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Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)
Expecting too much from K (and school)?
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Anonymous
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This is totally the OP from the thread about needing a reality check about her nanny and from the Ramadan/nanny thread.
Ramdom capitalizations, asking question but having all answers, gets mean pretty quickly....... And if you aren't then you should look at those other threads because your twin is posting. About your child (if you have one) -- will be fine. Schools have definitely had to work with much smarter children. Worst case is you have to hire your amazing preschool teacher to homeschool her. Regardless, she will be fine academically. Emotionally and socially will be a completely different matter with you at the helm of her life. |
Anonymous
My hope is that there are several other children that are similar to her. That response from the school would have made me feel better. I am indifferent to whether or not you believe me. What joy would I get from exaggerating my DC's skill levels. I don't think it's impossible for a DC at 5 to read Harry Potter, but I would imagine much more rare than my DC reading Junie B or Judy Moody. I didn't note my DC's reading and math skills to brag (didn't ask for a pat on the back), but did ask if the FCPS would meet her educational needs unlike we found at our preschool I'm sorry that you were duped by other parents and now are bitter towards anyone with a DC with skills that exceed your own DC because that's a sad way to live. There is a little girl in daycare with my youngest who runs circles around my youngest and I am not the least big jealous or concerned with her DD. I do tell the mother that her DD seems very advanced in certain areas, but I don't tell her she's lying or exaggerating when she tells me of other abilities she demonstrates at home. I really don't care where anyone's kids went to preschool. Our DD's in a cheap daycare/preschool setting that I think has great teachers, but a self-boasting director that didn't know how to handle our DD. I feel our youngest will be perfectly happy at this preschool however because his level of skills are average. We love our kids either way and only want what's best for each of them individually. I hope you don't take your bitterness out on your DC. |
Anonymous
You state - several times - that you aren't pushing her, and that your concern is only that she'll be bored, OP - yet you're concerned about "wasting a year?" It's freakin' kindergarten! Even if she's completely bored out of her skull, and doesn't learn one new thing, if she's as gifted as you believe she is, she'll be fine. That statement says to me that it is YOU who are invested in her accelerated performance, and that your concern that she'll be bored isn't the real reason you're pushing the principal. And look - you may be right, and she'll be bored and need special attention. But as other PPs have said, schools hear these claims many, many times each year. And before the kids show up, they have no way of knowing which kids are really, truly gifted, as opposed to parents who believe their kis is the next Doogie Howser, M.D. So writing off the principal because he didn't immediately accept your representation of your child's skills seems a little silly. |
Anonymous
Well, first I'm not the other poster you are referring to. Never had a nanny and didn't read that thread. I asked a question that was only directly answered by a few posters. The rest are just mean and petty like you are being. I never thought and still don't believe our DC is the smartest child to start K, I was however surprised by the response of the principal when asked about what the kids do who are reading and doing simple math. They don't seem to have a plan for those kids. Thanks again to those who read my post carefully and responded to my actual concerns. |
Anonymous
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You need to name the school. I can't imagine that any parent would want their normal child down in the principal's office for reading and doing simple math. Any teacher can handle such advanced academic prowess in a kindergartener.
Principals have actual "problems" to deal with so I actually don't know if you are making this up or misunderstood what the principal said. |
Anonymous
I'm not making up what the principal told me and I AGAIN the principal's statements are what motivated me to write this post! I doubt I misunderstood what he said. It was very clear he didn't have any alternative plans for these previous kids. I don't think it's appropriate for a normal child to be in the principal's office for reading and math. I thought it was kind of weird that this was his response/plan for a child that can read in K. I won't name the school because I know that parents who attend this school have posted in this forum many times. And why would I want to set myself up for the accusations and nastiness that many of the responders have posted. If by chance she is the only one reading at this level when K starts in a few weeks then it wouldn't be too hard to figure out who this post was written by. |
Anonymous
Yes, I don't believe it is pushing when it is child led. Before anyone attacks me by saying that she can't buy the books or learning tools herself you are right. But, while she was interested in counting the beads on an abacus at my youngest DC's age, my youngest just like to spin them around. I don't demand that he count the beads or "push" him into anything he doesn't seem to enjoy doing. She picked up reading fast, so we go to the library often to get books she will enjoy. We have a wonderful librarian who has helped us many times find more complex books that are still appropriate in content for her age. I don't drag her to the library demanding that she read. She asks to go. I do believe it's wasting a year of opportunities to learn exciting things and keep her interested in learning if she is going to be subject to sitting in a class without any lessons that excite her. |
Anonymous
| I'm confused about what the principal said. We're in the FCPS Langley pyramid. Our ES will have 125 kindergarteners next year. I feel confident that all of the reading kindergarteners couldn't fit into the principal's office -- there's no way that he'd have just 3 who learned to read while in K. If your school is at all similar, I feel that someone misspoke/misheard/misunderstood. Especially since redshirting is so prevalent at this school, my guess is that more than half will come into K reading (not all chapter books, but first level readers and beyond). Maybe other K parents will weigh in, but your principal story sounds off (not saying you're not telling the truth, just saying that it doesn't sound like a FCPS possibility). |
Anonymous
perhaps the principal meant only three kids knew how to read chapter books in French... |
Anonymous
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Yes, I think you are expecting too much from the school.
