Kindergarten: Ready or not?

"My son turned 4 in Sept and he should be attending kindergarten next year. He couldnt even go to preschool because he is not completely potting trained. What happens if he will not be potting trained by the time he has to go to kindergarten"

"I started school at 3 going on 4, graduated highschool at 16 and started college 3 months before turning 17, I was well adjusted and mature enough . Now I have twin boys that were born in MO in Sept, so they missed off the cut-off date by a month, so they went to pre-K an extra year and turned 6 a month after starting K, the good thing is that they were not the only ones. But then mid year in K we moved to NY (we're a military fam) and here they are considered behind a year since cut-off is DEC 1st. Eventhough they were at the same level as other kids in K somehow their teachers expected them to be more advanced because of their age (ex. 'he should be able to do simple addition because he is 6 and here that would've put him in 1st grade'). They will be in 5th grade this year where they will turn 11 at the end of Sept.,and they are doing fine, even if they're a little older than most of their classmates. I also have a boy who was born late June and attended pre-K this year('0! 8-'09), and his teachers told me that he was more than ready for K when he started pre-K but was too young, he's more than excited to start K this year, he just turned 5. My youngest one just turned 3 in April, and even way back in Sept. the pre-K teachers told me that by her observations of him and listening to him interact with the other kids, that he was ready for pre-K but he was just too young! Now we have to wait until 2010 to put him in pre-K because he will not be 4 before Aug 1st, and by then I KNOW he will be bored with it.I've always said that children should be put in a grade based on their maturity and not their age. Some 3 yr olds are ready and capable of doing K work, some 6 yr olds sometimes struggle with simple tasks.But what is a parent to do when even the teachers say that the system has their hands tied? Sometimes I wish that all 50 states would get on board with offering all children a great education and that they would make transitions between states ! easier."

"Children need the communication skills that will seperate them automatically from their environment,so they can adapt the most in life. Parents are the lead component for a child success."

"I just wanted to say to all the parents moving here foreign countries. You need not worry, if your son or daughter would have been in a different grade had they been born in the US, they will be put in that grade. It doesn't matter that their English is not good, that is expected. What I am saying is this, I am American but my children started school in Sweden where they start kindergarten a year later than in the US. I was concerned but when I went to sign them up, they said the only thing that matters is their birthday, if they made the birthday cutoff for that year they will put them in. They said it would be okay for my son and daughter to skip a grade but as they have fall birthdays, Oct and Nov, and would be among the youngest as California has a Dec 3rd cutoff, I think I won't have them skip a grade. I haven't made any decision but I think they are fine where they are as I don't want them under more pressure as their English will be behind, they speak it, because of m! e, but they haven't studied it in school. Anyhow, it doesn't matter about the English, this is the US, we are used to people immigrating and the kids pick it up quickly! They will just go by birthdates and leave the decision up the parents and I think many European countries start kindergarten later than the US. By the way, having your kid wait a year if they have a birthday close to the cutoff, I don't think will affect your child. A lot of people here are talking about how smart their kid is etc. My son and daughter excel at math and are excellent readers, but the thought of them starting college at 17 is frightening! I had a December birthday and I started kindergarten at age 4, I started college at age 17. I could handle the work but I wasn't ready to be out in the world. One more year wouldn't have hurt me. Looking back I wish my mom had waited. Middle school is tough and it isn't fun to be the youngest, my older friends, they were always older, made all the decisions ! and I deferred as the younger one. I have another child on the! way, a very late November birthday. She can wait until she is 5 going on 6 to start school. Anyhow, in almost every other US state all my children would have to wait because California has a really late cut-off date. It means most kids starting college in the US are a solid 18. The really young ones come from these few, 5 or 6, states that have late cutoffs. The rest of the kids applying to college are your kid's competition and kids on the older side tend to perform better, not always, but for the most part they do. 18 is really young! When I see an 18 yr old they seem like little kids to me, well 17 is even younger. No reason to force an early adulthood onto them. It's a personal thing but kindergarten today is not what it used to be, they even give homework in kindergarten now! I never had homework in kindergarten! My husband started kindergarten at age 6 but skipped 2 grades because they noticed he was bored and unchallenged in school. He was a straight A student, grad! uated at age 16 and went on to MIT. My point is that if your child is really gifted, they can always skip a grade later. And there are gifted programs in most schools, so your child can always be a part of that. It is a hard decision which is why I am still lurking for information on the web but I think my decision will go the way that I don't want my kids to be the youngest. One year won't make much different in the grand scheme of things I think."

