Experiences of an older 3 in DCPS PK3

[Anonymous]

Any experiences with an older 3 in DCPS PK3? Our daughter (who will turn 4 in November) started PK3 in DCPS this year. She has already done a year of PK3 and 5 months of PK4 in the Preschool program at the daycare she previously attended which uses the same curriculum as our DCPS. It's only been 2 weeks, but it seems like she doesn't fit in well with the class. She's used to being around older kids socially and has a strong emotional vocabulary. I guess it's just how the class worked out but there are a lot of younger 3s in the class. Teacher claims she will differentiate the curriculum to meet each child's needs but we are more concerned about the social aspect. We just want her to have at least one buddy that is around her social-emotional level. How have other older 3s fared in PK3? Hoping it will get better with time.

[Anonymous]

Our child is an old 3 in PK3. But, we're fine with it because it's montessori and the class is ~28 PK3/PK4/K together. They're adjusting just fine.

[Anonymous]

It will be finnnne. Seriously. It's been 2 weeks. If it's not, the teachers will adjust.

[Anonymous]

It takes a few weeks at the beginning of the year to assess all the students and then figure out how to group and differentiate. It can also take a few weeks for kids to naturally find friends at recess or choice times.

I know plenty of 3, 4, and 5 year olds who play together, so I wouldn't worry about older 3/younger 3 too much. If you feel like your daughter is above and beyond as far as talking about her emotions, then work with her on how to approach other kids to make friends and to understand that all kids have some things they learn very quickly and other things that take longer to learn -- this applies to academics, physical feats, and socializing -- to prevent bragging, teasing, or complaining about kids who are "behind" her.

[Anonymous]

I do think it will get better, OP.

Kids at this age (3/4) display a lot of variation in development and behavior and it does not track perfectly with age. I think what you are currently observing is a difference in experience. Your DD has a lot of experience in a PK environment, so she does not have as much of a learning curve for adjusting to Pk as some of the other kids. The other kids may be coming from daycare settings without a PK program, or home with parents, relatives, or nannies. They are likely struggling a little bit socially as they learn to be in a more formal school environment, follow a new schedule that might not be as familiar to them as it is to your DD, and are expected to display greater independence on things like eating, playing, toileting, etc.

But you will find that a month or two in, a lot of that variation disappears because the kids acclimate. The other children gain experience with all of these things and settle in. Your DD will likely be a leader in the classroom on some of those behaviors, but the other children will catch up (in part thanks to her influence! it is so great to have some older kids in a class to help set expectations and show children what is possible for them!) and then you will see them sync up.

You will also see them differentiate in other ways, and by the end of the year, you might not feel like your DD is "ahead" on all things -- there may be things that come easier to other kids that she struggles with. That's normal!

Two weeks is not enough time for most PK3 kids to acclimate to school. Give it a month or two. And in the meantime, this is a great opportunity for your DD to work on important skills -- patience, understanding, self-reliance, etc. There is always something to learn in a PK classroom.

[Anonymous]

Oh for Pete's sake. It will be fine. This is not the first time a teacher has had a kid with a fall birthday.

Sincerely,
Mom of an early October DD who went to a very low rated DCPS and had a wonderful experience.

[Anonymous]

My kid's birthday is in December. Once she started school, she was nearly 4 years old. She dominated the class. She was a leader in the class because she was taller, more "mature," and was way ahead in reading, writing, and arithmetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid's birthday is in December. Once she started school, she was nearly 4 years old. She dominated the class. She was a leader in the class because she was taller, more "mature," and was way ahead in reading, writing, and arithmetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid's birthday is in December. Once she started school, she was nearly 4 years old. She dominated the class. She was a leader in the class because she was taller, more "mature," and was way ahead in reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Roll your eyes, but I'm a NP and my daughter did the same. Not "dominated" in a bad way, but in a way that let her develop a strong relationship with her teachers and gain a lot of confidence as a student. Those are much more important things to learn in pre-K than phonics and addition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child is an old 3 in PK3. But, we're fine with it because it's montessori and the class is ~28 PK3/PK4/K together. They're adjusting just fine.

This was us, but I think the OP is not in Montessori.

My kid made friends with all the PK4 kids. That was a little hard when they all left after K but not too bad.

OP - PK3 is not about the "curriculum". She's going to be fine. Some kid will become her sidekick, lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our child is an old 3 in PK3. But, we're fine with it because it's montessori and the class is ~28 PK3/PK4/K together. They're adjusting just fine.

This was us, but I think the OP is not in Montessori.

My kid made friends with all the PK4 kids. That was a little hard when they all left after K but not too bad.

OP - PK3 is not about the "curriculum". She's going to be fine. Some kid will become her sidekick, lol.

I'm the PP you quoted.

You're right, somehow I was thinking they were. PK3 is about being a kid and learning to interact together.

[Anonymous]

My two kids are both early Oct/Nov birthdays. IME it is a bigger deal in PK3 (my DD basically became the teacher's pet/class demonstrator of all things; my son made one BFF, who was the similarly situated girl in the class) and the relevance fades by PK4 when the other kids develop adequate "baseline" skills to really make friends & socialize. Once those baseline skills are there, it is much easier and the differences between kids don't matter as much. My kids are still academically at the front end of their classes, no doubt in part due to their early birthdays... and it's really not such a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

The difference won't be as dramatic as she gets older. And her friends will likely change over time. Don't worry about it.

[Anonymous]

You think your child being a few month over makes it so they will not gain skills?

Also it’s literally week 2, believe me your child should be fine. What are the GOLD results so far? And if there is an issue does your school have a PK 3/4 class you can switch to?

[Anonymous]

My LO was in the same boat and we actually took her out and out her back in the private preschool after a few months in the DCPS PK3. My LO was truly so far advanced that her teacher flat out said she wouldn’t be able to continue catering to her progression. My child started to regress in her behavior. It just made sense for us to return to the preschool. Now with my second child, DCPS PK3 is truly a gem and the right fit in all aspects. You have to know your child and how/where they thrive.