Preschool Question - I Need Your 2 Cents!!!

When I read your question I have to say I was floored. My daughter is 4 years old. She is bright and very eager to learn. She processes new information very easily. Her childcare providers say she is above average in her learning, but there is no way she could have effectively answered all of the questions your boys were asked. She is learning to write her name, but it is far from second nature to her. I am very proud of her for being able to do some of the things she can do by this age. I agree with educating our children at a young age to help prepare them for school, but when do they get to be babies? They aren't going off to college at 5 years old they have time to learn, grow and be kids.

Hi D.,
I'm not a teacher, but I too have four-year-old twin boys and we recently visited a private preschool. They have not had their "evaluation" yet (it will be a few weeks) but I will be very interested to see if our experience is anything like yours -- and I hope NOT! I know my boys would be shy during this kind of exercise, and no -- they would not do well on some of those questions. I think they would do fine answering many of them from me, but not with a stranger. It sounds kind of uncomfortable, even if it might be "what they do" at private schools.

Like your boys, we know letters and numbers, and are starting to read a little. Some Spanish words. Starting to draw recognizable things, but I still have to ask "what is it?" pretty often. They have been in preschool 3 days a week already, and are in pre-k now, but I want another year of preschool before we get into kindergarten. I know they are bright enough but not mature enough (and not nearly as big as the 5-year-olds in their pre-k).

Anyway -- enough about my kids -- I just think our boys may be a lot alike. So yours sound really normal, and probably above average, to me! :) Maybe I'm just not competitive enough or something, but I want their preschool experience to have plenty of play, and to be really enjoyable for them. Seems like this sets their attitude about school for a long time! If it is arduous and painful, will they look forward to the next 13 years?

I'd be interested to know what kind of school this is? What part of the metroplex you're looking in? If you'd like, I can get back to you after our evaluation to let you know if it's similar. This is all new territory to me and all interesting.

That was probably 3 cents' worth...sorry to go on!

Hi D.,

I saw your question and I thought I would respond. I am an Assistant Director at a large private childcare center. Before this position I taughter Pre-K at my center and along with two other centers (not private) I also have a 4 year old.

It is very intense for them to ask those questions but for a Private School it is expected. Our 4 year olds have been reading since January and will begin addition in 2 weeks. They all have been cutting independently since they entered the 3 year old room, Write their own names (not trace) and most are tying their shoes.

I will tell you those questions that are asked seem intense but are things that a 4 year old should know. For examply my daughter is a young 4, she can say her whole name, spell and write, her birthday (fully) her address, and phone number.

She is attempting to loop, swoop and tie her shoe, but can jump rope and ride a bike without training wheels. Every child is different but yes those are questions that a 4 year old should know (mostly with out pictures) and they are expected questions to enter a good private school.

I hope this helps. (from a private orginization aspect)

E.

I know academics are important, and you want the best of everything for your children, but I would think twice before this type of private pre-K program. If they are having difficulty deciding whether your children will be a good fit, there are good chances that they may not the best and the brightest in this particular school with very high expectations--which is okay--but why put them in a situation where bright little boys may not feel so bright?

Also, kids NEED time to be kids--to play, imagine, to make believe, to be silly, to run, jump, etc. That's what ages 1-4 (and even 5) are for. We attribute a lot of the early reading difficulties we see (in a public elementary school) to the lack of opportunity for the critical developmental milestones in children--we grow them up WAY too fast. For example, we encourage our children to walk instead of crawl. But crawling is a fundamental preliminary requisite to reading. Being able to imagine and make believe is also essential to reading. Reading is using words to make visual images in our heads. Kids aren't given the time or opportunity to do this--we are too busy making sure they know how to write their names and birthdays, and recognize the letters, etc when they are three years old. A little bit of play time during the day is not enough. Pre-K (for 3 and 4 year olds) should be mostly play with some academics. Playtime is learning time at those ages.

just my 2 cents....