My precious Kindergarten snowflake

[Anonymous]

I thought I would call her that before anyone else does!

But seriously I am looking for feedback. My DD is in a Bethesda K class of 24 students and one teacher. When I volunteer it seems like crowd control. I don't blame the teacher, it's really too many kids at such different skill levels. Some, like my daughter are reading chapter books -- Junie B. Jones, Magic Tree House and the Fairy series etc. Others can't spell C-A-T.

My DD loves school. Loves the socializing and seeing her friends and all the activities but when she describes her day, or when I go in to volunteer I feel like it's just glorified day care. Not for the kids in the middle who are really learning, but yes for the more advanced kids. (The bottom kids are struggling hard and I feel for them too, since they do not get enough individual attention)

I think my DD is very bright, I am not sure I would say gifted, but I would say she is not exactly challenged in school -- academically that is. I guess I am just kind of disappointed with MCPS. So much touchy-feely stuff, so many videos during the week etc.

I have a friend whose DC is going to a DC charter with 15 kids in a class, a teacher and an aide. The kids get tons of tailored lessons. I am jealous.

So my question, does it get better in 1st and 2nd grade? Should I just take a chill pill?

[Anonymous]

Videos!?! That's the laziest form of teaching in HS and MS, I cannot imagine it in lower ES!

That said I don't know what the teaching philosophy is in K in MoCo any longer. Why don't you ask them? Sounds like anyone from a progressive preschool would certainly regress. Also in DC, since preschool is included there is less of those silly games and more learning/teaching in K.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'd wait until 2nd grade to make up your mind. Kindergarten is too early to make any decisions. Kids at 5 &6 years of age will vary quite a bit developmentally, but by 8 or 9 things even out a lot. Some of the early readers may be no more advanced than some of the kids still learning how to spell CAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'd wait until 2nd grade to make up your mind. Kindergarten is too early to make any decisions. Kids at 5 &6 years of age will vary quite a bit developmentally, but by 8 or 9 things even out a lot. Some of the early readers may be no more advanced than some of the kids still learning how to spell CAT.

Yes, this is what I tell myself.

I guess I am worried that she will always float along getting her "P"s and never really being challenged. It does not seem that there is much incentive to challenge the kids, only get them to "proficient" and once there they just kind of tread water and wait for everyone to catch up.

Is this not true in 2nd and 3rd etc. under the new curriculum?

[Anonymous]

The videos used to really bug me too, but AFAIK they weren't every week, much less more than once a week.

I do think that K, especially the first half, is a lot about getting used to school more than achieving specific academic goals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The videos used to really bug me too, but AFAIK they weren't every week, much less more than once a week.

I do think that K, especially the first half, is a lot about getting used to school more than achieving specific academic goals.

The videos are every week, sometimes more than that. Whenever recess is canceled for example, which has been happening more and more.

[Anonymous]

Not to go OT, but do they really watch videos in KG?? My DD starts in August, and that sounds terrible! How often would you say? Are we talking a video a week, or a video a day?

[Anonymous]

It's only kindergarten. I would wait it out as someone else mentioned, until first or second grade. With that said, challenge her at home. Also, talk to the teacher and ask for additional work for your child or more challenging work. I myself wouldn't push it though. You have to understand that kindergarten is the first step into the school system/world. Some children never played or socialized with other children. Some children were never in a structured setting. Some children do not even know the English language. So yes, everyone will be on a different level. Your child may be above average now but could be below later on. Give everyone a break and just relax.

[Anonymous]

Pp here. I just posted right when you two PPs posted.

So, when recess is cancelled, they're not allowed to play inside or anything? Just relegated to a video? Yuck. Why not give the kids blocks/crayons/games?

[Anonymous]

What kind of videos are they watching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's only kindergarten. I would wait it out as someone else mentioned, until first or second grade. With that said, challenge her at home. Also, talk to the teacher and ask for additional work for your child or more challenging work. I myself wouldn't push it though. You have to understand that kindergarten is the first step into the school system/world. Some children never played or socialized with other children. Some children were never in a structured setting. Some children do not even know the English language. So yes, everyone will be on a different level. Your child may be above average now but could be below later on. Give everyone a break and just relax.

Thanks, this is good advice. Do you have kids in MCPS ES? I'd still like to hear if the classroom does a better job of addressing different levels in other grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The videos used to really bug me too, but AFAIK they weren't every week, much less more than once a week.

I do think that K, especially the first half, is a lot about getting used to school more than achieving specific academic goals.

The videos are every week, sometimes more than that. Whenever recess is canceled for example, which has been happening more and more.

If the videos are in place of recess because they don't go out, then I'm all for it. Teachers lunch breaks, conferences, planning breaks, etc are during lunch and recess. They need that down time.

[Anonymous]

I guess I am worried that she will always float along getting her "P"s and never really being challenged. It does not seem that there is much incentive to challenge the kids, only get them to "proficient" and once there they just kind of tread water and wait for everyone to catch up.

Cheer up OP, it could be worse. We experienced exactly as you describe above in K-3 (so far), and we paid ~$30,000 a year for the privilege at a local private school! Even with a (much) better teacher to student ratio, the teacherS, plural, still aim for that middle-of-the-pack for 85% of the day. That's true in Ward 3 too, I am told.

10 minutes of "pull out reading" differentiation all by yourself and an extra math packet to do by yourself is not so customized. And then, as I said, the other 85% of the day is mass produced.

Sorry, I don't have an answer. Other than to say, the grass 'tis not greener over here, so don't go thinking you're missing something big by skipping the vaunted Private Lower School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The videos used to really bug me too, but AFAIK they weren't every week, much less more than once a week.

I do think that K, especially the first half, is a lot about getting used to school more than achieving specific academic goals.

The videos are every week, sometimes more than that. Whenever recess is canceled for example, which has been happening more and more.

If the videos are in place of recess because they don't go out, then I'm all for it. Teachers lunch breaks, conferences, planning breaks, etc are during lunch and recess. They need that down time.

Teachers may need down time, but kids, especially boys, need running around time. And fresh air.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's only kindergarten. I would wait it out as someone else mentioned, until first or second grade. With that said, challenge her at home. Also, talk to the teacher and ask for additional work for your child or more challenging work. I myself wouldn't push it though. You have to understand that kindergarten is the first step into the school system/world. Some children never played or socialized with other children. Some children were never in a structured setting. Some children do not even know the English language. So yes, everyone will be on a different level. Your child may be above average now but could be below later on. Give everyone a break and just relax.

Thanks, this is good advice. Do you have kids in MCPS ES? I'd still like to hear if the classroom does a better job of addressing different levels in other grades.

I have a kindergarten child in a MCPS school and I'm shocked at how great that are. Maybe you just didn't get a good teacher? When I volunteer, the kids are all well behaved, engaged and sure, some aren't up there as others but those are the students who struggle with a language barrier. My child got all P and I's (honestly, no idea what this means), so I considered he is doing well if he didn't get any N's.