I'd need to know more. What did the kid do and what is the plan? Is he being talked to in the office? Chilling? Calming down independently? What need is the principal/staff office providing or what skill is being built by being there? What do I need to do in my own home that conveys the right message for continuity (teaching boundaries, etc).

My 3 or 4 year old wouldn't be scared by being at the principal's office (wouldn't get the implications) but would do what they were asked, within reason.

For me, it depends somewhat on the principal/ front office staff. I love our DCPS school but our principal is middling. I don't think he knows how to handle upset, angry, disruptive kids appropriately. So I wouldn't really want my hypothetical 3 year old sent to him. Fortunately my children (8 yo and up) don't get in big trouble much.

It is fine as long as it is not happening because the teacher doesn't have good class management skills. But if that is the case, the principal (who does not have time to babysit the teacher's class very often) will be all over that.

BTW, most little kids view this as a treat, so it is not effective as punishment and some will actually seek this out if they don't like the classroom. It does work for deescalation and giving an overstimulated kid a break.

Anonymous wrote:Put on your list of questions for PK 3 & 4 open houses.

Personally I prefer a calm down/time out corner in the classroom rather than removing a young child out of their classroom if it is a large school.
Preschool only schools are probably smaller and less traumatic for a child to be taken out of classroom. Not many preschool only programs in DCPS.

Really?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Putting on question list for open houses...

I think I would be upset if this happened to my child and I was not aware that this was a common practice.
They are so young in preschool, hard to be a working parent and leave them all day and then to be thinking they are being treated like the 5th graders with no special consideration of their age is tough.
They grow up too fast these days.

It's a little bit of a stretch to assume they're being treated like fifth graders because they go to the principal's office, no? Surely it's possible for the principal to interact with a four-year-old student in an age appropriate way.

+1. I'll be damned if your kid monopolizes an entire school day for the teacher. Also, in our school it is definitely a safe cool down spot. Principal is highly effective with preschoolers and talks through issues, colors with the kid, and most certainly will discuss the day with the parent.

I've spent enough time at school to know that the principal's office is not scary at our school. I've seen kids napping in there. I've seen kids chilling out in there. My kid has been there as a little overwhelmed kid. The whole point is to de-escalate. It's really a lot easier for a kid to calm down away from the action than in a time out spot in the classroom.

It would not be traumatizing at a school where the principal knows every student by name and the students know the principal. This has been the case at both
school communities my children have attended.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Putting on question list for open houses...

I think I would be upset if this happened to my child and I was not aware that this was a common practice.
They are so young in preschool, hard to be a working parent and leave them all day and then to be thinking they are being treated like the 5th graders with no special consideration of their age is tough.
They grow up too fast these days.

It's a little bit of a stretch to assume they're being treated like fifth graders because they go to the principal's office, no? Surely it's possible for the principal to interact with a four-year-old student in an age appropriate way.

exactly, and frankly, at some point the teacher may need a helping hand.

5th grader would understand situation, be familiar with the surroundings and know the principal well.
The 3-4 year olds are most likely unfamiliar with both the principal's office and the principal and not really fully aware of why they are there.

So don't assume being treated like a 5th grader, being treated worse.
I know a child psychologist - I will be asking her, but it seems like a undesirable option for children this age.

Anonymous wrote:Putting on question list for open houses...

I think I would be upset if this happened to my child and I was not aware that this was a common practice.
They are so young in preschool, hard to be a working parent and leave them all day and then to be thinking they are being treated like the 5th graders with no special consideration of their age is tough.
They grow up too fast these days.

It's a little bit of a stretch to assume they're being treated like fifth graders because they go to the principal's office, no? Surely it's possible for the principal to interact with a four-year-old student in an age appropriate way.

Putting on question list for open houses...

I think I would be upset if this happened to my child and I was not aware that this was a common practice.
They are so young in preschool, hard to be a working parent and leave them all day and then to be thinking they are being treated like the 5th graders with no special consideration of their age is tough.
They grow up too fast these days.

My DC was sent to the office in K, and they were surprised that he didn't seem upset by it. He had no idea it was a punishment and was excited to get such special treatment. So, as to when it is appropriate -- well, when they are old enough to not WANT to to there. lol.

It's somewhere safe to calm down, away from the classroom. Sometimes kids need to be able to go outside of the classroom to get themselves together. It isn't "being sent to the office" in the sense that they are being punished. They are going to a safe time out room, where they will be supervised. Not everything can or should be handled in the classroom.

Put on your list of questions for PK 3 & 4 open houses.

Personally I prefer a calm down/time out corner in the classroom rather than removing a young child out of their classroom if it is a large school.
Preschool only schools are probably smaller and less traumatic for a child to be taken out of classroom. Not many preschool only programs in DCPS.

PP: Principal at a preschool or an elementary school?
I can see it down in a small preschool but a large elementary school seems a bit scary to me?
So, guess it could be reward or trauma in a larger school with 100's of kids and most a lot older and bigger..