Did anyone have a child start elementary school very far ahead?

[Anonymous]

DC is at a private school. Her pediatrician evaluated her for ADD inattentive type based on some behaviors at school. She came out borderline, mostly because her level is either at or above average for the school and according to her ped to be diagnosed the child must be failing. DC is very good at math, learns the reading, grammar, and language rules quickly but struggles to read when it is a paragraph or multiple sentences. Oddly, she is faster doing something the first time and second time and takes a very, very long to do repetitions, especially toward the end. She can write a story that she thinks up but stares off and takes forever to copy a message from the chalkboard. Her teacher has been frustrated with her because she knows how to do it but takes way too long and stares out the window, hence the ADD inattentive issue. This really upsets my DC. She gets very frustrated with herself that she can't finish something as quickly as her friends when she knows how to do it. On her ped's advice we will be taking her for educational testing this summer to see if maybe she has a deeper learning disability with reading. She may be GT/LD and be able to compensate now but will have bigger problems later on.

Her school really accelerates K kids. Average is reading at the 1st or 2nd level not the level that MCPS follows. The K kids have already learned addition and subtraction with 4 digit numbers, carrying over, multiplication of single digits and division of single and double digit numbers. I was really surprised that MCPS is both described as high pressure for kids but at the same time the curriculum is very basic. The K kids are learning letters and some sight words and counting numbers. Addition is introduced in 1st grade but it looked like single digits. Multiplication seems to not be introduced until 3rd grade. It also seemed that reading is highly favored over math and science concepts.

So we are in the odd situation of having a child that will be far ahead but is really struggling on some level. Is the curriculum in MCPS really as basic as it appears? Does the "pressure" come from time constraints? Are the children expected to do something very fast and many times to prove competancy in the area? IS the MCPS curriculum really tailored toward reading and language skills as opposed to being balanced with math and analytical skills?

I am hopeful that by entering ahead she will gain back some confidence that she lost this year. I am OK with her not learning algebra in 3rd grade. I'm also worried though that she will stare out the window more if it is very easy, not finish something on time and get more frustrated. Tutoring won't help since she already knows how to do it, so I'm not sure what we will do. If the math is very light, she will also suffer from losing the area that gave her the most confidence.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure where your info on MCPS comes from but I suggest you visit your local K class and see what goes on. There will be a range of levels but I am sure you will see a few kids who came in as solid readers. My daughters 1st grade class covered multiplication..in fact the whole class worked toward the goal of knowing their tables by the end of the year (partial success). A visit or at least a phone clear up some of your concerns.

[Anonymous]

ITA w/pp. OP, you need an in depth discussion w/an MCPS school. Your child might not be as 'accelerated' as you think if you decide on an MCPS school.

[Anonymous]

Not sure what your question is. Your DD is starting in K? My experience with the K curriculum is that it is a bit light on some aspects of math, but the do teach some new things like graphing and measuring which had not been covered in my child's preschool. At our school they didn't start really addition and subtraction until the year was half over, and its pretty basic. As for reading, they seem to do a little more differentiation. For Math the advanced kids do the 1st grade math, but nothing more.

[Anonymous]

DC will be in 1st grade at Stone Mill which is a very good school in MCPS. I have had a tour and looked at the curriculum on-line which is why I am concerned. I also had some friends with kids one year older that decided to do SM for K instead of the private. They all said that their kids learned nothing knew the entire year and the concepts were ones their kids did in preschool not even K. They were worried about the social aspects of trying to transition in as a 1st grader rather than a K so they were OK with this. I also hear the school referred to as Stone Mill University but I don't understand this if the curriculum is so basic.

I don't know the other parents very well so I don't feel too comfortable pushing for more information on the school. I don't think being far ahead is uncommon in this area so I was hoping that someone who had a K or 1st who entered MCPS very far ahead could shed some light on their own kid's experience. Did they feel the same pressure even if they were ahead? Were they bored? Were the teachers observant to their needs or was this not possible due to the class size and structure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC will be in 1st grade at Stone Mill which is a very good school in MCPS. I have had a tour and looked at the curriculum on-line which is why I am concerned. I also had some friends with kids one year older that decided to do SM for K instead of the private. They all said that their kids learned nothing knew the entire year and the concepts were ones their kids did in preschool not even K. They were worried about the social aspects of trying to transition in as a 1st grader rather than a K so they were OK with this. I also hear the school referred to as Stone Mill University but I don't understand this if the curriculum is so basic.

I don't know the other parents very well so I don't feel too comfortable pushing for more information on the school. I don't think being far ahead is uncommon in this area so I was hoping that someone who had a K or 1st who entered MCPS very far ahead could shed some light on their own kid's experience. Did they feel the same pressure even if they were ahead? Were they bored? Were the teachers observant to their needs or was this not possible due to the class size and structure?

I had some concerns about my kid entering K in MCPS and getting "bored" - and, to some extent, he may have been - especially with Math (even though he was "accellerated" - he blew through the K and 1st assessments), but I have heard that 1st grade is a whole 'nother can of worms and it does get much more intense. BUT, that said, he LOVED Kindergarten - it was an incredible socializing experience - his reading zoomed - and reading is something they are more attentive to in K. Play is important at that age - for a whole host of brain-building reasons - problem solving, teamwork, executive functioning - so cramming in how to do 2nd grade math at K level I don't feel is as important as long as he's excelling.