Preparing for Kindergarten with the Help of Cyber School!

Updated on June 01, 2011
M.W. asks from Quakertown, PA
4 answers

Hello everyone I wanted to get your opinion on Cyber school. My son is turning 5 at the end of Aug. and yes he does make cut off for Public school but he is not ready to go to kindergarten. He has only had 1 year of what I like to call "Glorified babysitting" They do circle time and play time, but they also do nap time. My son hasn't napped since he was about 2.5yrs old basically because he wouldn't go to bed till 11pm and we couldn't have that. So the school has been more accommodating the 2nd half of the year. any way I am ranting about the wrong thing. So he has learned his letters some but not as well as I had hoped.
So I was thinking that maybe I could try cyber school and also put him back where he is now and Ask his teachers if it would be possible for him to not sit on a mat and for them to work with him on some homework everyday.
I know your thinking why not put him in a better school? I can't afford it and it isn't cause I don't want to but because right now my mother helps me pay for it because there just isn't any money left for it which is why he only just started going this year. My husband and i work full time so he can't go to a part time program that is cheaper. I apparently do qualify for the apple program but I am on the waiting list and we are right on the boarder for qualitying.
We have tried extra work at home but with the summer months her if just doesn't seem like there is enough time for everything. I was hoping that this would be the extra boost he needs so he would be ready for public school next year.
Does any one have children in cyber school? How do you like it? How does it work with your daily schedule? Which one do you use?

Sorry I think I went on and on? Thanks for your imput?

ADDED: Cyber school is free!! I love to work with him but he seems to fool around and pretend like he doesn't know the answers with me and he is really into the computer. My hope is that I could really see what he is learing. I am going to look into the hooked on Phonics for him. Thanks

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C.M.

answers from Dallas on

If the cyber school is free, then by all means go for it!

On the other hand, kids learn best through play and not through directed learning. Kids may learn tons of stuff at certain preschools that drill letters, numbers, etc, but if they aren't mentally ready for it then they will only memorize it not learn it. I think the biggest point of preschools is to learn socialization, how to sit patiently, wait your turn,and so on. Kids start kindergarten at all levels....some don't know their letters and some can read short books.

I think what they would really like to see from him when he starts kindergarten is that he can dress himself (button, snap, zip), write his name (preferably 1st letter capital and the rest lowercase), gets a full nights rest and eats a good healthy breakfast. Do this and he will be fine.

My daughter goes to a play based preschool and I'll admit that sometimes it drives me a little nuts. However, the kids that are ready to learn pick up on the information and some kids need a little more time to grow. My daughter is a quick learner, but I also supplement at home.

I don't use Hooked on Phonics because it is pricey for the whole set and I don't need DVDs. I got the level 1 phonics workbook by Teacher Created Resources and I love it. After he learns his letters a good set of books is Animal Antics by Nora Gaydos. My daughter loves reading those. For math, we use giant foam dice, both with dots and numbers, use them to either recognize the numbers or do simple addition and then practice writing the numbers.

Good luck! I'm sure your son will do just fine next year. My daughter will be starting kindergarten also, so I'm excited but nervous and sad.

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J.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

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Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.T.

answers from Albuquerque on

If you have the time to do cyber school with your son, then you have the time to just teach him directly. There's no need to pay for a curriculum or program to get your son ready for kindergarten. All you need to do is interact with him, talk about letters and numbers. Also - I wouldn't expect that the school he's in now would want to work on his homework during nap. Isn't that when the teachers get a break?

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K.J.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Have you asked the school what he needs to "be ready for kindergarten"? The kindergartens here seem to expect to teach the kids their letters, numbers, shapes, etc.

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