"My son is 5 yrs on Dec 5 2009, but the cut off date in California is Dec 2 just 3 days difference, whereas he is able to write the alphabets fully italics as well and the numbers from 1to 50 and could read till 100 and a few words as well and he is ready to listen and explore.He is completely ready for a kindergarten can u help in this reagard or he has to wait for another 1 year. please help me...."

"we are moving next sunday to USA Henry County. We have a 5year old daughter. she turns 6 in september.our school system here in Germany is totaly different and i am confused now if my daughter will go to kindergarten now or first grade school. She speaks enough englisch to express herself and knows the numbers and letters in both languages. in Germany she would go to school this year. can anybody help me to let me know where i should bring my daughter wheter kindergarten, pre school or school?"

"we are new to USA, my daughter will be 5 on the 1st of august 09. she speaks only French, and she is excellent in everything except she does not speak a word in english. I need her to start as a normal child in grade K, what to do? what do you suggest me to do to get her start the K this year 09? thanks"

"What do I do for my child who is 3 1/2 and is ready to enter grade 'K' according to you skills listed? Will it hurt my child by not putting her in pre-k this year due to our state cut off dates? She still has 3 years before she is in 'K' and that is a lifetime for her before she in 'K'."

"What do we do when we're forced to wait? What about a September child not eligible for Kindergarten when she's turning 5, but now, at 5 1/2, is reading complex books, counting to 100 and beyond, doing addition and subtraction, is very independent, etc. and they want her to start Kindergarten? What do we do???"

"Thank you so much for your advices. I really appreciate it. I wish all parents get involved in their children education. My child its only 3 and he can write his name. Not only because he started Preschool when he was 2, also because my husband and I decided to teach him at home, how to write, and other educational skills. But I really know that those preschool programs are extremelly important for children. Thank you so much. But also I would like to take the opportunity to ask you if you can send me information about a good charter, or great school for kindergarten for my son. I am already looking for a great school for my son. Doesn't matter if is a little far. My son its really smart. I am not showing off. It 's truth. I think he deserves to go to a great school."

"What do you do if your child is bored in kindergartern because they have already mastered what is being taught and has very well exceeded anything that will be taught in the near future?"

"My daughter will turn 5 years old on December 3, 2009 ( her date of birth is December 3rd 2004) and I have learned that the cut off date in California is December 2nd. Is there any leniency to this rule since it is only an 1 day difference. And If no then should I wait until next year to start her in Kindergarden. She is already going to pre-school in India currently. She will be coming to USA by this month end. Please advise me. Thanks Hari "

"Today I signed up my son for Kindergarten that will start in the fall. Eighty five percent of the students in his class will be one year plus older than him. Educators tell me that this is OK, that my son is not at a disadvantage because of the age issues. Doesn't the attention span and ability to process learning grow with age? Is there really no difference in maturity with 5 year olds compaired to 6 year olds? Age really doesn't play a role? Then why don't we let our 12 years old drive to school? Why do we wait? I'm not an educator, just a Mom, but come on! There is a disadvantage to the younger ones! "

"I have a 3 year old who is already reading. He is an extremely smart boy. His birthday is October 1st. We live in Nevada so the cut off is September 30th.. He missed it by 1 day!!! He is not going to be able to get into kindegarten with kids his age.. because Clarke County school district will not allow him go to school 'early'.. he will have to wait another year. That is so upsetting. I tried putting him in a pre-school and even they will not take him because he missed the cut off.. by one day.. I do not want to hold my child back.. All I want is to get him into school with kids his age.. What should I do? I heard they dont make any exeptions.. Does anyone have any ideas?"

