Kindergarten-what Is Normal

My son's K class had the goal of "reading by Christmastime" (half year-ish point). Some kids were reading before that--some weren't.
Kids come into K at ALL different abilities and levels and K is where they all level out somewhat (sans the super high/super low ability kids).
At this point, honestly, since the teacher is offering this tutoring for 30 mins per day--what's the harm? I would take advantage of it. Why not take advantage of this "free" offered extra help?

My daughter just started kindergarten too and no she doesn't read yet. She was behind on knowing the letter sounds, she doesn't have the patience to let me teach her. (I am not very fun she says) She has caught up to the rest of the class I think because she has a great teacher and is in a small private school.

I have noticed that all the school systems are a little different with what they need to know when starting school. I feel like they are being rushed to learn right away and/or the parents are to blame if they aren't up to par.
I would talk to the principle and get his/her opinion. I think it seems a bit much to push this on her.

I just read something about this on BabyCenter.com. Very similar to what Christine said. If you look it up, I think it will make you feel better.

Our school district is one of the top ranked in the state and our kindergarten program absolutely does not expect children to come in reading. Of course some do, but there is a WIDE range of development and abilities at that age. I remember feeling bad for my son because he was one of the "lowest" readers even at the end of kindergarten, but by the end of first grade he had shot up to reading on a third/fourth grade level!
Is your school private? They often have stricter expectations in order to make their school look better/more competitive. If it's a public school maybe she's being pressured by the administration and first grade team to get the kids ready to test well.
As far as your daughter being pulled to get some extra help I would say go for it, it couldn't hurt. I used to be that person (in first grade, not K) who pulled kids and worked with them on reading and sight words, and I can tell you the kids really benefit from that one on one time :)

What? What is school for if they can't learn to read there?

You must be in a clas w/alot of Type A overachieving parents. That is the only explanation I come up with.

When I registered my kid this year for K, all they asked us was if we have been reading to him and can he recognize letters and their sounds. That being said, he was reading level 1 readers since last year, only b/c he likes to read.

No, you are not an idiot mother. Follow your child's cues, ask her how she would feel about leaving class for Jump Start. If she doesn't want to, then I'd drop it. And during the next p/t conference, I'd ask the teacher what she is doing to help your child progress to the next level. Put the teacher in the hotseat this time. That is not fair that you were not told your child was expected to read at all and then your child is being "graded" on the ability of the other kids. Nope. Sorry. Unacceptable. If the kindergarteners aren't "ability" grouped in your school, then the teacher needs to do her job and TEACH your child.

Your question is so interesting to me. We had our kindergarten curriculum meeting yesterday. It is a meeting for all parents to learn the kindergarten curriculum in all subjects and to learn about elementary testing and criteria for promotion. We were specifically told that while some children may come to kindergarten already reading and while some may learn while there - it is developmentally NORMAL to learn to read in 2nd grade. Our kindergarten team leader has been teaching for 30 years and her academic background is Early Childhood Education - she has a master's degree. She explained that children will quite often see letters and numbers normally until around age 5 or 5.5 and then as their brains develop they begin to see some letters/numbers reversed (d,b, p, q, 6, 9, etc) and that makes it difficult to learn to read. At this time they may also write reversed. This is normal brain development and it should happen - and could "straighten out" by 6 or as late as 7. Thus, some children will struggle with identifying characters until 2nd grade making reading difficult.

You did not say whether your child is in a private school or public but if it is a private school I would do some research. My friend's son is in a Catholic school and they insist that children must be able to read to ENTER kindergarten. They had to hire a tutor and he had to do extra work when he was 4. They do this so that they only get the best of the best students (or students who test well) so that they can use an artificially high test score as their average. Personally, I think that you have to educate the whole child and you need to be mindful of where the child is developmentally as you proceed.

Good luck to you! Allow your younger child to be a child - they already have so much pressure on them.

C.

I live in NY and every school around here is an excellent school, however, none of the kindergarteners know how to read yet. They are still reviewing letters and are starting the process of learning.

It's hard to believe that your kid is so far behind. If I were you, I'd speak to the principal about your issue. Don't be blaming - just be very concerned and see what he/she thinks.

Good luck.

My son is in kindergarten and they are just now working on sight words. Our school does not expect kids to show up reading. They just expected them to have letter recognition and know the sound each letter makes.

There is a whole range of kids in kindergarten -- some reading easy readers by themselves, some struggling to remember what sound H makes. I don't think you should feel bad or failing for your daughter not knowing yet, it's so early!

