Anonymous wrote:Forget reading and addition. The children should know partial differential equations! And they should be able to do that instinctively in there head.

By that, I mean, they should be able to track a ball that is thrown to them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No wonder there is so much red shirting if everyone is being told that their kid is doomed to academic failure if they aren't reading Harry potter before they start kindergarten.

This is a Fairfax County thing! Parents who brag that their six week old infant sleeps through the night is bragging about Harry Potter five years later. It just ain't true!

Anonymous wrote:No wonder there is so much red shirting if everyone is being told that their kid is doomed to academic failure if they aren't reading Harry potter before they start kindergarten.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm just trying to figure out how well prepared DD needs to be by the time she starts kindergarten in Fairfax County. Should she be able to add and subtract? Is the expectation that she will know all her letters, or that she will actually be able to read? We just moved back to the US from overseas, and it all seems overwhelming. Thanks.

[list]Really all depends on if your aspirations are for the AAP program or not. If so you need to make sure they are reading and have early math skills, actually, overall academic skills because by the end of kindergarten these children will be pinged for potential AAP. In first grade, they receive their first abilities test. From there they are stream lined into an AAP program. So if AAP is your goal make sure your child is a very strong reader, etc..., going into kindergarten. While social is very important, the AAP program really doesn't care about that.

So every kid who is in AAP in third grade was reading when they started kindergarten? Can you describe what a "very strong reader" is when they start kindergarten?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wholeheartedly agree with those who suggested that the social/independance goals before K are just as important if not more so that the "reading" level. My oldest, now in 4th was reading chapter books before K. He just picked up reading, words have always been his thing. Math, I think he was above grade level too. Socially, he was probably a bit behind, in my opinion. He did score very highly on his CogAt and Naglieri and was in pool. That said, even in 2nd grade, his social readiness/attention were still below grade level. Despite VERY high test scores, and grades to match, he was not found eligible on the first round of AAP, or on appeal (we did not take him for extra testing). After talking with the teacher and guidance counselor, they both felt he needed another year to mature. So, though the maturity/social aspect is supposedly not part of the AAP process, I can tell you, it definitely can cloud the process.

Take all this with a grain of salt, since you did not ask about AAP. I think for K (as a former elementary music teacher) teaching independence, letters, (letter sounds help if you get to it) will more than suffice. My middle guy is in K too now, and just had these skills listed in the prior sentence (he was not an early reader like his brother), and is doing great.

PS-I hope the person who mentioned Harry Potter meant the 3rd graders were reading that. I am all about challenging early readers, but I cannot imagine any Kindergartener being emotionally ready for the intensity of those books!

[list]Nope, K and First! By the mid to end of first grade I have had several parents tell me their children have finished the entire series. I agree it is not age appropriate reading material. I also question their comprehension. However the parents have assured me they quized their children extensively and they were understanding what they were reading. The parents even said they required their children to read the books before seeing the movies. I find it really hard to believe but I have heard it at least 5 times.

Anonymous wrote:I wholeheartedly agree with those who suggested that the social/independance goals before K are just as important if not more so that the "reading" level. My oldest, now in 4th was reading chapter books before K. He just picked up reading, words have always been his thing. Math, I think he was above grade level too. Socially, he was probably a bit behind, in my opinion. He did score very highly on his CogAt and Naglieri and was in pool. That said, even in 2nd grade, his social readiness/attention were still below grade level. Despite VERY high test scores, and grades to match, he was not found eligible on the first round of AAP, or on appeal (we did not take him for extra testing). After talking with the teacher and guidance counselor, they both felt he needed another year to mature. So, though the maturity/social aspect is supposedly not part of the AAP process, I can tell you, it definitely can cloud the process.

Take all this with a grain of salt, since you did not ask about AAP. I think for K (as a former elementary music teacher) teaching independence, letters, (letter sounds help if you get to it) will more than suffice. My middle guy is in K too now, and just had these skills listed in the prior sentence (he was not an early reader like his brother), and is doing great.

PS-I hope the person who mentioned Harry Potter meant the 3rd graders were reading that. I am all about challenging early readers, but I cannot imagine any Kindergartener being emotionally ready for the intensity of those books!