Confused about what kids usually know entering Kindergarten

[Anonymous]

I don't think this is at all typical, and just serves to freak parents out. Double digit addition and subtraction? Multiplication and division? And I say this as someone whose kids went to Montessori and later, HGC. I am certain my kids didn't do much more than single digit addition and subtraction...and perhaps they could tell you if everyone could have a slice of pizza if you cut it into X number of pieces. But for god's sake don't get all crazed about it if they can't do that walking into K.

I don't why people freak out that young kids can't understand simple math concepts. We originally chose Montessori because we liked the amount of outdoor time, quality of the facilities and teachers when we toured. I was blown away too to seeing my kids doing multi digit addition and subtraction and multiplication and division at age 5. They don't teach it the way we learned it. They use very simple, sound concepts that take the mystery out of math and the kids absorbed more than memorizing flash cards or copying what a teacher was doing on a board.

There is no need to know any of this walking into an MCPS classroom. MCPS will not get to those concepts until 2nd or 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

My son is in Prek 4 in DC this year. I am positive that some kids will come in knowing more than him and some less. I have friends whose kids are in Montessori and Bright Horizons who have been doing more academically. The only advantage he will have over them is that he knows the school by now and what's expected of him in the classroom. They were doing things like learning how to write all of the letters, count to 100, basic addition and subtraction. I wasn't worried in the slightest since they'll probably have to repeat most of it in K. If your kid can follow instruction and is socialized well enough, I wouldn't worry about anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don't think this is at all typical, and just serves to freak parents out. Double digit addition and subtraction? Multiplication and division? And I say this as someone whose kids went to Montessori and later, HGC. I am certain my kids didn't do much more than single digit addition and subtraction...and perhaps they could tell you if everyone could have a slice of pizza if you cut it into X number of pieces. But for god's sake don't get all crazed about it if they can't do that walking into K.

I don't why people freak out that young kids can't understand simple math concepts. We originally chose Montessori because we liked the amount of outdoor time, quality of the facilities and teachers when we toured. I was blown away too to seeing my kids doing multi digit addition and subtraction and multiplication and division at age 5. They don't teach it the way we learned it. They use very simple, sound concepts that take the mystery out of math and the kids absorbed more than memorizing flash cards or copying what a teacher was doing on a board.

There is no need to know any of this walking into an MCPS classroom. MCPS will not get to those concepts until 2nd or 3rd grade.

Since the OP's question applied to what her kid might need to know for K, I think talking about double-digit subtraction and addition, plus multiplication and division is outside the scope of the thread. Some kids can do it (I actually did as a preschooler myself, as part of some 70's experimental school program), and if parents feel their kids can and want to learn that as a 5-year-old, more power to them. But this kind of skill is by no means typical or usual for K...or for Montessori, in my personal experience.

[Anonymous]

If your child turns 5 before 9/1..they are prepared. You are not going to change your childs academic career with flashcard sessions between now and September. Kids that have had montessori high level math may have some review but will be getting used to a very different classroom style. The strong readers may focus more on new math skills. Some kids will earn lots of English. Other kids will just learn more social skills.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, the principal at a Bethesda ES told me (about 7 years ago) that they would like incoming children to know the alphabet and how to count to 29. That's it. There is no expectation that your child can read or do arithmetic.

[Anonymous]

Kindergarten age 5-6 year olds have such a range. They absorb so much that year that a kid that is 5 years 9 months may know a lot more just because academically, that is a lot of extra time to pick up concepts. Add to that the fact that some kids come from preschools or households that focus on math/reading and the difference between kids will be even greater.

My son was the oldest and came from a Montessori so he came in knowing how to read and addition/subtraction. There were kids who came in just learning letter sounds. Fast forward two years. Some of the kids in the "high level" group are either still there or have moved towards the middle of the pack. Some of the kids learning how to read are now in the middle level group and some on their way to high with just a bit more time.

I wouldn't be concerned. Just support whatever your child is learning and it will even out around third grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been though this twice. Once with a kid that was reading chapter books and writing sentences and once with a kid that was barely reading and writing.

I would say the minimum to know is:
- how to listen and follow directions
- ability to sit on carpet for 15-30 minutes and listen to teacher
- how to interact appropriatelly socially with other kids
- know all letters, letter sounds and reading simple words (sounding out cat, dog),
- able to write name and all letters
- able to write out simple words
- recognize numbers 1-20


Knowing less is fine but be ready for potentially hearing from your child that they are slow and not as smart as the other kids. Its not a big deal to prop your kid up after this but it might happen.

There is a HUGE range from kids like my one child that could do 2nd grade work going in to others that don't speak english and don't know any letters or numbers.

This is for non-red zone school in QO district.

My kid
- could sing ABC song.
- Knew how to independentaly go to the bathroom and wash her hands
- Say "Please, Thank you, Sorry"
- Could color with crayons
- Knew names of color, animals, some shapes.
- Could count from 1- 10.
- Followed directions
- Did not hit, bite, bully kids.
- Did not eat other people's lunch.
- Knew how to raise her hand before speaking.

[Anonymous]

Go read the Common Core standards for K. If your child has the building blocks for those competencies, you are fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been though this twice. Once with a kid that was reading chapter books and writing sentences and once with a kid that was barely reading and writing.

I would say the minimum to know is:
- how to listen and follow directions
- ability to sit on carpet for 15-30 minutes and listen to teacher
- how to interact appropriatelly socially with other kids
- know all letters, letter sounds and reading simple words (sounding out cat, dog),
- able to write name and all letters
- able to write out simple words
- recognize numbers 1-20


Knowing less is fine but be ready for potentially hearing from your child that they are slow and not as smart as the other kids. Its not a big deal to prop your kid up after this but it might happen.

There is a HUGE range from kids like my one child that could do 2nd grade work going in to others that don't speak english and don't know any letters or numbers.

This is for non-red zone school in QO district.

Teacher here. Being able to listen and follow directions and having social skills are the most important. The other stuff can be taught quickly. Colors, shapes, recognizing letters and numbers out of sequence are great skills to arrive with.

[Anonymous]

Around here? They can already deconstruct the atom (but have no social skills because of it). Go, Kumon-obsessed parents!

[Anonymous]

I think someone else touched on being able to use the bathroom independently, but I would also add: being able to eat lunch by themselves. Its funny how much people worry about the math and reading and then you end up with kids at lunch that can't open their lunch bag or any food and have no idea how to feed themselves lunch.

[Anonymous]

I would also say that Montessori is not the be all and end all of school preparedness. I have a kid who went to a blue-chip Montessori, and another that is in a county day care program. The one in the day care program can do everything the older one did at this age. Might even be quicker. Kids are who they are -- I don't think people should feel they need to shell out $20-30K a year in pre-school to get their kids ready for K.

[Anonymous]

Mine could write his name and knew most letters and could write most letters. Could count to 100 but missed a lot of numbers. I would help with prompting. He could not read.

[Anonymous]

To PPs who said their kids could do multiplication and division and two-digit addition/subtraction:

Your child may have been the only ones in their school to be able to do this. This is not typical, even in Montessori schools.

We're at a high SES school with at least half of the kids having gone to Montessori before they came to MCPS and I can tell you for sure that there was on ONE (ONE!) kid in K who knew how to do this at the beginning of the school year.

We were told at orientation that 60-70% of the kids coming not knowing how to read even basic three-letter words.

[Anonymous]

Your kid should know parents full name and phone numbers.

Knowing home address is a good thing too.