How Challenging Is Your PK3 Student's Curriculum?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]We have a rising PK3 student that currently attends a private preschool. At her current school, the curriculum is great. The students (starting at age 2) are working on Kindergarten-level work. DD knows key historic and present figures, writing, reading, etc. I'm interested in learning about what types of activities your PK3 student is challenged with in school. I understand it varies by school, so I'm just interested in 1) what school you attend (you can say HRCS, JKLM, etc if you don't want to be specific) and 2) what's your PK3 kid's curriculum like?[/quote]

I can relate, OP. DC started reading at about 2.5, and I'm at a bit of a loss for the fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:



You are a troll or a parent desperately in need of an education in early childhood development. And a Xanax.

+1000. Or maybe, +1000 Xanax and some therapy. For the kid.

[Anonymous]

WhAt is "pk3"?

[Anonymous]

DD is bilingual and reading in both languages and I think she should skip right to 1st grade. Do you think there is a public school that could handle the rigor she needs and I demand? DD is 3 and bored in PK3. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

Our PK3-er is in private preschool, but it's very play-based. They have themes (currently, "birds"), and the "learning" that takes place is around that. They've made papier mache birds and painted birds and colored birds and presumably talked about and read about birds, and they visited a place that had birds as a field trip. They dance. They sing and have music class. They color and play with play dough. They play outside. But mostly, they learn to share and listen and behave in a social setting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this really a real post? I don't know anyone who wants this academic a curriculum for their TWO year old.

+1. I laughed at OPs post. Our 3rd is headed to PK3 next year & no way do I want him doing K level work! I want him playing & learning thru play. I have a K student & our 3yo could not do what she's doing now.

OPs kid is perhaps gifted.

OP here. DD may or may not be "gifted" but I don't want to label her as such. She's just a kid and I do realize (saying this for the 1000th time) that I misworded the post.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We have a rising PK3 student that currently attends a private preschool. At her current school, the curriculum is great. The students (starting at age 2) are working on Kindergarten-level work. DD knows key historic and present figures, writing, reading, etc. I'm interested in learning about what types of activities your PK3 student is challenged with in school. I understand it varies by school, so I'm just interested in 1) what school you attend (you can say HRCS, JKLM, etc if you don't want to be specific) and 2) what's your PK3 kid's curriculum like?[/quote]

I can relate, OP. DC started reading at about 2.5, and I'm at a bit of a loss for the fall.[/quote]

What will you do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: EOTP DCPS dual language. Tools of the Mind curriculum. Playing, planning, letter/number recognition. Learning how to be with others. Singing songs, listening to stories. I do not think that writing, reading is appropriate for PK3 - if this is what you want, stay at the private preschool or perhaps consider Appletree.

Same with us, and we are very happy. I have to say, the dual language is a lot more important to us at this age than any particular curriculum. OP, I would consider that aspect, if I were you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a rising PK3 student that currently attends a private preschool. At her current school, the curriculum is great. The students (starting at age 2) are working on Kindergarten-level work. DD knows key historic and present figures, writing, reading, etc. I'm interested in learning about what types of activities your PK3 student is challenged with in school. I understand it varies by school, so I'm just interested in 1) what school you attend (you can say HRCS, JKLM, etc if you don't want to be specific) and 2) what's your PK3 kid's curriculum like?

If you are indeed serious, you might want to try a Montessori school. We've had three in Montessori (including our youngest who is a first year primary student). They are allowed to work at their own pace. Kids who are already reading and writing are given work that supports that. Children like my daughter who can't read or write are focusing on fine motor skills to prepare for writing and other skills, like sounding out words/syllables/rhymes to prepare them to read. But beware- if you want a curriculum (We are covering this this month, then this next month, you're not going to get it.) Here's a link to OSSEs early childhood standards...
http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/DC%20Early%20Learning%20Standards2013.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a rising PK3 student that currently attends a private preschool. At her current school, the curriculum is great. The students (starting at age 2) are working on Kindergarten-level work. DD knows key historic and present figures, writing, reading, etc. I'm interested in learning about what types of activities your PK3 student is challenged with in school. I understand it varies by school, so I'm just interested in 1) what school you attend (you can say HRCS, JKLM, etc if you don't want to be specific) and 2) what's your PK3 kid's curriculum like?