"I have a 4 year old, he will be turning 5 in October. I am having issues figuring out if i want to put him into Kindergarden or keep him another year in Preschool (He is currently attending preschool). This is a huge deal for me and what i decide will effect him. He knows his shapes, and his numbers to 5..but is struggling with letters. His Kindergarden teachers says that he doesnt have to know all that to get into kindergarden. I just dont know if he is ready and if its a mistake to throw him into kindergarden..or if its bad keeping him in Preschool again. I thought that Pre-K was the best idea but i cant seem to find a Pre-K class.. Help!!!!"

"My daughter is 6 (and will be 7 in Feb.'09) and is currently in 2nd grade in a private school that accepted her early (at age 4 1/2) for Kindergarten. We will be moving out of state to Calif. and are considering public school for her. Since she is already in 2nd grade (and advanced in her class) will most schools test an incoming child for the proper grade level? I am concerned that based on age they may make her repeat 2nd grade? This would be extremely detrimental for her and her self esteem since she is performing even above her current grade level. Do public schools still have 'GATE' classes for elementary aged children to participate in if they are advanced or should we look instead toward a Charter or Magnet school to fit our needs? Additionally, we have a boy who will be turning 5 in March and he is in no way ready for Kindergarten, especially full day. He attends public pre-k in our state for speech services 3 days a week for a half day and is overwhelmed and tired from all the 'learning' being crammed in a 3 hour period. With 7 or more months before school starts he may exhibit more signs of Kindergarten readiness by then, but as a parent I would like to be able to make that decision in September based on his readiness and not have it dictated by a calendar. Having a child on each end of the spectrum and this never ending age vs readiness debate...I feel strongly that a parent knows their child and it should ultimately be up to the parents to decide based on readiness. "

"mi nino tiene problema de hablar el ahora esta en heat star y tiene 5 anos a el le dan terapia para hablar,el cualifica para esta escuela por favor digamen como puedo enrolalor gracias miriam "

"I agree with all the posters who argue against holding kids back due to age alone. That's ridiculous! When we were kids, nobody was held back from Kindergarten and myself, my siblings and friends did just fine. It depends entirely on the child. And only the parents and pre-school teacher should be the ones to chime in their opinions. I think holding your kids back for no other reason than age, is probably more harmful than helpful. Our daughter, who turns 5 in early Sept, is more than ready. Her pre-school teacher agrees. The state I live in is considering a move to a Sept 1 cut-off in future years. I am totally against it. Each child is different. A few days or weeks will not make a difference. "

"I personally think sending kids to kindergarten before they are 5 is not good--especially for boys. Some are just followers which parents interpret as they are ready becasue they sit still or learn, but socailly they might not ever catch up! And by the time they are 5th grade many of the kids that are a few months older don't want to be around those who are not socailly ready. Even worse when you have a 16 year old boy who is a junior in high school and all the other kids are 17 or 18! They have no interest in being with 16 year olds at that point and I notice that the 16 year olds are very socially immature and become/seem very intraverted, have few friends and so. So....be very careful if you have a child with a late summer birthday or fall birthday--even if they are the tallest kid in the class--this usually means they are uncoordinated also when they grow so fast--yet I hear many parents say...he's so tall, he's the biggest in his class, he must be ready! Usually they are not in so many ways. But...all parents will do what they want--but--think about it....if you h! ave a fall birthday child--sending them to K right before they turn 6--many of the kids will be that age also! Then there are more like each other...in respect to social skills, levels of maturity, learning levels--the playing fields are more level for them all....throughout all their education--enabling them to have many friends of the same age-- I speak from some experience--a lady we know...sent her Oct. 1 son to K before age 5--now his only friend is the therapist they send him to. He is the 16 year old junior no one talks to/socializes with/invites over!"

