1966. It was half-day K, with 30 children to a class. Only a few children - maybe 10% of the kindergarten class - went to nursery school (they didn't call it preschool, and it was only for age 4, not younger children).

Born in 78. Went to nursery school when I was three. Only remember the playground and eating pigs in a blanket.

In K I was 4, I only remember the Q marrying the U and doing an art activity.

I remember learning to read when I was in 1st.

Learning how to count money in 2nd.

Multiplication in 3rd.

When it was spelled 'kindergarten.'

I went to K in 1976. It was nothing like what my kids experienced in K in 2011 and 2012.

I didn't even know there were reading specialists back then. Just curious, why at that time was your mother opposed to early reading instruction?

1976 - Catholic School in this area, half day. I remember making letters with clay, worksheets and that we had a cute housekeeping corner that we never got to play in because we never had time during the day!

Born in 1972 in NH. Many towns in NH, including mine, didn't offer public K. For most of my classmates, 1st grade was their first experience with formal education. I went to a private daycare/K, but there were no academic lessons. Both the head of the daycare and my mom were trained as reading specialists and both were opposed to early reading instruction. I remember that the summer after first grade I was able to read Little House in the Big Woods by myself.

born in 1983.

I have absolutely no memory of doing anything academic in kindergarten. I remember having to cut out pictures in a worksheet and put them in chronological order and I did a terrible job of cutting them neatly plus I used too much glue. My teacher gave me a mild scolding for doing poor work.

That summer my parents taught me how to read in preparation of going into first grade. I was in the middle reading group for 1st grade.

Playing is especially important in the early years, but a lot of achievement just comes from knowing people and being financially stable. Maybe the other kids were just more well off and had families who were better connected socially and it had less to do with who read the earliest.

I attended private school in 1982...during a parent-teacher conference, my teacher told my mom he was concerned because I read all the time instead of playing. I was the only kid in the class who could read and write. (I don't have to tell you all that my peers whom I've followed are MORE successful than me despite that early "achievement".) Mainly from K, I remember: recess, playing with dinosaurs*, drawing pictures and narrating the story to the K teacher (except for me, the early whiz whose early whiz-ness matters not a bit now), swings! Swings! Swings! (Yesterday my daughter said to me plaintively, "I really wish my school had swings, Mom.) Oh, and teeter-totters!

*We learned a lot about dinosaurs, actually, none of which I remember now.

1974 half day K in South Jersey. I remember the white paste on piece of paper towel so we could do art. I think it tasted good too. I remember the powered soap to wash our hands, the big fat red pencils (so obviously we were writing something), the fat crayons that rolled around on the circular table. The vanilla creme cookies with milk for snack. The piano in the room, so I guess we had music. I don't know when we actually had any type of academics, but I do remember being in a separate advanced reading group in 1st grade so I learned at some point.

I went to nursery school in in 1970 -- 2 mornings a week (T/Th).
In 1971, I went to 4 year old nursery school -- 3 mornings a week. (M/W/F)

In 1972 it was time to ride the bus to kindergarten... 5 mornings a week (8:30 - 11:30), then home for lunch and a nap! We rode the bus with the big kids but came home alone.

In nursery school we had blocks, a housekeeping corner, a dress up corner with a mirror and play clothes; trucks, and dolls. Probably more "boy" toys but I didn't play with them so I don't remember.

We had big thick pencils and sat at desks and learned the letters of the alphabet. We learned one each week. Mr M, Ms. A etc. I could already read in kindergarten, so they sent me and one other "advanced" kid to the school library.

I don't remember anything about learning math. I think there were workbooks but that might have been 1st grade.

We had art every week, and music and recess every day, even though we were only there half day.

Anonymous wrote:1980, Alexandria City Public Schools. Half day.


I just remember working on many elaborate art projects (building wooden boats, painting etc.). I already knew the alphabet and how to write my name, before coming to school. There was no homework.

You might have been in the same class as my DH!

From OP :"so many people on this board are concerned that JKLM schools in DCPS are providing a subpar education compared to suburban schools". I have never heard of this as a genuine concern. These are schools for rich kids and are among the wealthiest in the country. They even have PTA dues in the $1000's. If there are complaints, it's probably rich parents complaining about the schools compared to other wealthy privates.