Age Cutoff for Kindergarten

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmm. If I had a 5 year old, K age child who was incredibly bored by activities like painting and free play with blocks, I might have him tested for special needs, myself. PP, if your child would be bored by that then I would be really concerned about his lack of imaginative play and poor social skills.

If a child wants to learn at school, that has nothing to do with special needs and poor social skills/imaginary play. You are projecting your own needs on a child. My kid has good social skills, imaginary play and much more. He is well rounded and enjoys learning. He understands he goes to school to learn and can play and do what ever he wants at home. There is a time and place for everything. Why is it all or nothing and kids can only socialize and play at school. School is about learning. Why wouldn't you want your child to learn to read, write and learn. The younger you start, the easier it is as their brains are growing and developing. Why underestimate kids who have so much potential? Or, is it because it doesn't meet your needs.

[Anonymous]

If a child wants to learn at school, that has nothing to do with special needs and poor social skills/imaginary play. You are projecting your own needs on a child. My kid has good social skills, imaginary play and much more. He is well rounded and enjoys learning. He understands he goes to school to learn and can play and do what ever he wants at home. There is a time and place for everything. Why is it all or nothing and kids can only socialize and play at school. School is about learning. Why wouldn't you want your child to learn to read, write and learn. The younger you start, the easier it is as their brains are growing and developing. Why underestimate kids who have so much potential? Or, is it because it doesn't meet your needs.

Written by a parent who has no clue about how kids learn. Obviously, thinks that learning only comes on paper. The younger you start putting the pencil in their hands, the less critical and creative thinking skills are developed. Glad your child has it all, but, believe me, kids learn more by doing at that age than writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If a child wants to learn at school, that has nothing to do with special needs and poor social skills/imaginary play. You are projecting your own needs on a child. My kid has good social skills, imaginary play and much more. He is well rounded and enjoys learning. He understands he goes to school to learn and can play and do what ever he wants at home. There is a time and place for everything. Why is it all or nothing and kids can only socialize and play at school. School is about learning. Why wouldn't you want your child to learn to read, write and learn. The younger you start, the easier it is as their brains are growing and developing. Why underestimate kids who have so much potential? Or, is it because it doesn't meet your needs.

Written by a parent who has no clue about how kids learn. Obviously, thinks that learning only comes on paper. The younger you start putting the pencil in their hands, the less critical and creative thinking skills are developed. Glad your child has it all, but, believe me, kids learn more by doing at that age than writing.

Learning doesn't come only on paper, but it does also come on paper. Especially learning to read and write comes on paper. I'm not the PP you're responding to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just followed the rules.

What's all this talk about rules? The cut-off in our area is September 1st, and DS was born September 9th. At first, we were somewhat relieved that he would have to wait till he was almost 6, but in the months leading up to his 5th birthday, it was very clear that he was ready for K and that waiting another year would drive him crazy. So we had him take an early entrance and he passed with flying colors, so he started kindergarten right before he turned 5. So technically, we didn't follow the rules either. Why? Because if we had just blindly followed the guidelines, he would be bored to tears. He's now 8 and in 3rd grade, reading at a 5th grade level, gets his work done early, and his teacher still has to find extra work to give him. I can't imagine what it would be like if he were in 2nd grade. The bottom line is that not one size fits all. If we had a child who made the cut-off, but had not been ready for K, we would have held him or her back. Kids need to be grouped by ability, not age. Just because a child misses the cut-off does not mean that he or she isn't ready for K, and just because a child makes the cut-off does not mean that he or she is ready for K. It all boils down to the individual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just followed the rules.

What's all this talk about rules? The cut-off in our area is September 1st, and DS was born September 9th. At first, we were somewhat relieved that he would have to wait till he was almost 6, but in the months leading up to his 5th birthday, it was very clear that he was ready for K and that waiting another year would drive him crazy. So we had him take an early entrance and he passed with flying colors, so he started kindergarten right before he turned 5. So technically, we didn't follow the rules either. Why? Because if we had just blindly followed the guidelines, he would be bored to tears. He's now 8 and in 3rd grade, reading at a 5th grade level, gets his work done early, and his teacher still has to find extra work to give him. I can't imagine what it would be like if he were in 2nd grade. The bottom line is that not one size fits all. If we had a child who made the cut-off, but had not been ready for K, we would have held him or her back. Kids need to be grouped by ability, not age. Just because a child misses the cut-off does not mean that he or she isn't ready for K, and just because a child makes the cut-off does not mean that he or she is ready for K. It all boils down to the individual.