I personally wouldn't bring in a tutor -- any hint of pressure to perform should wait until she's studying for the SATs IMO -- but maybe increase the amount of time you spend reading with her, both easy readers and read aloud books. With the read aloud books, make sure you use lots of expression and make it fun, she seriously can't get enough of this. With the easy readers, sit next to her, move your finger along the words to show what you're reading, and every once in a while read a line and have her "read it back" while your finger moves. She'll feel like she's reading, and can do it more and more, like reading with training wheels.

I would talk to the teacher about doing increased work at home, and see if she has any more suggestions for you. Say you'd like to hold off on the special program until the second semester, and think about it later.

Good luck, it's going to be OK! Lots of deep breaths....

My son is also in K and he is not reading and it is not expected that kids come to K reading at his school. (Isn't teaching reading the school's job?)
We live in the NYC suburbs and the the public schools in this area usually compare well to most places.

At present my son's class is reviewing letters and letter sounds which is a review from pre K for my son. He knows letter sounds and can sound out simple words with prompting. I think he will be reading soon, probably this school year at some point. This is in line with the teacher's expectations at the parent night. When I was a kid they did not even teach reading until first grade though some kids did learn if they were ready. Of course now the ages have shifted as well (my son started K at the age I started first grade).

I would take the extra help if it is offered. Some kids get a faster or slower start on reading but most do get it. I was not a great reader in 1st grade and was put in for extra help for that year (I also moved schools so it was a change in teaching methods as well). But by 4/5th grade I was one of the best readers in the class (I still read constantly). I expect your child will catch on to reading once she is taught the basics. If she is not reading pretty well (at grade level) by the end of second grade then you might worry. But right now she should be learning the basics. And I think that the teacher should be teaching reading skills in K and 1st grade. I can think of a couple of people I know who learned to read before K and both had parents that were teachers and older siblings (they sat in while the parent taught the older kid). That is not the situation for every parent or family.

I agree - you learn to read in Kindergarten. I also believe kids should learn to like to learn, it should be fun and set a good foundation going forward. I wouldn't put too much presssure on her in Kindergarten - so I disagree with the tutor. If you want to see what "fun" educational activities you can do at home with her, that's great. But again - foster a love of learning, don't teach her it's a chore or competition this young. My .2 cents.

It does sound extreme to me! It sounds like the teacher expects someone else to teach them how to read? Is this private school or public school?

My youngest is also in K and they are learning how to read simple books that use the sight words they're required to memorize as part of their homework.

I would say no, they shouldn't be expected to know how to read in K nor should they be reading on a high level. I would find another teacher/school. Kindergarten classes varies so greatly and your daughter shouldn't be forced to learn above the grade level.

My oldest daughter had a teacher that was teaching them on more of a first grade level than K and it was a miserable year for us but even she didn't expect them to be reading this early into the school year. Looking back on it I wish I had pulled her out of that class esp. now that my youngest is in K and the stuff they're doing is so easy.

Remember K is optional so if the other students have it all down, why are they in the class? The teacher should NOT push the kids that are on grade level up to a higher level just because 50% of the class are ahead. The kids ahead should be sent out for special instruction OR they should have to sit there bored as K fundamentals are taught and the parents can decide to leave them in optional K or pull them out and put them in first grade at the start of the next school year.

I feel like I am starting to become a sales person because I recommend the following book so often but it is a great book and I was absolutely amazed to watch how quickly my daughter learned to read. Check out "Teach your Child to Read in 100 easy Lessons" Each lesson takes about 15 minutes and by day 60 my daughter could read any easy reader.
(My daughter was 4 when I taught her to read...by kindergarten she was reading chapter books).

I guess all schools are different. In our kindergarten kids learn letter recognition and sounds and by the end of the year they are expected to know the first 100 sight words and be able to ready level 1 easy readers. Certainly there were kids that were reading chapter books by the end of the year, but there was no expectation that kids already know how to read before they get into kinder. Our school uses a program called "Zoophonics" where they use motion/ dance, auditory, and visual methods to help all kids learn. They also teach recognition of lower cases letters first because once kids know whose they can start to learn to read.

I wouldn't worry about the statement of "over 1/2 the class are already reading at a high level." I would want to know what the standards are for kindergarten. No matter what level "most" of the kids are at, what are they supposed to be teaching?

A tutor is ridiculous at kindergarten age and at this stage of the year. I would be somewhat concerned with the teachers focus or lack of focus and attitude toward on the kids who are learning at an average level or even somewhat below average.

I think I'd request another meeting with some specific questions and find out if it's the teaching standards of the specific teacher that you're not comfortable with or if it's the standards of the school. Maybe you need to request a different teacher. they should all have to teach the same material and make sure that kids are meeting the benchmarks, but the attitude and teaching style of the teacher can make a big difference.

Good luck~

When my oldest was in kindergarten he was expected to read simple books like dick and Jane and spot stories. I think if reading is the normal for your school then yes the sooner you get her caught up the better off she will be. As for your son work on the things the teacher says your daughter should already know.

