Smart kids in Kindergarten

[Anonymous]

We are looking at public schools in McLean and are trying to decide whether to go public or private. My child is reading, adding, subtracting, etc. Will he be bored in the public school system? Should we do private until he can get tested for AAP? Parents who have been in this situation please share. He will start K in the fall.

[Anonymous]

My view is K is not about the academics, but about the socialization. Basically, before K, most children were not a diverse environment with kids of different abilities. A good K teach should be able to deal with it.

[Anonymous]

isn't it too late to apply to private schools for sept already? what type of school would be the alternative? what do you mean you are looking at publics in mclean? do you know what school you are zoned for?

[Anonymous]

In McLean, your kid is quite average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at public schools in McLean and are trying to decide whether to go public or private. My child is reading, adding, subtracting, etc. Will he be bored in the public school system? Should we do private until he can get tested for AAP? Parents who have been in this situation please share. He will start K in the fall.

Many students entering Kindergarten in McLean (and other locations in northern Virginia) are reading, adding, subtracting, etc. Some public and private schools can differentiate well in Kindergarten and others cannot. But apart from the academics, the social skills developed in Kindergarten are also important. I suggest looking at schools that will help develop these equally-important social skills.

[Anonymous]

OP here. We have applied to several private schools already. We are also currently looking to purchase a home in McLean.
If my kid is quite average does that mean they will not be bored.
Looking for advice here.
Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If my kid is quite average does that mean they will not be bored.

This is dependent on the school and more importantly the specific teacher. Your kid will need to learn social skills in either case.

[Anonymous]

You should buy a house and then talk to the school you are zoned for. Then you can find out if they differentiate the children, which I'm sure they do. They have different math and reading group based on ability levels. And as prior post said, adding and reading entering K is pretty common.

[Anonymous]

My DC is reading and adding/subtracting and we bought in Haycock because they know how to teach and support advanced learners. Starting K in the fall too.

[Anonymous]

Wow, how many kids in an average Mclean K class start off reading? There were only two dc out of 28 who started K off already reading books in ds's class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, how many kids in an average Mclean K class start off reading? There were only two dc out of 28 who started K off already reading books in ds's class.

We're not in McLean, but in DS' class, there were 8 kids out of 20 reading when K started.

[Anonymous]

How do you know how many kids could read, do you people ask your teacher this shit?
Annoying!

[Anonymous]

OP, how well behaved is your child? If he is smart and mature/well behaved he will be just fine in kindergarten, even if he is on the advanced side. If he is advanced but immature, impulsive and has difficulty listening, then that is a recipe for trouble.

I say this from experience as a mom who had a very bright and advanced but very immature boy who was the youngest in the class. The first third of the year was a disaster until his ability to follow the group and behave in a structured environment caught up with his intellect and skills. Poor impulse control plus a young child working grade levels ahead is a bad combination.

His younger sibling is now in kindergarten. He is not quite as advanced as big brother was, but is still reading, doing basic math, etc. However, he is way more mature in behavior and is having a rewarding kindergarten experience, even though he has many of the "academic" kindergarten skills.

So if your child's behavior is mature enough to deal with structure then he will have a great experience in kindergarten, even if he is one of a handful or more of kids already reading and doing math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you know how many kids could read

The teacher told us how many children were in DS' reading group when we attended the parent-teacher conference in November. I am a little surprised that some may be shocked that parents actually attend and communicate with the teacher at the parent-teacher conference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, how many kids in an average Mclean K class start off reading? There were only two dc out of 28 who started K off already reading books in ds's class.

We're not in McLean, but in DS' class, there were 8 kids out of 20 reading when K started.

NP, but I am also curious how you would know this. Do you ask the teacher? The parents? Does this info come home in a newsletter or something? We're halfway through K already and I still have not the faintest idea how many kids in my child's class can read, and how well...