Do you want a challenging and interesting curriculum or one that spends tons of time memorizing math facts and phonics? There may just not be enough hours to fit everything in. I know the parochials focus on this more, but it seems to be in the way of advancing in other areas. I think the FCPS schools try to strike a good balance between the two. A good third of the kids in Mclean schools come in knowing their phonics already just like yours. If they don't, there is plenty of help to get most of these down by the end of 1st grade with a little parent help. Your child's already ahead on basic math facts so they aren't behind to cause a concern. Multiplication and Division were previously taught in the higher elementary grades and are now coming down to 3rd and sometimes even in 2nd, but still the schools seem to be failing to you? AAP teachers in FCPS either run young scholars programs or take the kids out for critical thinking lessons as early as 1st grade. I think it was 3rd when I started in public school. They do all this even with additional specials such as PE, music, and art twice a week, computer, foreign language, etc. No public school is going to suit everyone's needs especially with today's budgets. I don't even think this is possible in private school. But it isn't babysitting by any stretch.

9:30 here. To answer 10:30 and 18:59 's questions as to what's lacking- for one thing PHONICS, real decoding phonics. K teaches mostly by sight words and guessing by looking at the pics. I do think these have a place in education, but should be used to round out phonics not the main part of the curriculum.

Also, BASIC MATH FACTS to create a solid foundation without cracks here and there that end up needing constant reteaching. A one month unit of addition and subtraction and then moving on to the next unit without making sure the facts are solid is absurd.

And lastly, CRITICAL THINKING skills. They do not delve deep, the entire education is an inch wide and a mile long. Scratching the surface on everything, the knowledge not solid along the way. Thus the need to repeat everything learned in K all over again in 1st and 2nd.

As for what I do at home, not too much. My kids learned their phonics and basic math facts before they went public school. We read a lot of books and I ask them lots of thought provoking questions in order for them to learn critical thinking skills. We play lots of games that require critical thinking.

His homework is too easy so I might come up with ways to challenge him using the problems he has and changing them a bit.

My 2nd grader has been wanting to learn his multiplication facts since last year. I told him when he could solve 3 and 4 digit addition/subtraction in his head we'll learn them. The numbers need to be solid and come to him easily, it's all about creating a solid foundation. He did and I gave him the okay to learn his multiplication tables at home in his spare time.

I agree with PP. Starting in 1st grade, the work got harder than K. It's not too hard and does have a lot of worksheets, but nothing to go overboard complaining about. Hardly any playtime either during school. We miss kindergarten already and I only have a 2nd grader.

I feel like my school is if anything too academic in K-2.

Anonymous wrote:What do you cover that you feel is being neglected in school?

Yes, what is the school not teaching that you are filling in at home?

What do you cover that you feel is being neglected in school?

Yes, I agree with the OP.

I spend time outside of school with my child working on things that should be covered in school but are not.

There is absolutely no challenge to the work presented in her 2nd grade class.

I agree with the OP. I have one in K and one in 2nd and have found the education for these grades seriously lacking. The benchmarks that are expected are bare minimum.

I will say of these grades the kids learn the most in K.

1st is just a repeat of K with older kids, less teachers in the class and less singing and less storytime. Really a waste of a year.

The first half of 2nd is a slightly ramped up version of the K version of 1st grade.

I see much more new material being taught during this second half of 2nd.

How many schools have your observed?

I'm wondering what your own background in K-2 education is? Was your college major or minor in this area? Did you take a few courses in education?

There is more to education than meets the eye. I'd suggest reviewing some writings on K-2 education before assuming that what one sees at school is "babysitting." You'd be surprised how much learning goes on in the process of "play." Young children learn in a very different way than older children and teens, so their classrooms look very different. The classroom experience of a first grader should look very different than that of a fifth grader.

My public K classroom looks nothing like babysitting.

Anonymous wrote:I have observed that K thru 2nd in public have turned into babysitting to the masses and enforcing basic disciplinary actions which should be learned at home. As for learning or doing challenging work....well who cares since SOLs don't start until 3rd grade. There are still standards put out by the Dept of Education but nobody doing any kind if checks and balances. Just wondering if anyone else has made the same observations. If you are a proactive parent and working with your child to educate him/her, I would love to hear your feedback. For others who have found themselves too tired to support and work on the educational side of parenting, please do not reply with any ugly comments or how children should just play outside and color. I have seen too many forums on dcum where people write thing like that and it is really sad to see. I really hope Obama can make a difference in putting programs together to help prepare young children early on.

I think it depends in large part on the teacher your child gets, and also on the school he/she attends. I find the whole thing very hit or miss. DS's k-1was like that, but even he said how good his 2nd grade teaches were. DD's k is a lot better. I have friends with the k-2 babysitting experience and others who are surprised at how much their kids are learning. I understand your perspective, you just need to enrich at home and let it go, otherwise you'll drive yourself crazy.

Neither have I. Why do you care anyway if you have such a poor preconceived notion to begin with.

No, I have not made the same observations. Hope that's okay with you. Actually I lied. I don't really care what some incoherent poster thinks.

I have observed that K thru 2nd in public have turned into babysitting to the masses and enforcing basic disciplinary actions which should be learned at home. As for learning or doing challenging work....well who cares since SOLs don't start until 3rd grade. There are still standards put out by the Dept of Education but nobody doing any kind if checks and balances. Just wondering if anyone else has made the same observations. If you are a proactive parent and working with your child to educate him/her, I would love to hear your feedback. For others who have found themselves too tired to support and work on the educational side of parenting, please do not reply with any ugly comments or how children should just play outside and color. I have seen too many forums on dcum where people write thing like that and it is really sad to see. I really hope Obama can make a difference in putting programs together to help prepare young children early on.