If you are indeed serious, you might want to try a Montessori school. We've had three in Montessori (including our youngest who is a first year primary student). They are allowed to work at their own pace. Kids who are already reading and writing are given work that supports that. Children like my daughter who can't read or write are focusing on fine motor skills to prepare for writing and other skills, like sounding out words/syllables/rhymes to prepare them to read. But beware- if you want a curriculum (We are covering this this month, then this next month, you're not going to get it.) Here's a link to OSSEs early childhood standards...
http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/DC%20Early%20Learning%20Standards2013.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a rising PK3 student that currently attends a private preschool. At her current school, the curriculum is great. The students (starting at age 2) are working on Kindergarten-level work. DD knows key historic and present figures, writing, reading, etc. I'm interested in learning about what types of activities your PK3 student is challenged with in school. I understand it varies by school, so I'm just interested in 1) what school you attend (you can say HRCS, JKLM, etc if you don't want to be specific) and 2) what's your PK3 kid's curriculum like?

If you are indeed serious, you might want to try a Montessori school. We've had three in Montessori (including our youngest who is a first year primary student). They are allowed to work at their own pace. Kids who are already reading and writing are given work that supports that. Children like my daughter who can't read or write are focusing on fine motor skills to prepare for writing and other skills, like sounding out words/syllables/rhymes to prepare them to read. But beware- if you want a curriculum (We are covering this this month, then this next month, you're not going to get it.) Here's a link to OSSEs early childhood standards...
http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/DC%20Early%20Learning%20Standards2013.pdf

Yes, this puts it in perspective.

For example, literacy, the PK exit standard (i.e. what you are expected to be able to do upon entering kindergarten) is to recognize 10 letters of the alphabet.

So if your child is reading/writing at 2, obviously a public school PK3/4 program is not going to be focused on pushing that child further. Your main questions OP should therefore be centered on whether or not your child will be allowed self-directed time, whether the class size is small enough to allow differentiated treatment (teacher is able to spend at least a little time with your kid individually), whether for you the social and other benefits justify the lack of academic rigor and advancement, and so on.

good thread, thanks for starting this discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WhAt is "pk3"?

You win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a rising PK3 student that currently attends a private preschool. At her current school, the curriculum is great. The students (starting at age 2) are working on Kindergarten-level work. DD knows key historic and present figures, writing, reading, etc. I'm interested in learning about what types of activities your PK3 student is challenged with in school. I understand it varies by school, so I'm just interested in 1) what school you attend (you can say HRCS, JKLM, etc if you don't want to be specific) and 2) what's your PK3 kid's curriculum like?

If you are indeed serious, you might want to try a Montessori school. We've had three in Montessori (including our youngest who is a first year primary student). They are allowed to work at their own pace. Kids who are already reading and writing are given work that supports that. Children like my daughter who can't read or write are focusing on fine motor skills to prepare for writing and other skills, like sounding out words/syllables/rhymes to prepare them to read. But beware- if you want a curriculum (We are covering this this month, then this next month, you're not going to get it.) Here's a link to OSSEs early childhood standards...
http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/DC%20Early%20Learning%20Standards2013.pdf

Thanks. There is one Montessori is on our list. Well, two. We have a crazy high waitlist # for LAMB so I basically don't count it!

[Anonymous]

Ours is not that challenging, but my son can't even wipe his own butt. So, I think it is a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a rising PK3 student that currently attends a private preschool. At her current school, the curriculum is great. The students (starting at age 2) are working on Kindergarten-level work. DD knows key historic and present figures, writing, reading, etc. I'm interested in learning about what types of activities your PK3 student is challenged with in school. I understand it varies by school, so I'm just interested in 1) what school you attend (you can say HRCS, JKLM, etc if you don't want to be specific) and 2) what's your PK3 kid's curriculum like?

If you are indeed serious, you might want to try a Montessori school. We've had three in Montessori (including our youngest who is a first year primary student). They are allowed to work at their own pace. Kids who are already reading and writing are given work that supports that. Children like my daughter who can't read or write are focusing on fine motor skills to prepare for writing and other skills, like sounding out words/syllables/rhymes to prepare them to read. But beware- if you want a curriculum (We are covering this this month, then this next month, you're not going to get it.) Here's a link to OSSEs early childhood standards...
http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/DC%20Early%20Learning%20Standards2013.pdf

Thanks. There is one Montessori is on our list. Well, two. We have a crazy high waitlist # for LAMB so I basically don't count it!

No NOT monessori. You would be frustrated at your child needing to relearn letters as cursive and sounds and thus not making academic "progress" perhaps till well into pk4 Plus you'll freak out if she spends her first year, as many kids choose to, spooning beans, and cutting apples, and washing windows, and polishing metal. What you need is a super academic, traditional preschool. A Kipp for the middle class?