DC PK3 - what are they learning?

[Anonymous]

My LO is currently at a center and has moved to the 3s class (he has late birthday so will be enrolling in PK3 next year). The school gave him an assessment to make sure he was ready for the 3s class and he had to know and identify all the letters (lowercase and uppercase), colors, and shapes - I had to google some of the shape names bc I forgot myself! I say all this to ask what do kids learn in the PK3/4 and K levels? I remember learning the alphabet when in K and that was over 30 years ago. Now I feel like these kids go into K knowing so much more especially if they have the opportunity to go to school before K.

[Anonymous]

Having academic prerequisites for 2 year olds is crazy and developmentally inappropriate. They should be learning how to play with other kids, how to begin to solve problems among themselves, and the very beginning of impulse control/executive function. That's it.

[Anonymous]

Here are the early childhood learning standards DCPS and charter schools must try to meet.

https://osse.dc.gov/publication/district-columbia-common-core-early-learning-standards-dc-ccels

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure I understand how he's going to do PK3 twice? How are you swinging this unless he was identified as having special needs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure I understand how he's going to do PK3 twice? How are you swinging this unless he was identified as having special needs?

I assume she means that he just turned 3, so after the PK3 cutoff. Next year he'll be one of the older ones in PK3, but still in the correct grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure I understand how he's going to do PK3 twice? How are you swinging this unless he was identified as having special needs?

So he’s currently at the center in a 3s class and will be enrolling in PK3 DC school next fall. His bday is late October so missed the cutoff this year.

[Anonymous]

There's no expectation that kids know all their letters, shapes, colors, etc. when entering DC PK3. That's what mine learned IN PK3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having academic prerequisites for 2 year olds is crazy and developmentally inappropriate. They should be learning how to play with other kids, how to begin to solve problems among themselves, and the very beginning of impulse control/executive function. That's it.

Thanks, I’m perfectly fine with them teaching him these things throughout the day and asking him questions to see what he retains. Don’t find it inappropriate at all and I’ve been pleased thus far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure I understand how he's going to do PK3 twice? How are you swinging this unless he was identified as having special needs?

So he’s currently at the center in a 3s class and will be enrolling in PK3 DC school next fall. His bday is late October so missed the cutoff this year.

Ahhhh. My apologies.

He'll be fine so long as he's potty trained.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's no expectation that kids know all their letters, shapes, colors, etc. when entering DC PK3. That's what mine learned IN PK3.

Thanks, wanted to know what the kids come in knowing. Seems like mine will have a foundation before entering PK3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are the early childhood learning standards DCPS and charter schools must try to meet.

https://osse.dc.gov/publication/district-columbia-common-core-early-learning-standards-dc-ccels

Thanks for this!

[Anonymous]

Knowing all letters is NOT a prerequisite for PK3 but it is helpful for teachers to know how many/which kids already know all their letters.

One of my kids started reading in her PK3 year. Other kid is still learning to name letters and is in PK4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Knowing all letters is NOT a prerequisite for PK3 but it is helpful for teachers to know how many/which kids already know all their letters.

One of my kids started reading in her PK3 year. Other kid is still learning to name letters and is in PK4.

How did your child who was reading adapt when in PK3? Did they feel the classroom moved at a slower pace for them/or that they knew all that they were learning?

[Anonymous]

In DCPS the kids learn that stuff, but a lot more. They have PE, music, art, and Spanish with a real teacher of each, just like the K kids do. Some schools offer a socioemotional curriculum which I think is great. Other enrichments that come to the school they may be a part of. In PK4, my DD was able to spend the literacy block in the K classroom. DD was thrilled to be at a real school with the big kids and they were always lovely to her. So she got a lot out of it even though as a fall birthday, she went in with the "academics" pretty well mastered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Knowing all letters is NOT a prerequisite for PK3 but it is helpful for teachers to know how many/which kids already know all their letters.

One of my kids started reading in her PK3 year. Other kid is still learning to name letters and is in PK4.

How did your child who was reading adapt when in PK3? Did they feel the classroom moved at a slower pace for them/or that they knew all that they were learning?

PK3 is about so much more - new kids, new teachers, new building, new toys, larger classroom, second language in her case, etc. The fact that she coudl count higher than almost anyone else and started reading CVC words and some sight words was not a problem.