I think given the large number of kids in a class with one teacher, it is unlikely that they will be able to provide your child the level of differentation you require. Add kids with special needs or IEP into the class (which I'm sure there will be) and it will further reduce the teacher's time to provide the level of education you want. |
Anonymous
At first I thought you were just being silly because who could pick you out of 200+ parents but the more I read the more I think you actually would be recognized from your post here regardless of your child's reading level. You don't know how schools work which is to be expected since this is your first child going to school. It isn't like an at home daycare nor is it like preschool. Large public schools operate completely differently than either one of those situations. You may be pleasantly surprised so why not at least meet the teacher and express your concern before you get all worked up about it. You may have to supplement at home. You may have to get a tutor. You may have to find a private school. I don't know and you won't know until your child actually goes to school. |
Anonymous
You would get the joy of bragging...which you clearly enjoy. If you were really, truly concerned, why didn't you seek out private schools last year? According to you, you have known your daughter's brilliancy for years! Not that they would really do much more for your kid but at least the head of the school would have smiled more politely and coddled you more. Why would I be bitter about your kid or anyone else's? I am annoyed that I have to listen to idiot moms like you go on and on about their kids being so smart in preschool and then complain, complain, complain all school year because their child isn't "challenged" enough so on and so forth. |
Anonymous
Are you serious? I'll say the one thing I've learned as that there are a bunch of mean bitches that I will probably run into at the school next year and know to be on the lookout. I really hope the other parents aren't the same as some of you. I can't imagine acting this way towards the little girls mom that goes to my home daycare and has a really, really advanced little girl. Maybe I should call her an idiot next time I see her because she recently told me about some pretty advanced things the little girl is doing. My youngest isn't doing those things so I better go call her names and tell her to stop! You also seemed to have exaggerated your level of intelligence by making assumptions about what I enjoy and what I don't enjoy. If you really need to know, we couldn't afford private school in this area once both kids got to be school aged. I also wrongly assumed that she wasn't that far ahead of many of her peers until we started preschool a year ago. She was at a small home daycare before that and the other 2 kids her age were reading also when they all left for preschool. I don't know why you would be bitter about my questions. If you aren't bitter than why be so nasty. I am being completely honest and sincere in my posts and you are attacking me and calling me names. A final note, I'm not sure who the idiot really is since you don't HAVE to listen to moms like me go on and on about my kid. You chose to open and read this thread. No one forced you. Follow my directions, click the little x in the corner of the page you will no longer be burdened by my idiot self. |
Anonymous
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woah woah woah OP --- I am the kindergarten teacher who responded this morning. This thread seems to have pushed a lot of buttons on both sides. I don't think anyone is trying to attack you, but you are putting up a very abrasive self defense mechanism by negating every bit of advice people are offering you.
Although it could have been put differently you are definitely giving off the sense that you know better than anyone and you are looking for specific answers -- If other parents get this vibe from you at school you are in for a miserable year. Sadly the "mean girl" thing doesn't end with HS and I have had more than one year where I had to call the MOTHERS in to discuss appropriate behavior regarding treatment of each other. The "Keeping up with the jones'" runs rapid in K ("Sara can read Harry Potter!, Max knows long division! John's golf instructor says he's the next tiger woods!") -- thankfully it settles down for a few years before it gets really bad in HS!  Everyone wants to prove they are ready for K, and everyone is scared that everyone else is ahead in one way or another. Take everything with a grain of salt -- a 5 yr old is a 5 yr old
I am not saying what the principal said to you was right. Most principals do not have experience teaching every grade and sometimes "fudge" their answers with parents. They hardly ever know what goes on every single day in every single grade. And usually only know a basic outline of how individual teachers deal with varying ability levels. I would talk to the teachers directly to see how their classroom works -- or better yet wait and see for yourself! You may be pleasantly surprised
But what I think the bottomline is that we are trying to make clear (both to you and the many lurkers who I am sure are reading this with your same exact concern) is that it is the beginning of august. Your DD has not even met her new teachers. The first month of school is settling into routines, so you will not truly know how DD is fairing until probably mid october at the very earliest. I understand you are under a lot of stress -- whether you want to admit it or not. Your baby is going to big kid school! It is a scary and exciting time and you want to make sure that the love of your life has a great time and learns a lot and becomes the best she can be. No one faults you for that! But when you write lengthy posts about how we are all wrong and you are right when we are just trying to help -- everyone becomes defensive and the nice gloves come off! There is no doubt in my mind that your DD is exceptional. I think she will go into a classroom being able to read when others can't and at times be "bored" when reviewing phonics the first weeks of school. But I am certain she will thrive in a loving and nurturing Kindergarten environment and it will be a great year... if you allow it to be. Please PLEASE be open minded as you instructed me to be (BTW commenting you hope your DD isn't in my class hurt MY feelings even on an annoymous message board- ouch! you don't know me just as I don't know you!) But it goes to show that it is easy to jump to conclusions and become defensive very quickly. And infact -- I wish your daughter would be in my class (no chance of that, I teach at a private school) but I would love the opportunity to show you that teachers are constantly surprised and impressed with their students and their opinions are never set in stone. (I would go into fantastic examples but this is already too long!) Going into school already looking for "mean bitches" and thinking the principal isn't doing the things you think he should and the kids in DD are boring her, you will see everything in a bad light the entire year and that will be doing a disservice to the school, the teacher and most importantly your daughter. I wish you the best of luck. FCPS are some of the best in the country and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I hope you update us at the end of the school year
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Anonymous
| Well put, 9:48/20:18. My DC isn't kindergarten age yet, but when he is I hope he finds a teacher with that same attitude. |