I keep reading in DCUM comments that are like this one: "there's so much research that suggests there are little or no real benefits from pushing academics too early." That may be true but it seems that a lot of people infer from this that if a child is reading at the 3-6th grade level in K or can read Frog and Toad by age 4 that it's the parents that are pushing them and that any child can have these skills if their parents pushed them.

I just want to point out that there is also a lot of research that shows that if your child can read by age 3-4 or reading several levels above grade level in K that she/he is is probably very smart/gifted. That isn't to say that if your child cannot read at this level at these ages she/he is not gifted as there are plenty of children who could be taught to read if pushed but are not. But NOT every child can be taught to read at an early age.

So the "pushing parents" may play a role but PP is wrong to state that that this is *the* "reason these children are so smart so young." The truth is children like OP's child ARE smart and in my opinion very lucky to have such involved parents.

Anonymous wrote:I keep reading in DCUM comments that are like this one: "there's so much research that suggests there are little or no real benefits from pushing academics too early." That may be true but it seems that a lot of people infer from this that if a child is reading at the 3-6th grade level in K or can read Frog and Toad by age 4 that it's the parents that are pushing them and that any child can have these skills if their parents pushed them.

I just want to point out that there is also a lot of research that shows that if your child can read by age 3-4 or reading several levels above grade level in K that she/he is is probably very smart/gifted. That isn't to say that if your child cannot read at this level at these ages she/he is not gifted as there are plenty of children who could be taught to read if pushed but are not. But NOT every child can be taught to read at an early age.

So the "pushing parents" may play a role but PP is wrong to state that that this is *the* "reason these children are so smart so young." The truth is children like OP's child ARE smart and in my opinion very lucky to have such involved parents.

Anonymous wrote:Op, I think you are expecting too much from K. My oldest is in third grade and I look back on kindergarten with nostalgia. I think the main purpose of K is to acclimate the kids to the routines and expectations and social requirements of elementary school. Many kids (both the most and least privileged segments) may never have experienced any kind of organized education before, and even for kids like mine who went to FT daycares or preschool prior to K, there are just huge changes and much more individual responsibility (no one supervises routine bathroom trips, navigating a paying cafeteria, adjusting to classroom norms and procedures...) Just save your academic expectations for first grade, and stop worrying about whether your 5yo is being adequately challenged. And yes, MCPS does provide challenges for all range of smart kids.

I'm trying hard to avoid snark here, especially since you are self-aware enough to mock your angst in your post title (I think that's what you meant, right?)! Really there is so much research that suggests there are little or no real benefits from pushing academics too early (read the red shirting threads on how they start elementary at 7yo in Finkand or something like that) - you should be glad her K year is going well, that she is not learning to hate school (like my active boy did) and that the testing mania hasn't yet begin. If she's reading chapter books and has parents who are engaged in her educational development, your daughter is going to be just fine.

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Anonymous wrote:The videos used to really bug me too, but AFAIK they weren't every week, much less more than once a week.

I do think that K, especially the first half, is a lot about getting used to school more than achieving specific academic goals.

The videos are every week, sometimes more than that. Whenever recess is canceled for example, which has been happening more and more.

If the videos are in place of recess because they don't go out, then I'm all for it. Teachers lunch breaks, conferences, planning breaks, etc are during lunch and recess. They need that down time.

Teachers may need down time, but kids, especially boys, need running around time. And fresh air.

Great and what do you think they should do when it's pouring down raining out?

Umm what we did when we were in ES? Go to the gym and play dodge-ball or Red light, green light? And they stay in not just when it's pouring, but when it's chilly.