Technically, you did follow the rules. And you actually followed the rules as well. The rules include a process for early entrance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just followed the rules.

What's all this talk about rules? The cut-off in our area is September 1st, and DS was born September 9th. At first, we were somewhat relieved that he would have to wait till he was almost 6, but in the months leading up to his 5th birthday, it was very clear that he was ready for K and that waiting another year would drive him crazy. So we had him take an early entrance and he passed with flying colors, so he started kindergarten right before he turned 5. So technically, we didn't follow the rules either. Why? Because if we had just blindly followed the guidelines, he would be bored to tears. He's now 8 and in 3rd grade, reading at a 5th grade level, gets his work done early, and his teacher still has to find extra work to give him. I can't imagine what it would be like if he were in 2nd grade. The bottom line is that not one size fits all. If we had a child who made the cut-off, but had not been ready for K, we would have held him or her back. Kids need to be grouped by ability, not age. Just because a child misses the cut-off does not mean that he or she isn't ready for K, and just because a child makes the cut-off does not mean that he or she is ready for K. It all boils down to the individual.

Technically, you did follow the rules. And you actually followed the rules as well. The rules include a process for early entrance.

Yes but they followed the rules with regards questioning the policies, not following them dumbly as the previous PP had suggested everyone should do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Children in England start school at 4, and are taught reading.

And, this is a relatively new policy and the jury is still out. Why? There is not any advantage.

You're moving the goal posts.

Somebody: Most European countries don't teach reading until 6 or 7.
PP#1: Which European countries?
PP#2: France teaches reading at 4/5.
PP#3: So does England.
You: Well, they shouldn't.

Germany teaches reading and writing (cursive only) in 1st grade, not before.
Kids are 6/7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just followed the rules.

What's all this talk about rules? The cut-off in our area is September 1st, and DS was born September 9th. At first, we were somewhat relieved that he would have to wait till he was almost 6, but in the months leading up to his 5th birthday, it was very clear that he was ready for K and that waiting another year would drive him crazy. So we had him take an early entrance and he passed with flying colors, so he started kindergarten right before he turned 5. So technically, we didn't follow the rules either. Why? Because if we had just blindly followed the guidelines, he would be bored to tears. He's now 8 and in 3rd grade, reading at a 5th grade level, gets his work done early, and his teacher still has to find extra work to give him. I can't imagine what it would be like if he were in 2nd grade. The bottom line is that not one size fits all. If we had a child who made the cut-off, but had not been ready for K, we would have held him or her back. Kids need to be grouped by ability, not age. Just because a child misses the cut-off does not mean that he or she isn't ready for K, and just because a child makes the cut-off does not mean that he or she is ready for K. It all boils down to the individual.

Technically, you did follow the rules. And you actually followed the rules as well. The rules include a process for early entrance.

Yes but they followed the rules with regards questioning the policies, not following them dumbly as the previous PP had suggested everyone should do.

No, they just plain followed the rules. The policy is to allow for early entrance under certain conditions. My second kid did early entrance, so I am familiar with the rules, policy, and process (at least in my school district).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just followed the rules.

What's all this talk about rules? The cut-off in our area is September 1st, and DS was born September 9th. At first, we were somewhat relieved that he would have to wait till he was almost 6, but in the months leading up to his 5th birthday, it was very clear that he was ready for K and that waiting another year would drive him crazy. So we had him take an early entrance and he passed with flying colors, so he started kindergarten right before he turned 5. So technically, we didn't follow the rules either. Why? Because if we had just blindly followed the guidelines, he would be bored to tears. He's now 8 and in 3rd grade, reading at a 5th grade level, gets his work done early, and his teacher still has to find extra work to give him. I can't imagine what it would be like if he were in 2nd grade. The bottom line is that not one size fits all. If we had a child who made the cut-off, but had not been ready for K, we would have held him or her back. Kids need to be grouped by ability, not age. Just because a child misses the cut-off does not mean that he or she isn't ready for K, and just because a child makes the cut-off does not mean that he or she is ready for K. It all boils down to the individual.

Technically, you did follow the rules. And you actually followed the rules as well. The rules include a process for early entrance.

Yes but they followed the rules with regards questioning the policies, not following them dumbly as the previous PP had suggested everyone should do.

No, they just plain followed the rules. The policy is to allow for early entrance under certain conditions. My second kid did early entrance, so I am familiar with the rules, policy, and process (at least in my school district).

Anyone who can google their school district can be familiar with the process, its all available in writing.