Coping with 3Yr Old in Preschool

I might be telling you what you already know, but it is good for him to be the most advanced/oldest as well as the youngest in classrooms. It allows the kids to explore different roles, etc.
My youngest was in a similar situation where all his classmates moved up and it was him with 2 yo and he had just turned three. He is the youngst in our home, but now he had this new role of being the "big boy" he did do a little whining, but the teacher picked up on it immediately and began reinforcing how he was the oldest and the helper, etc.
Really made a positive difference. Maybe a convo with teacher as a parent, not a coworker, of behavior you have noticed. has she noticed it too? What are some solutions or ways to address it in the classroom and at home for consistency?
I bet you all will come to a great solution and it might even be - he moves up a class!

Find a mixed age program for him he will benefit greatly from it. Good Luck

You could see if they will let you put him in the 3 yr. old class and then repeat that class next year but with a different teacher. Or , if you are not working could you just teach him at home until next year since he will still have 2 more years of preschool. We have kids in our preschool that missed the cutoff and are 3 in the 4 year old class (their b-day is Sept.) but they will have to reapeat the 4's next year, too.

If he's ready to be in the 3 year old class (which it sounds like he is) then talk to principal about moving him. There is no reason your son should suffer because the of birthday rules. I understand why those are there, but there should always be exceptions made.
If they flat out refuse to move him then look for a different school where he can learn and grow at his level.

Why can't you just bring him into your classroom? That would seem the most ideal to me. You both would benefit from being together, especially at his tender age.

I would move him to a different school if you can't move him to a different class. His brain is like a sponge right now....and leaving it with very little stimulation and CHANCE for growth is almost criminal. Sounds like your intuition is right on. I'd pay attention to that.

Our son was the same way and he started full day kindergarten at 4 and it was ALL Spanish, so by the time he was 5, he was writing, reading and speaking Spanish....and he was STILL bored. We pulled him out and started homeschooling him. I ask him if he wants to go back to school and he always tells me, "No way!" He's now 7 and in the 4th grade....and loves to learn everything.

Chill, mom, chill. They only started last week! Obviously, he will copy some things he sees at school, not just bad stuff, also good. Give him some time and support all good things he accomplishes. Explain to him that some children in his class cry because they sometimes cannot explain what they need. Emphasize how he, being older can do better. Don't compare. There is a whole year difference.

Your son is really smart because you are a teacher. Parents can't teach their children social skills. That is why you have him in preschool. You can teach him everything else and have done a great job doing it. If this is the age group he will be going to school, this is the age group he should follow in preschool. At a different school you will find a similar things. It is best to have him at the same school you teach. In school the months age difference between the kids are noticeable until about 3 grade. Being tired, new environment can also cause your son to losing control and emotions more frequently. Moving him up would be an ever worse though he is so smart. Being the oldest one in class is so much better than being the younger one when you are in school. The regression you see right now must be so frustrating with all the hard work you and your son have done. In the long run him being with the right age group will pay off. Keep teaching him at home to his level. Use the preschool for social interaction and concepts. You will see the other kids get closer as the year or year go on.

3 year olds should not be reading. It is way too high a cognitive task for them and what happens is you are making him left brained instead of having equal or pretty close to equal right/left hemispheres. SInce emotions are clearly controlled by the right brain. He has become disconnected in a sense by his left brain becoming so high. Read more in a wonderful book that everyone should read called Disconnected Kids by Dr. Robert Melillo. I work with these children by the way and almost all learned to read/write too early and now are on the spectrum of autism/adhd/learning disabilites. Most did not crawl for 4-6 months as recommended as well. This is not just my opinion but this is the truth about what is happening in our AMerican society today. We teach cognitive without addressing the underlying sensorymotor component because children learn through their bodies.....not otherwise.

If you want him in your class-go talk to the "powers that be", and get him moved.
best,k

That's a tricky one! I know the situation you are in. At the beginning of the summer I had a job at a MDO that would start in August. Both of my kids could attend the program. My 4 year old would be in the 4's, but they were going to put my son in the 1's because he has an October birthday. They said they follow the school age exactly. I thought that was sort of silly when it comes to a MDO. In my opinion, for private preschools it should be up to the parents...we know what is best for our children. I didn't think my son, who would be two very soon, needed to be in a class with a bunch of 1 year old's who were just learning to walk, crawl, talk, etc. THen, I was offered a job at my daughter's preschool and they said sure. Whatever class I wanted him in was fine. After a week I asked his teachers if he was okay or if the 1's would be a better fit. They said no that he was right where he was supposed to be.

On the other hand, they may not want your son in the same class as you. My preschool frowns upon teachers and kids in the same class. Could you put him in 3's and teach one of the other classes?

Do the teachers work with each child individually? At my school, there are kids at so many different levels. We just work with each child differently and at their own pace.

Good luck!

Have you considered looking into the Montessori school in your area. You may even be able to teach there too. The kids are in integrated age groups and progress according to their ability, not their age. So that would be very advantageous for a precocious little guy such as yours! Best of luck!

When is his birthday ? My daughter will be 3 in October, but when we went for the pre-school tour the director saw how well she spoke, was potty trained etc and actually suggested that we put her straight in to the 3-4 class. Having watched the 2 yr old class I feel that this was the right move for her, the children in the 2yr old class are too 'babyish' for the way she plays and acts etc.

I would def speak to them about your concerns, children this age develop in such different ways that really it takes you too see them with children of different ages to see how they interact. My daughter fits right in with the 3yr class.

Good luck - let us know how it goes.