She said over half, not that all of them can read at a higher level but your daughter and the other half are not. . Accept the tutor. Your daughter will enjoy it. Lots of children "get to be tutored".. Any one on one time in school is awesome.

Are you sure she cannot read?
The reason I ask is our daughter could read and I did not even realize it!

I purchased a set (you can check them out at the library) of BOB books. She read the entire first set in one sitting. I was blown away.

This afternoon when you pick up your daughter, take her to the school library and see if they have a set that they will allow you to check them out.

Yes, In our daughters kindergarten class there were some kids reading at higher levels. one child on a 5th grade level (good luck finding a chapter book with appropriate subjects for a 5 year old) .. But the whole goal was to make sure they could all read independently by the Christmas holidays.

And yes, they worked with all of the children to make sure they were each being challenged. But they still were teaching reading to the children that were not reading at all when they walked into the classroom.

Do not feel bad. They are just informing you and offering help.. Take it.

I wouldn't say that it was normal for the kids in my son's Kinder class to start reading. My son read his first book cover-to-cover about 6-8 weeks before he started Kinder. He is considered to be reading ahead of grade level. I would expect any kid who enters Kinder reading to be ahead of grade level. Not 'at' grade level like your teacher is saying.

That said, you might want to try the tutor to get a 2nd opinion of the situation. The tutor might say, "why are you here??" which would make you feel better about your daughter's progress.

She's only been in school for a month and a half tops. I would love a definition (if I were you) for "high level". Most kids I know learned to read in kindergarten. My daughter did, and she tested extremely well on her state tests now that she is in 5th grade, so it didn't seem to do her any harm.

Find out more about the proram and what 30 minutes she would be missing. If it helps her and doesn't hurt the other areas of learning, then I would do it, just for the experience for her.

I wouldn't put too much stock in what the teacher says, and if you wanted to go to the school counselor and double confirm that there is, indeed, some kind of problem, then I think that wouldn't hurt either.

My daughter is in kindergarten now in McKinney and is being taught how to read. She knows most of the sounds the letters make and some combinations. We were sent home flashcards with 54 letter combinations and the sounds they make (i.e., ow like owl or mow). She knows the first 20 or so right now. With those, she can read some of the Step 1 readers but still needs assistance.

For the past 10 years, I led a program at my work where we bought school supplies for the entire first grade at a DISD school. We received thank you notes from the students. I loved the cards, don't get me wrong. But it was easy to tell that these kids were not at a level where they could even write (let alone read), so I'm surprised that this type of report would come from a DISD teacher.

M.:
You have every right to have the emotions that you are feeling right now. IT depends on what type of program the other children came from - were they in a traditional daycare or a montessori setting? Children learn at their own pace. This teacher may have some children that came in reading so she may have a different expecation for her classroom. Take advantage of the Pace program- the only thing it is going to do is help your daughter. She will be fine and catch up soon.
My daughter attends private Kinder at a montessori and is one of the last children learning to read. She is still in the beginner books and trying really hard but is not at the pace of the other children. They told me not to worry she was doing just fine and would become stronger as the year progressed. Positive feedback-something that I just love about her school
They recommended we spend 15 minutes a night reading with her and have sent books home with her. Maybe that will help. Be patient with her and make it fun. She will learn. If they don't have books for you to take home try "Bob Books" they are for beginning readers and it will help build her confidence. You can find the books online or at a bookstore. They are a set of 15 or so books and come in different sets as she progresses.
If you are concerned about your younger child you could start them in the program "The Reading Ranch" where they work with them on their reading - not sure where you live but there may be one close by. Or try a montessori- they begin at the age of 4 to introduce reading to them. Good luck and don't be hard on yourself she is going to be just fine.

My kids were both in a "gifted" program for Kindergarten and most of those kids were not reading when they started Kindergarten, but were by the middle of the year. My older son was one of the ones that was already reading, but my second son did not read until the middle of Kindergarten. I think it is very inappropriate for the teacher to expect kids to enter Kindergarten already knowing how to read. Your daughter is normal and the other kids are advanced. She should not be treated as behind. I would see if you can get her in a different class or school, because it sounds like the attitude of this teacher would be very harmful to your daughter and her self esteem.

Being an early reader is not always a sign of high intelligence or academic ability. We were told that kids come into Kindergarten at very different levels based on their experience before school, but they tend to even out by 2nd Grade. Incidentally, my older son (now 16 and very smart) hates to read and is a poor student and my younger son (now 12 and very smart) is an avid reader and a straight A student.

