Can "advanced" kids really be bored in K? Or 1st?

[Anonymous]

Both of my sons had already achieved all K academic milestones before starting K. Both are in language immersion. For my oldest, the language piece kept him interested for the first four months or so, then all downhill from there as he had to sit through repeat instructions in target language and English, and then do skills practice on already mastered skills. No pull outs, and he was a disaster come second half of the year. More challenge = much better behavior, because he was engaged and not looking to entertain himself (no good comes of a give year old boy trying to keep himself entertained in a classroom).

Second son had good differentiation and pull out options in K. Far fewer problems with him.

So yes, I do think a kid can be "bored" as in not engaged, and I do think it can lead to real problems. Those problems will be characterized as behavior problems on the part of your child, or ADHD, or whatever. They won't likely be characterized as a school setting not meeting the child's needs.

[Anonymous]

Don't understand why you would redshirt your August child.

DS was the youngest in his grade (Nov bday). he did great and never had any issues socially or academically.

[Anonymous]

So yes, I do think a kid can be "bored" as in not engaged, and I do think it can lead to real problems. Those problems will be characterized as behavior problems on the part of your child, or ADHD, or whatever. They won't likely be characterized as a school setting not meeting the child's needs.

or vice versa

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who blames her son's problems on "being bored". After watching his behavior away from school, I can tell you, he might be bored--but that's not the problem.

[Anonymous]

In our case, we took our kid out of the previous environment and teaching style and put him in a different environment and things changed 180 degrees. Goes to show that classroom environment can indeed make a huge difference in how kids engage. It's not always the kid to blame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet another redshirting issue, but please try to holster your guns. If you redshirted your child or if your child was already reading and was academically advanced for his/her age, were they bored in K? Is it really possible for kids to be bored when it's a totally new experience plus a full day of school? We want to redshirt our late August boy for social reasons, but he is reading at 1st grade level and academically more than ready for K.

Anyone have a child bored when they started elementary? How did it affect things?

A big, fat yes. he will be bored.

[Anonymous]

Reading the K curriculum as "phonics", "worksheets", and "lessons" is disgusting. Children should be expected to play in K and then we wouldn't wonder about redshirting.

OP-if you are holding your child back for social reasons then use K to build those skills. Tell the teacher you are not worried about academics (and mean it!!!!) and focus on the social pieces. PLEASE don't be a parent who holds their child back and then complains that the curriculum is not rigorous enough. It just keeps snowballing...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So yes, I do think a kid can be "bored" as in not engaged, and I do think it can lead to real problems. Those problems will be characterized as behavior problems on the part of your child, or ADHD, or whatever. They won't likely be characterized as a school setting not meeting the child's needs.

or vice versa

Meaning what exactly?

[Anonymous]

vice versa:

The child has behavioral problems and mom blames it on being "bored".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet another redshirting issue, but please try to holster your guns. If you redshirted your child or if your child was already reading and was academically advanced for his/her age, were they bored in K? Is it really possible for kids to be bored when it's a totally new experience plus a full day of school? We want to redshirt our late August boy for social reasons, but he is reading at 1st grade level and academically more than ready for K.

Anyone have a child bored when they started elementary? How did it affect things?

Yes he will probably start getting bored by 1st grade. We redshirted our August bday kid. Also for social reasons.

Our kid was not as academically advanced as your kid at that point - was not reading before either scheduled K start or even redshirt K start. Was good at math - could do 1st grade math before scheduled K start. Well DC's reading clicked when the redshirt year of K started and progressed a few grade levels by end of first semester. Now in 1st grade and things seem endlessly repetitive and "easy". Will probably not make FCPS AAP so now in holding pattern till curriculum catches up. Aptitude test curves make it harder to qualify for AAP as a redshirt.

So from an academic standpoint it has probably not been a good move. DC would be challenged if "on grade" and is not yet challenged in current grade. From a social perspective, our kid does feel more comfortable and at ease with kids in this grade then one grade up - makes friends and interacts easily. In preschool years our observation was DC seemed to be a behind the kids now in the next grade in terms of social skills / maturity. So there are some positives from a social perspective.

So don't have an answer for you but don't discount the academic negatives to redshirting too quickly. Also DC is tall for age which would have been slightly above average in next grade up but is "who is that big kid" in current grade.

[Anonymous]

My kid is bored in K and she is average.

[Anonymous]

"Bored" can mean all kinds of things to an early elementary school-aged child. It could mean he is uncomfortable with the social situation and routine (being in a new place with new kids), not trusting or connecting with the teacher (lack of security), not getting enough outside or free play time, not interested in working (Legos are more fun than phonics), that the teacher is too rigid (insists all the kids proceed at the same pace and ignoring their individual differences, which can be major at this age range), or that the teacher really is not challenging him at his level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet another redshirting issue, but please try to holster your guns. If you redshirted your child or if your child was already reading and was academically advanced for his/her age, were they bored in K? Is it really possible for kids to be bored when it's a totally new experience plus a full day of school? We want to redshirt our late August boy for social reasons, but he is reading at 1st grade level and academically more than ready for K.

Anyone have a child bored when they started elementary? How did it affect things?

I think you should send on time if he is academically ready

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading the K curriculum as "phonics", "worksheets", and "lessons" is disgusting. Children should be expected to play in K and then we wouldn't wonder about redshirting.

OP-if you are holding your child back for social reasons then use K to build those skills. Tell the teacher you are not worried about academics (and mean it!!!!) and focus on the social pieces. PLEASE don't be a parent who holds their child back and then complains that the curriculum is not rigorous enough. It just keeps snowballing...

I agree with this completely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the teacher above. Too many parents use the "bored" word to complain and the kids pick it up. Few children are truly bored--they just want to do what they want to do. Former teacher.

Alright Former Teacher, can you give assurance that a child who is academically advanced, reading above K level will be engaged and enjoy K?

Not the teacher but have a child who fit that category and loved K. K is as much about social interaction and discovering the world. Reading group was one class a day--and she read different books that made sense. Fast forward and everything catches up. She is still top of her class but I now understand when teachers talk about other kids in various development periods. I think too often the ego of parents get involved. Resist the urge but it all evens out and having a child who thinks she is brighter than everyone will serve as a disservice in later life. I also hate the word bored..and agree that bored is generally bad behaved kids.