How Many Parents Think Their Kindergartener Is Not Being Challenged?

You say...as we look through my pre-schooler's Scholastic book catalog and try to explain that the books are too babyish for her.

I don't think many kindergarteners are challenged today. I felt we were blessed with half day kindergarten here. They would get home before lunch time and then I would have the rest of the day to enrich them. Do whatever interests your child whether it be the museum, the zoo, but definitely take advantage of all the library offers as well (storytimes, programs, classes). I don't think teaching ahead is the answer because then you are just setting them up to be bored later. I also never suggest to my child that the work is too easy for them because I feel once they have that idea in their head they will not apply themself because they feel they already know it all. HTH.

Kindergarten has to start slow so that those kids who didn't have preschool can catch up. Mine was so bored because while others were learning to count to 20 and write their ABC's, he'd been doing it for well over a year.

Get some of the 'up to 100' dot to dot books, color by numbers, and puzzle books. Let her go to the library and pick out her own books. And DO NOT wait for kindergarten to teach her to read. My son's first grade class is just now starting to work on that. TEACH HER YOURSELF!! You'll both be happier in the long run.

A child can read at anytime or any age.
Just let her read.
Anytime.

The "problem" with K is that it's a melting pot. Kids from all backgrounds and abilities. In my son's K class there were a total of 3 children (my son and another boy and a girl) who were all reading fluently and doing simple arithmetic (+-x/), 2 who spoke no english, several who didn't know names of colors or shapes, most who didn't know letter names.

"They" say that it all evens out. But it doesn't. What happens is that kids who have already learned more, just don't learn anything new until everyone else has caught up. By anything I'm not talking across the board... I'm talking about basics. Not until everyone gets it, OR until it's on the curriculum, will new material in areas they already know be presented. We had an AWESOME teacher who went out of her way to give the 3 kids who were beyond the curriculum for the year work that was new to them (but she also got reprimanded for it), but that isn't the rule. In order to find out "when" a skill is going to be introduced and at what level, one has to talk to the school itself. My son's preschool "apparently" had all their toddlers doing 2nd grade work, as new material wouldn't be introduced until the 3rd grade. But in his cousins K class, they were doing things that would have been VERY challenging for my son. It REALLY varies by district.

K classes vary wildly. In my son's old district ( we homeschool now ), the goal was visually recognizing 20 of the 26 letters of the alphabet, and being able to count to 20 verbally by the END of the year. In my niece and nephew's school district their K class had a required entrance test including over 200 sight words, 2 digit addition and subtraction, and a writing ability test (aka name, copy words, etc). Those who didn't pass the K entrance test did a preK year where those things were taught. BOTH modes seem really strange to me. Especially coming out of montessori preschool where kids learn at their own pace.

As far as what you can do to supplement her education...

Reading: Books books books :) AND www.starfall.com

Live life : Life is learning - museums, zoos, cooking (tons of math in cooking : fractions, weights and measures, +-x/, as well as science and history and geography and biology ), sports, music, drama... every single day is filled with thousands of questions, things to explore, look up... or just relax and enjoy.

If she is ready to read, let her read.. Everyday after school let her read for 10 to 15 minutes.. Get some workbooks and let her do a page as "homework" each afternoon .

Can she read the BOB Books? If you do not have a set, see if your childs elementary school has a set you can check out.. If she has passed them move on to early reader books.. Any Librarian can show you their selection.

have her read to you at home. Its great time for both of you and will help her learn. you could also try having her add numbers. nothing big of course but if she know numbers to a certain extent she can lear to add them.

teach her how to read. my kids went into kindergarten knowing how to read because i kept them home for pre-k and taught them. in 1st grade now, when others are still sounding words, their teacher realized the level of reading my kids are at and assigned them appropriate level books. i think half the teaching and learning is done at school, half at home.

If she is dying to read, then do yourself and your daughter a favor, and order a copy (or pick one up at a Barnes & Noble) of "Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons". I used it to teach both of our kids to read. Started with our son a few months before he turned 4. FINISHED it with our daughter a few weeks before she turned 4.

It gives you step by step instructions and exactly what to say (or not say) to your child while giving the lessons. It is really very simple. You'll need a day or two to read the introduction and get yourself "mentally" ready to teach it. But it really is easy. All you need is the book (which is a workbook style book), a blank piece of paper to cover a picture every few pages, and a magna-doodle or something to write on. I found that with my kids, magna-doodles were more fun and less "work" so they enjoyed it more.

It truly is 100 lessons. They start out very simple. At her age she could easily do 2 lessons a day for the first 30 lessons at least. My daughter did 2 a day for a little while... she just loved learning to read! A single lesson usually takes less than 30 minutes. Less in the beginning... But by the end of the book (lessons 80-100 ?) the reading is much longer, so more time consuming (they will be reading an entire page).

She was reading juvenile chapter books (Frog & Toad; Henry and Mudge; etc) by the time she was 4.

It costs about $22 at B&N, but you can order it online for around $10 through amazon. Worth every penny and THEN some!

http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Child-Read-Lessons/dp/06...

I felt as though my child wouldn't so I chose to home school. If that isn't an option or of interest I would try to pick challenging educational games on the Leapster, Ds or something of the like. There are some great Reader Rabbit games for the PC that would help fill that need while giving her downtime after school. Readers that are interesting and challenging or maybe some fun science experiments or curriculum on the side for the weekends.

Good Luck!
J.

My oldest son had a wonderful experience in kindergarten. He was reading before he started kindergarten, and was challenged throughout the year. He is now in 7th grade and is still thriving in school.

My youngest was in kindergarten last year and it was awful. He was also reading before starting kindergarten. He was bored all year. Classroom management was lacking, which frustrated my son even more. I worked with him at home, but I didn't plan on homeschooling. By the end of the year I felt like I had homeschooled him. I teach high school. Kindergarten is not my specialty. I was frustrated.

First grade has been much better. He has a wonderful teacher, and students seem to be grouped more by ability. He is being challenged a bit in reading and math. He is happier this year, and I am thrilled! I hope things turn around for you soon.

My son's entire K class was reading by mid year. I'm sure there are lots of kids in your daughter's class that are in the same boat. Let her read at home as much as she wants! They all pretty much even-out skill wise by the end of Kindergarten.