"My son is four years old and cannot wait to go to school. He will be five in June. I know he is ready. I am scared to send him off without knowing his parents names and his address, how do I teach him this before he goes to school. "

"As a teacher and mother I think it is important to make sure your child has a positive experience early in the grade school years. Yes, teachers are supposed to teach all children in their classes and meet their individual needs. If, however, your child is struggling in school, they are more than aware of their abilities compared to peers. If waiting a year to send your child allows for more growth and increased confidence then consider the option. I also recommend talking to mothers and fathers who have older children (Jr. High, Highschool) and listen to their experiences and choices. I think you will find that waiting has many benefits, all the way around. ESPECIALLY in the older grades..it is easy to pick out the younger kids in the class. Even if their grades are excellent."

"Pre-school is great, but it's important to remember that pre-schools are in the business of making money (non-profit or not.) Information received from any for-pay school must be taken with a large grain of salt. "

"Research consistently reports that 'holding' children back does not increase a child's learning potential, rate of learning, or knowledge. In fact, if anything, it decreases it. If parents and teachers decide a child is socially immature, thus, not ready for kindergarten, then, logic would say that putting him with other immature children, those a year younger, will only increase immature behaviors. Playing with children who are at or slightly above a child's maturity level gives the child an opportunity to observe more skillfull social interactions, thus providing for him a model to follow. Study after study has been done to determine if children benefit from 'being held back.' Typically, these studies are academic. In order to determine any benefits, large numbers of children are evaluated. One child in a class is not a good ruler to use for making this determination. The best of research is not 100% accurate. Afterall, we are dealing with unpredictable beings. What is true about a child one day, is not just a month later. The research compares children who are 'held back' for a variety of reasons, with children who are not, even though they have the same characteristics as the ones 'held back,' including social immaturity, lack of sufficient academic progress, etc.. At first, it appears that the 'held back' children have benefitted more than the ones who aren't. But, as the years progress, those benefits decrease, and, by the time they finish high school, the children who are not 'held back' have superior social skills, academic achievement, emotional stability, and necessary physical attributes. It seems counter-intuitive, though. Teachers routinely believe that holding a child back is wise when the child is immature either socially or academically. They base their reasoning on a few children and usually only keep up with the children the first few years. They also rely on incidental information including another teacher who agrees. No amount of empiracal data will convince them otherwise. This attitude is common to all teachers, again proven by research. Teachers, as a rule, rely on their own observations and discount research that does not support their beliefs. This is not meant to denigrate teachers. Not only is this a common teacher trait, it is a common human one. There has also been extensive research on retaining children in a grade including 'holding the child back' for another year before starting school. Even though the 'held back' child may never have even attended school, eventually he learns that his parents didn't think he was smart enough to go to school. Even though the parents reasoning may not have had anything to do with the child's academic readiness, the child thinks it is because he wasn't worthy of being promoted or beginning school. Parents, as a rule, report great benefit from 'holding back' or retaining a child in pre-k or kindergarten. Again, basing critical decisions on the experiences of one child is unwise. Bottom line: there is no research among the hundreds of research projects that have evaluated the efficacy of 'holding a child back' or retaining him that would support the practice. None. Regarding keeping a child from starting school because he or she is physically less mature, or shorter than his/her potential classmates. Children should start school at the recommended date. It has been my experience that children who are short in comparison to their own peer group, are, often, short in the next one, the one a year younger. If your child's birthday is September 2 in a state where the cut-off is September 1, be grateful that your child will be among the oldest in his class, not the youngest. There is some social advantage to being among the oldest, though, not enough to warrant 'holding a child back.' Just allow the system to work. It does with routine success. On occasion there are some glitches, so be alert, keep up with your child, talk to him, with him. Again, there are always exceptions in any research. There is no such thing as 'with 100% assurance.' Children who are 'held back' or retained report even in their 30s and 40s the devestating effect of that practice on their self-esteem and confidence. It is second only to the death of a parent in the list of events that are most profound. The answer: teach children where they are. Individualize (easier said than done but worth the effort to learn how and to try). Provide more time on learning for children who are academically struggling. This can be carried out without it being punishment. Games and toys can be incorporated. For children who are socially or emotionally immature, make sure that for part of the day those children interact with children who are more mature in a positive way. They exhibit traits of caring, compassion, understanding, and friendship. Provide opportunites for children which require social interaction. Daily, teach children how to act by 'play acting' situations in which they might find themselves. Discuss classroom dilemmas or problems. Teach children to problem solve and, then, give them an opportunity to do so without intervention. Allow children to work out their own problems, again without intervention. If they can't, it may require re-teaching problem solving strategies. Parents can and should do the same at home. Providing the child with opportunities to contribute to the family by doing chores and being successful at them builds self-esteem. Allow the child to fail but be ready to assist if he or she wants it. Don't run in with the answer. When a chi! ld is unsuccessful, if he asks, question him until he discovers the solution: 'What are some things you could do that would be helpful?' Which is the way you want to try? When you are trying, what will that look like? How will you know if it worked? Often, the obvious or easiest solution to a problem is not the wisest one. Educational research has been clear on very few practices. However, it is incontrovertible on the issues above. The question is, 'How can we continue ignoring when we have information that proves it in favor of what 'feels right'? The title of this blog was 'Kindergarten teachers' views on school readiness.' Would we benefit more from New Zealand's philosophy on that subject? On the day of the child's fifth birthday he begins school. So,children are filtering in classrooms all year long. Instead of retaining children, they find ways to educate them that are different from the ones at which the child was unsuccessful. They don't keep beating a dead horse. The better question is 'Instead of the issue of a child's readiness for school, we should be working on the school's readiness for all children, no matter where they are in terms of their motor skills, academic skills, etc.' That is a topic that could be wisely discussed on this forum. "

