What Is Your Child Doing in Kindergarden??

Not true. Kids are not expected or required to know anything about letters before entering K, although many do.
That pace sounds actually fast to me.
Don't forget they're also simultaeneously learning how to cut, write, follow directions, listen, share, etc, etc, within each letter activity.

Oy.

My son's school wanted kids to know 20 letters (why not 26???), 5 colors, ORAL numbers to 20, how to write their name by the END of k.

My nephew's school wanted 100 sight words, counting &writing to 100, 1 digit addition and subtraction to ENTER K.

The 2 schools were just a couple miles from each other (but were different districts). My son's school wouldn't "catch up" to what they were doing in preschool until the 3rd/4th grade. My nephews school "caught up" by the end of 1st.

"Scope & Sequence" varies WILDLY between districts, and sometimes between schools. That's not new. As a military brat I went to a new school every 1-2 years, an my mum has sent all of us to well over 20 schools total. Whst's done in K isn't done until 3/4/5, AND that trend is pretty universal. Algebra can be done in 1st, 4th, 7th, OR 9TH depending on the school. Anne Frank can be read in 3rd, 8th, or 12th depending on the school/district.

I remember when kindergarten was just play and craft time. Now they actually start to read. I think they are pushing this stuff onto kids younger and younger! Also, not all kids know all their letters before K, some kids don't go to pre-K before they start regular K. Don't stress it, I am sure they are right on track.

My son (4.5 years) is homeschooled. Technically he wouldn't start kindergarten until next year. The curriculum I'm using, called A Beka, covers:

- Letters/Sounds
- Site words (he already reads at 1st grade level, so it's review right now)
- Counting to 100
- Addition (maybe subtraction? we aren't to that spot in the book yet)
- Reading a clock
- Patterns
- Writing skills
- months/weeks
- basic social studies
- art activities
- lots of playing
- music
I think that's it...

Right now his books seem pretty basic. He's flying through it. But when I looked in the back of the books, it has a lot more info that will be new to him. So, we look forward to that!

My daughter was in Kindergarten last year and they started out that way, and her school is ranked at 99. I still can't believe how much they ended up learning by the end of the year! She barely knew her ABC's at the beginning of Kindergarten, and now she's reading and writing like crazy!

I definitely wouldn't worry about it, your child will be going to Harvard in no time! :-)

No, kids are not 'supposed' to come in, knowing everything.
Not all kids, go to Preschool, not all kids are at the same rate, of attained 'academics.'
It is also that each school has a different curriculum.

My son is in Kindergarten now.
They do: the calendar, the weeks, the months, ABC's, sight words, reading & phonics, writing, coloring, they learn Japanese and Hawaiian language, they have music, they even have computer class, art class, P.E., they have reading groups, they do number related things too. And they have 'jobs' in class, as class room monitors for various things.
And my son gets homework. And they have a nap time as well.

My son's teacher said, that each child is at different rates of ready knowledge. BUT, from her experience, the Kinder kids, seem to all get in the groove... by about Winter break time.
Some kids come in knowing how to write, and some don't. Some come in knowing how to read in various levels, some don't. But they have a curriculum, that they teach. And a Teacher will know, each rate of ability, for each child.

My son, did NOT know how to write... upon entering Kinder. He had NO interest in it. Even though he went to Preschool. His Teacher told me "DO NOT WORRY!" She isn't. But now, my son IS writing. That is what Kindergarten is for.

They cover about 4 letters a week, and spend Fridays reviewing. Also learning to write their names. Also learning sight words, 6 a week, and I believe there will be about 40 or so total .They will be reading short books with simple sentences by the end of the first 6 weeks. By the end of the next six weeks they will be reading more complex sentences.

Many kids know their letters before kindergarten, but most of them don't. The teachers cannot assume that children have been hometaught or thrived in preschool. kinder is where the basics begin. One letter a day is average and considered normal.

And, your teacher isn't just spending the whole day on the one letter, they are learning simple math skills, nursery rhymes, days of the week and time basics, numbers, writing, social skills, art, music and pe.

Also, kinder tends to start the first few weeks to get the children acclimated to the environment, then pick up the pace after the end of the first month.

One per day. Our public school did one per WEEK then reviewed all the letters til the end of the year. Then in first, they reviewed letters for 3 months.

I wouldn't stress to echo many other comments. To stress... the most important skills to learn in Kindergarten are to learn to like to learn - to learn the social skills of being with others and to learn to be more independent. These lessons are the ones that will allow the child to learn long term. All kids learn differently and at different paces, especially at this age. Make it fun, encourage your child, build his confidence and self-esteem.

They're doing sight words as a reading skill, they use their smart board to take attendance and do basic math skills, they are doing sequencing projects to help in logic and reading skills, they are doing alot of cutting and gluing and matching as part of following directions. They're doing art class, gym class, computer lab, music class and they go to the library. We were very impressed at our open house night with our school. Great teacher, principal and faculty from what I've seen.

In 3-K they did one letter a week. Right now they are reviewing things and most of those kids are JUST starting (4-K) school.

My daughter just started Kindergarden a month ago. She is in public school and I help out two days a week In her class. In her class the teacher has them writing sentences..for example..I like to...They review the letters and abc's everyday but for the most part they need to no how to write there name and no there abc's and numbers up to 20. They also work on the sounds of each letter everyday so they can get prepared to read. I spoke with the teacher yesterday and she is going to test the kids for report cards and she said they also need to no how to write and if she holds up a flash card of the following words..I, See, You.

My son does Japanese, Gross Motor, Christian Studies, Math, English, Reading, Writing, Creative Play, Music, Art, Social Studies, and Sport. There are students of very varying academic levels in kindergarten, and the curriculum and teachers cater to this. For instance, my son is taking weekly spelling tests with first graders, and reading at level 13 (in this system), while other kindies may be reading at level 6, and just learning how to write letters. It's a flexible system where all children get the assistance and stimulation they need. There were no expectations of where the children were at academically when they entered, but to gain a basic understanding of a child's individual ability we were asked whether our children could write their name and if they had any particular strengths.

Our Kindergarten is doing the same thing. I kinda wondered about it too but she attends a great school so, I'm confident that they know best at this point. I also love how excited she is to go to school and work on a new letter each day. They do projects and activities based on the letter of the day.

That sounds about right. Not all kids will know all the letters and even if they do, they still need to start with the basics. I've heard that a lot that kids need to know their letters and numbers before Kindergarten and even know how to count to 100. But realistically, they should be familiar with what a number and letter is but they're at the age to begin learning them. Also, with reading. Although I've heard that Kindergartners and 1st graders learn to read, it's normal for them not be completely fluent until up to age 10. Each child is different and although there is a typical age where they can start learning something, doesn't mean that they master it perfectly right away whether it's reading, letters or math. =)

Some kids don't go to preschool so you have to start with the alphabet in kindergarten.