited February 2, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[PeterPan]

My ds, at 8, can now do things in a mainstream setting that other kids were doing at 5/6. Like when we go to zoo days, he couldn't answer polite greetings, stand in line for the animal visitor, pet the animal visitor, etc. All that was very stressful! Now he can.

 

It might be that the chinese immersion experience would be something he needs to wait a couple years on. I don't know, just saying. Like take what your non-ASD kids do and add 2 and it might be more realistic.

 

Oh duh, you were asking about ps, lol. It doesn't really matter whether he'll do well, because they'll handle it. The question is whether you'll like how they'll handle it. If a dc goes into the ps and functions in the classroom and is able to "access his education" then hang it up on receiving services for the disability. So there's actually some posturing you do there and things you think through. Where do you want him placed and what services do you hope the ps will provide? 

 

Edited February 2, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[City Mouse]

Honestly? My DS has a summer birthday, and I started him in kinder as a young 5 yr old. I really debated but his teachers in preschool thought he was ready.

 

In hindsight, I wish I had let him wait another year. I took out the personal details. By 14 things are evening out, but too many years of having to play catch up to the other kids has taken an emotional toll on him.

[emmaluv+2more]

My dd has a very end of July birthday.  I attempted to send her to a 2 day/week K program last year (15-16 school year) when she was a fresh 5 year old because she was interested, seemed ready maturity-wise, teacher said she was ready.  It was an enormous mistake for us.  She struggled a lot.  Teacher didn't see any red flags, just thought she wasn't applying herself.  I took her out after a couple of months, but it devastated her.  It was a really tough decision.  We are now on our way to some psych testing (I'm really thinking dyslexia) that I would have likely sought last year had the teacher not been so adamant that there were no "issues".

 

All of that is to say that I wish I had not sent her.  Although it didn't necessarily harm her, removing her after I put her in was soul crushingly hard.  And it didn't benefit her at all whatsoever.  

 

Edited because I truly can spell.  Now punctuation?  That's another story!

Edited February 3, 2017 by emmaluv+2more