"I have a granddaughter that I care for.I am having problems with if she if able to get in school or not.I am not able to put her back in the pre school she was in last year. Is there some how I am able to get her in a pre 4 this year.I will take any sugst thank you "

"HI I dont know how to teach my 2 and a half year old without drilling him I dont know how to make it fun.Do you have any ideas for me he doesnt seem to focus and i think its because I've let him watch too much tv.Please help . "

"My son will turn 5 years old on September 9, 2008 and I have learned that the cut off date in Texas is September 1. Is there any leniency to this rule since it is only an 8 day difference. And If no then should I wait until December to start him in Kindergarden. Thanks"

"I agree with this almost completely. I think parents know best and as long as the children aren't 3yrs old i think the parent should be given a little bit of control over when their child starts school. (within reason) I also think teachers are very very helpful at helping your child alone if they are not completely ready for school yet. But i think the government makes it hard if not impossible for the teachers to do that these days. I think the SOL's was a horrible idea and should be stopped. I think it makes the teacher focus on getting the kids who are good in school to do better to bring up Sol's for the school and the others just fall short. "

"Look at the article about Kindergarten readiness....my son who was born end of Dec and the cut off date in CA is Dec 1st or 2nd miss it....meets all the guidlines. My concern is what if I wait to start him in K the following year what if he is not challenged enough and that causes him to loses interest..."

"My daughter's birthday is in the middle of December. I felt she was ready for kindergarten and found a catholic school who agreed and accepted her. They did not have a formal policy of Dec 1 cutoff. A new principal came to the school and now wants to enforce this cutoff date. Grades 1 to 8 have been grandfathered in but she won't grandfather the current kindergarten class. That means my daughter will have to complete kindergarten again. She does not have any behavior issues, all her work comes home with 'stars' and 'greats' on them. Her lowest test grade has been 88. Don't know what to do."

"I have been living abroad for many years due to my work, I married in this forreign country and my kids have been raised here and speak spanish and no english from spending most of their time with spanish speaking relatives and in a spanish speaking country, now that I am planning to move back to the US, Texas to be more specific, are there programs in the school system there that can help my kids adjust to the new language, of course I will try to help, but I'm bad about speaking spanish to them and not enough english, please help."