Wow.. really surprising and frankly disturbing. One of the goals of kindergarten should be to teach your child basic reading skills by the end of the year. To have the expectation that he would already be reading, and is "behind" and needs tutoring -- is just strange and can't be good for your child's esteem. Not sure why he should have to be pulled out of class to learn to read in kindergarten -- especially if a full half of the class also needs reading instruction (which you would think would be the norm) What exactly is the reading curriculum they are teaching in kindergarten itself? I would ask the teacher and also the administration to understand what the expectations are. But many/most preschools are developmental and do not do any specific instruction in reading/writing etc. So this expectation to be reading by the first month of kindergarten seems like an aberration.

Since you have a younger daughter -- I would ask the principal what the kindergarten readiness expectations are. I wonder if this teacher is the exception or the norm at this school

Bottom line -- this policy is not the norm nor typical. Kindergarten , whether private or public -- teaches reading and should not have an expectation that the child is already accomplished in this arena

I think it probably depends on your community on what is "normal" but I think, in general, kids learn to read in kindergarten. They are not expected to know before starting school.

I do NOT think that you need to be worried or concerned. It sounds like your daughter is normal to me, and that other children are more advanced. I do NOT think that means that she will always be behind, or that those kids will always be accelerated.

For your son, make sure that you read with him every day, talk about what you read, make predictions about what will happen next, make connections about the text to his life, and track the words with your finger. Also do lots of rhyming with him - songs and poems and try to get him to hear the rhyme and come up with other rhyming words.

Maybe get the first 100 sight words off the internet, and do games (memory, go fish, bingo, etc) with them with both of your children.

Its silly and weird that the teacher acted like it was your fault, or the preschools fault, that your child did not already know how to read at the beginning of kindergarten.

This does not seem normal. I would think your daughter would be able to recognize a few very simple words or names, but she would learn to read in kindergarten.

And, no worries. Your daughter will catch up in no time, if the other kids are really reading. Geez. When I was growing up, we learned to read in first grade. Pretty soon, overambitious parents will try to insist their 2 year olds learn to read. (Some of them probably already do!)

I only know of ONE child in my vast group of friends who had a child reading in Kindergarten, and she didn't even read yet during the first 9 weeks of school. That child was reading level one books by the end of the year. I think it is something they start on but I would not worry about it at this time.

She is just a kid and kindergarten is now start give her some time to get use to all this!!

I might accept the extra tutoring, so long as it does not stigmatize my child, but I would not get overly invested in this teacher's opinion. Try to stay objective and discerning about what your child actually needs. I do not think you are an idiot - your instincts sound fine. You know your child best.

I have had a dizzying array of opinions about one of my children.

Just like with *any* profession, some teachers are incompetent, some are lazy, some are clueless and some are just downright mean. The good/great teachers are worth their weight in GOLD. We've been lucky and unlucky in that department. My kids are 17 & 14, and even though we homeschool now, we have run the gamut of teaching professionals.

Good luck and hang in there.

I don't think that is normal, but my conference is tomorrow, so we'll see!

This is interesting to me. My daughter turned 4 a few weeks ago, so we are planning on having her tested to see if she can get into kindergarten early since she misses the cut off by about 2 weeks. Kindergarten is SO different than it was when I was little. I thought it was supposed to be the transition year in getting the kids prepared for school, but apparently nowadays, it is technically 1st grade. They should just switch it from k-12 to 1st-13th! I guess it is just assumed that kids went to daycare or preschool. I am a stay at home mom and have not sent my daughter to either. we work on our letters, numbers, letter sounds, and have started to sound out letters and try to spell short words, 3 or 4 letters long. There is a great show on pbs, called Super Why. She loves it and has helped her sound out her letters. I think kids are expected to act way older than they should these days and grow up faster than we ever had to. I think it's sad. I understand a lot of houses require both parents to work fulltime or the parents to want to work fulltime and that it seems like kindergarten has shifted to accomodate alot of these parents schedules so that kids aren't in daycare and then kindergarten and then daycare.What happened to half days? Again, when I called my daughters future school, the woman that I spoke with stated that it was largely because of the reason that I have just stated above. It just seems to me that my decision to stay home with my kids is one that seems to be more and more frowned upon if I don't send my kids to preschool or daycare, as is considered the norm these days. Like I am somehow depriving them of something. it makes me sad that society doesn't let kids be kids and expect so much out of them at such a young age. If my daughter doesn't make it into k next year, then so be it. I think it's kinda crazy to expect 5yr olds to be efficient readers. I wouldn't feel bad but if you think the additional class would help, it wouldn't hurt looking into it but like some of the other moms posted I might sit down with the principal just to talk and get a better understanding of how things will be working. I asked yest when I called if there were additional things that I should be working with my daughter with to get her more prepared for next year and the woman said the teachers would let us know next year at registration! I'm sure your daughter is right where she should be for herself, all kids are DIFFERENT!!!