K has been our hardest year so far. I found it miserable and so did DS. The school he attended is a high performing school and DS didn't make the transition well from easy going pre-K to demanding K. He had 1st and 2nd there as well but seemed to do fine. We moved partway through 3rd grade and into an "easier" school. No problems thus far. I have to say, the more demanding school seemed to prepare DS very well for 3rd grade in the less demanding school. We've had no hiccups academically or behaviorally.

For DD second grade was difficult because her teacher hated her and treated her terribly. But academically none of elementary school was hard at all.

My oldest is now in fourth. Third was rough, rough, rough. Ugh, what a miserable year (and he had a wonderful teacher!). Fourth has been a breeze compared to third, but maturity has been a lot of that, I think.

I'm already dreading third with my youngest, who is currently in first. He cares much more about school at his current age than his brother did and is much more interested in getting the right answer than his brother was, so maybe it won't be as bad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:6th grade

Where is 6th still elementary? (Sincere question.) My MoCo public ES was K-6, but that was almost 30 years ago and we were the last 6th grade class.

FCPS and many private schools too. I really wish middle school was just 7/8th in MCPS too. I transferred my child to a private after 5th that had 6th as lower school. They had lockers, moved to each class, had decent homework, but were still doing all of that in the comfort of an elementary school. They also still had recess, worked many jobs to help the lower school (open doors at drop off and say good morning, library aides, computers aides, lower school tutors, etc...) and would often go in and work with lower grades as the "big kids." Really helped their confidence. It was an awesome transition to middle school.

Anonymous wrote:5th was a bear at our ES. They were "preparing them for MS" and as it turns out middle school was so much easier. So either it worked, or they grossly overestimated middle school.

It was a great year for learning, but a horrid year for time management and family life (as in lots of tears and little time for fun).

Be grateful. Our school may have the worst 5th grade team in the country. They have been there for at least 12 years, are so lax, and do not in anyway prepare the kids for middle school.

I think 1st grade is hard, especially for boys because it is the first REAL year of school. Not much play, more structure expected yet so much down time that it is easy not to be structured.

3rd because they expect a lot from you. Reading comprehension and math go extremely slow in 2nd grade. I mean, my youngest is learning how to use a freaking clock with hands in 2nd grade right now. She said the video they watched on time yesterday was for preschoolers. I believe her because learning time is for preschoolers/K. And then they start 3rd and they jump way too quickly and many kids are not ready and get lost quick. I am not a fan of the curriculum at all.

Before even opening this thread I answered the question in my head as third. But when I read so many people saying first, the memories came back. So yeah, third and first in my family's experience. Son is in 5th right now and it's tough too, but he has a good experienced teacher, and she does a lot to help him make the best of it. FCPS, if that makes a difference.

Anonymous wrote:What are SOLs?

"Standards of Learning" - the Virginia state standards/tests

What are SOLs?

5th was a bear at our ES. They were "preparing them for MS" and as it turns out middle school was so much easier. So either it worked, or they grossly overestimated middle school.

It was a great year for learning, but a horrid year for time management and family life (as in lots of tears and little time for fun).

Two kids - two different "hard" years...

For DS - 3rd. In our school it is the first year they get letter grades, first year for SOLs, expectations ramp up in terms of homework and staying focused on-task for longer in the classroom. That year was really hard for my DS who is young for his grade (late June birthday). It was the only year that made me seriously question if we should have redshirted.

For DD - 1st. She was slow to learn to read and felt pressure from that and socially she had a hard time making friends since her interests tend to not be typical girly interests, and none of her K friends were in her 1st class. Her teacher was good about helping with changes in the classroom to fix the friendship problem and reading finally clicked. For her, 3rd grade was a breeze.

1st grade is a huge transition year. Also, th are learning to read and master the most reading this year.

This thread makes me feel so much better. My twins are in 3rd and having a hard time (one of them has a high IQ). Neither are particularly engaged most of the time. Although they are both excellent readers. I feel like expectations are higher than when my now 7th grader was in 3rd.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:6th grade

Where is 6th still elementary? (Sincere question.) My MoCo public ES was K-6, but that was almost 30 years ago and we were the last 6th grade class.

Fcps

Anonymous wrote:6th grade

Where is 6th still elementary? (Sincere question.) My MoCo public ES was K-6, but that was almost 30 years ago and we were the last 6th grade class.