If your Kindergartner read before K, how do you keep him/her challenged?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our DC has been able to read for about six months. We've started K, and the work seems SO simple. No behavior problems due to boredom, but I am just waiting for the call.

Should I talk to the teacher? Or wait for a bit and see what happens?

Do NOT tell the teacher how to do his or her job. More than likely the teacher is testing the students to see where they are and will use the information to create instruction that meets your child's needs. You SHOULD ask if this the case or what the plan is for the year for instruction. If the teacher is not using data to drive the instruction then you can take issue with it. Do you know what the teacher requires the students to do in class? You can always ask what the objective for the lesson was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Defiitely call the teacher. Give her a list of the type of books your child can read and tell her to make sure child is getting more work along those lines. I think there are also websites online where you can direct the teacher to provide more advanced work for your child. Research those and provide her with links in a follow up email. She will appreciate the advice. I'm willing to bet she has not seen a child who could already read for 6 MONTHS already upon entering k!

DO NOT DO THIS. "She will appreciate the advice??" No, no she won't. Teachers are very good at recognizing kids ability levels. Unless she's a complete dolt, she'll be able to keep him challenged. Give her the benefit of the doubt - I wouldn't just assume that she's stupid.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it's still only September. Teachers are assessing kids right now, and she probably has a better handle than you think on your child's reading ability. Have you had P-T conferences yet? She'll probably talk to you about it as part of his broader classroom performance so far. In the meantime, give him lots of options to read at home, and also really challenge his comprehension. One thing my DC's teacher said at back to school night is that parents might be surprised at the initial reading level assessments she gives, since in her experience a lot of kids are more advanced in fluency than they are in comprehension.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's normal in the early weeks of a grade for teachers to still be assessing where kids are in relation to each other and the curriculum. My daughter told me that she hasn't learned anything new yet in 1st, but that's partly because she was in the advanced groups in reading and math in K, so the teacher is still likely getting some kids up to a certain level before moving on. I toss extra books and a drawing/writing pad into her backpack so she can read, write or draw if she finishes her work early and is bored.

+1

[Anonymous]

My daughter told me that she hasn't learned anything new yet in 1st, but that's partly because she was in the advanced groups in reading and math in K,

Or, she just doesn't realize what she learned.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP who said that K is about more than academics. So far, DD says she already knows what they learn in class (and I agree, since I see the papers she brings home). I think this is because she had 3 years at a great preschool.

However, she is having fun making friends and loves the specials. She is learning to navigate hanging out with preschool friends while meeting new people. So she's definitely learning, and enjoying, K.

[Anonymous]

I would talk to the teacher about it, although they probably already know based on assessments. Our son is on the more advanced side with reading, and the teacher brought it up in our recent conference this week. They can tell you other things to work on at home, and how they are handling school. It's probably fine, but it's good to be on the same page with them. I wouldn't, as others have said, tell them how to do their job but a conversation about how your kid is doing and how to support them and make them successful is their job.

[Anonymous]

My son could read when he was 3, and he was happy as hell in Kindergarten, where half the class was also reading fluently. I'd just keep on reading together at home and let your child enjoy k