Anonymous wrote:Wow, how many kids in an average Mclean K class start off reading? There were only two dc out of 28 who started K off already reading books in ds's class.

I can't tell you how many parents I've met who insisted that their kids could read entering into K, when in fact, it really turns out that they had just memorized a few beloved books. Not saying that this isn't a good first step toward reading, but I am convinced that most parents exaggerate their kids' reading skills in K.

Anonymous wrote:I think PP's point is it's weird that a parent would know if kids are coming into K reading - and even weirder, the exact number of kids?? Information about the former I suppose one could gather by volunteering in the classroom, but the latter really seems to imply that this parent is keeping score.
Keep in mind that you really don't know the full story about a child by volunteering for a few hours here and there in the classroom. For example, our DS in K is reading at an advanced level. But - he also has an IEP for speech and significant fine motor delays; his handwriting is awful. Depending on which tasks you see him doing, he may present as ahead of the pack, or noticably behind.

Yes, I am the PP who referenced the quote that 8 out of 20 kids were reading at the beginning of K at one school. It just seemed strange that someone would know this right at the beginning of school and give an exact #. If they said something like, "I volunteered in my child's school in September and I would guess about half of the 20 students were able to read at that point," it would have seemed less strange to me. The way it was written just sounds like there was a tally on day one and someone was keeping score. Maybe they didn't mean it that way, but that was how it came across.

For the OP, my son is currently in 1st grade at a school in Arlington. At the beginning of K last year, he was not reading at all. By the end of the school year, he was reading quite fluently and over the summer he read the entire Magic Treehouse series and is now working his way through the TinTin books and is in the "highest" reading group in his class. I am not saying this to brag, but just to show that even if your child is not reading at the beginning of K, it doesn't mean he or she is behind or will behind in the future.

I think PP's point is it's weird that a parent would know if kids are coming into K reading - and even weirder, the exact number of kids?? Information about the former I suppose one could gather by volunteering in the classroom, but the latter really seems to imply that this parent is keeping score.

Keep in mind that you really don't know the full story about a child by volunteering for a few hours here and there in the classroom. For example, our DS in K is reading at an advanced level. But - he also has an IEP for speech and significant fine motor delays; his handwriting is awful. Depending on which tasks you see him doing, he may present as ahead of the pack, or noticably behind.

I'm the science lab volunteer. When K students (in Sept, Oct and Nov) were reading aloud fluently "Record your observations in the chart below . . . . ." I would have no problem saying that they were "reading when K started." But, upon DCUM cross-examination, I'd have to admit that that was my opinion because I did not know for a fact that said student could read on day 1 of K. Sheesh, I hate when people play lawyer at home.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But a PP implied that he/she knew this coming in on the first day of school

I must have missed that PP -- would you indicate which post had that, please?

We're not in McLean, but in DS' class, there were 8 kids out of 20 reading when K started.

This was the one I was referring to - it just seemed weird that he/she would know this on the first day of school.

Thank you for digging that up. I did not (and still do not) see the first day of school reference in this post.

Seriously? It says "when K started." How is that not clear?

That could have been a parent who volunteered in October and noted several kids reading fluently and assumed they didn't just start reading that week!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But a PP implied that he/she knew this coming in on the first day of school

I must have missed that PP -- would you indicate which post had that, please?

We're not in McLean, but in DS' class, there were 8 kids out of 20 reading when K started.

This was the one I was referring to - it just seemed weird that he/she would know this on the first day of school.

Thank you for digging that up. I did not (and still do not) see the first day of school reference in this post.

Seriously? It says "when K started." How is that not clear?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But a PP implied that he/she knew this coming in on the first day of school

I must have missed that PP -- would you indicate which post had that, please?

We're not in McLean, but in DS' class, there were 8 kids out of 20 reading when K started.

This was the one I was referring to - it just seemed weird that he/she would know this on the first day of school.

Thank you for digging that up. I did not (and still do not) see the first day of school reference in this post.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But a PP implied that he/she knew this coming in on the first day of school

I must have missed that PP -- would you indicate which post had that, please?

We're not in McLean, but in DS' class, there were 8 kids out of 20 reading when K started.

This was the one I was referring to - it just seemed weird that he/she would know this on the first day of school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know how many kids could read, do you people ask your teacher this shit?
Annoying!

Ever talk to your kid? They know.

I talked to my kid all the time when she was in K, and she had no clue. She focused on her own work and assumed all the kids were doing what she was doing. There were one or two kids in her class who were very vocal about how "EASY" the math was and loudly announced that they could do much "harder" math, and she told me about them, but otherwise, I don't think the kids are trying to see how everyone compares to one another. She is in 1st grade now and is just starting to notice that her "group" is being challenged more than other groups in her class/grade. I think the school tries to differentiate in ways that are not super obvious and I appreciate that.

Anonymous wrote:But a PP implied that he/she knew this coming in on the first day of school

I must have missed that PP -- would you indicate which post had that, please?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at public schools in McLean and are trying to decide whether to go public or private. My child is reading, adding, subtracting, etc. Will he be bored in the public school system? Should we do private until he can get tested for AAP? Parents who have been in this situation please share. He will start K in the fall.

Op - I have the same concerns. My child is reading 3 syllable words and adding/subtracting on a dime (true). I'm concerned he'll be bored out of his mind in K! We only applied to one private

My child was reading at the age of 3. I was worried she'd be bored in preschool! She wasn't. By K, I thought for sure, she would waste another year of her life with a curriculum she was way ahead of. (BEFORE YOU START WRITING A SCATHING RESPONSE, THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT IS MEANT TONGUE IN CHEEK) She had a great time and learned a lot. Her teacher gave her plenty of opportunity to expand what she already knew and maybe its just my DC's temperament, but she didn't roll her eyes at the stuff she already knew - it was presented in fun, engaging ways and she was fine to be with her friends and participate - plus the reinforcement was important, I thought. Just because she could read, add and subtract, I thought the review would fill in any holes in the foundation of what she knew (I don't have a teaching background and what she knew was mostly self taught anyway) - The teachers really seem to know what they are doing and take the kids at whatever level they're on and take them further. The teachers in this county have seen plenty of kids coming in at advanced skill levels.

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at public schools in McLean and are trying to decide whether to go public or private. My child is reading, adding, subtracting, etc. Will he be bored in the public school system? Should we do private until he can get tested for AAP? Parents who have been in this situation please share. He will start K in the fall.

Op - I have the same concerns. My child is reading 3 syllable words and adding/subtracting on a dime (true). I'm concerned he'll be bored out of his mind in K! We only applied to one private

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know how many kids could read, do you people ask your teacher this shit?
Annoying!

I wondered this, too!

No rocket science involved. I volunteer during science lab. The teacher always calls on a student to read the instructions. So after 2 science labs I knew that at least 10 kids in DD's K were readers.

That makes sense. But a PP implied that he/she knew this coming in on the first day of school - almost like a poll was taken among the parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know how many kids could read, do you people ask your teacher this shit?
Annoying!

I wondered this, too!

No rocket science involved. I volunteer during science lab. The teacher always calls on a student to read the instructions. So after 2 science labs I knew that at least 10 kids in DD's K were readers.

Anonymous wrote:How do you know how many kids could read, do you people ask your teacher this shit?
Annoying!

I wondered this, too!