Your Kindergartner and Writing

"Ok, as a mother of 3 young girls, I'm very big on education. I want my kids to be ahead of the game and to have FUN with it like most parents. however, we also have parents that pushes their child to be einstien which is find too. So, if you want your little darling(s) to be reading at a 2nd grade level in kindergarden, dont be suprise when 'junior' starts to get bored and start acting out. I, myself have 3 bright girls. I have a 4th grader, kindergardener, and pre-k. my 4th grader has been an 'E' student from kindergarden through 1st grade and makes principle's honor roll every quater. As for my kindergardener, she is very bright but has very low self esteem. Her kindergarden teacher told me that my daughter should be reading with her top readers because she is very intelligent but the only thing that is holding her back is her low self esteem. Now, i can either beat the self esteem out of her or i can choose to let her be who she is and she will evenually grow out of! that phase when she's good and ready. I choose for her to grow out of that phase when she's good a ready. There is know need to rush. she just 5 and most 5 year old are like that. When i sit down with her everyday we do school homework and 'home' homework. we read and read and read and do lots of fun educational activites that increses her self esteem. The end result is, she now loves to read and she is now reading at a first grade level with 3 quaters left to the end of the school year. Her little sister is watching her older sister learning new things which encourages her to want to learn what she is learning. My 4 year old handwriting is impecable for a 4 year old. she is able to write her first and last name, she knows a few site words, she able to identify all of the lower case and upper case alphabets and much more. She will start learning how to read by january and will be well ready for kindergardenn in August on 2010. i expect my pre-k child to do very well ! in kindergarden and i am prepared for her to be ahead of the c! lass and bored at the same time and thats ok by me at least i know that when she graduates kindergarden she will have a strong foundation to whats ahead. so the moral of the is, pushing is not always the way to go. Encouragment usally works the best. If your child was born smart, they will stay smart. Sometimes when you push them too hard at an early age it may come back to haunt you. So be very mindful. encourage your little ones that education in essential for whatever they want to do in life thats productive and let them make there own choices to whether they want to do well in school. If your child is gifted, put him in a special school for gifted children and stop blaming the kindergarden teacher because he's bored. when did that became the teachers fault. you may want to take that up with someone eles. "

"Just wondering... My son is 5 ( August 09) and his teacher tells me he is at the bottom of his class. and itis because his fine motor skills are under developed. I beleive I try various things, but when it comes down to it,my son is just rushing through his work and not taking is time to form the letters. I have bought different incientives- i take him out with just me so he has some personal time... Is something I should worry about or just let him continue on knowing it/he will get better?"

"Ahhhhhh, hmmmmmmmm, my child can already do all these things and is acting up in class, we believe he is bored, now what do we do??"

"My son is in a Montessori Kindergarten and is writing, doing 100's boards and identifying letters and sounds. He is guided to do what his strengths are and has developed tremedously under his own choices. I truly believe this is due to his teachers who 'study' their students and teach to their strengths and interests. I know this will soon change but it has given him a solid foundation and a great work ethic in the classroom. Yes, a big thank you to all of those teachers who bring their passions for children and learning to the forefront and celebrate in the child's success as much as the parents of the children whom they instruct. "

"My daughter started kindergarten this year in Amsterdam. I recently moved to Amsterdam and only know about the school system through articles and standardized test listings. I recently got married in September, but before that I was a single mother working two jobs. I didn't have much time to teach my daughter very much ( unfourtunately).All she could do before Kindergarten was count to ten and say her ABC's. She also didn,t turn five close to this December. Now she can write her ABC's , sound out letters, spell many frequent words, write short sentences,spell her name, write to 39, and count to 40, and many other improvements. We work almost every night on either reading or math, but the fact is her teacher Mrs. Miller Marie Curie) taught her most of it. I am very happy and appreciated of all the hard work her teacher has put into her. I am very satisfied so far with Amseterdam school district, especially Mrs. Miller, We should all give a thanks to teachers that re! ally care and teach are children."

"My son is 5 yrs old and in Kindergarten in a school with poor ratings but to my pleasant surprise he has learned and advanced a lot. He knows his alphabets and their sounds. He can read! He can now create and write simple sentences. I credit all of these to his teacher who really cares for the education of her students. I really see genuine concern there. Also, I credit us parents who gets involved in our kids education. The classworks and homeworks they bring home give us clue on what the lesson plan is so we can also practice at home. The School Reading program was a big help too. Read to your child everynight this is where his thrist for reading and learning starts. Education is not just the school's responsibility. Parents/Guardians need to get involved too. "

"As a retired K teacher (32 years), I was pleased to see your article on writing and what children should most likely be doing in K. There is only one suggestion I would make. If you use the term 'emerging spelling' rather than 'inventive spelling', I feel it helps the parents realize there is nothing incorrect about the spelling their emerging writer is using in K. It is just developing. Sometimes the use of 'emerging' takes away the objection a parent has to allowing students use of non-dictionary spellings. I have used the terms 'dictionary spelling' and 'sound spelling' to describe the conventional and emerging ways to write words. Sometimes I write the dictionary spelling under the child's word and tell the child that I'm writing it there because adults often forget how to read 'sound' spelling and need the 'dictionary' spelling to be able to read the child's writing. This makes the child feel he can even do something the parent can't do! "

"Hi, As a first time parent I found this very informative I have a 4yr old and she is getting ready to go into Kindergarden this year and she is already writing her name and can form letters and numbers. She just recently told me she does not feel like writing any more so i was wondering what stage she should be at and if she was just being lazy or if I should just give her a break. So reading this just let me know shes o.k and i should just back off a bit and give her a break and come back to it a little later. Thanks so much for all your great information."

"It's very interesting to read such a variety of posts regarding children and how/what they learn. I think we're all extremely proud of our children, no matter what they can or can't do. I am a bit surprised how many people think that if a 5 year old can read, write, etc it's only because the parents are pushing them. I have never been one to judge anyone's parenting skills...and would NEVER do so based on whether or not their child can read or write at 5 or 6 years old. My daughter will be 6 this week. She started kindergarten in September. She is a bit advanced....not because my husband or I forced her to be, but because we have always talked to her like a person and not like a baby. Am I forcing her to grow up faster because of that? Of course not! She's still very much a child. The fact that she reads at a 2nd grade level doesn't change the fact that she is 5. Those who keep saying the time that the kids are learning to read and write is time that will be lost forever....do you really think that learning can't be fun?? Perhaps that is the underlying reason why your children aren't wanting to learn to do those things."

"Thank you for the valuable information."

"This is very informative and I enjoyed reading through. Am looking forward to help my son with this information. he will be a kindergartener in September and he cannot wait since he could not get into Pre-k because he was way ahead during his interview."

"I have a similar experience to some who have posted here. My son attended a NAEYC-certified pre-school where kids were encouraged to learn through self-directed activities - basically, learn through their choice of play. There was not an academic focus. Now that he is in kindergarten, there is an immediate push to know how to read instantly, and not an understanding that this is a learning curve. Reading is not a skill that is necessarily age appropriate in kindergarten. Yes, some do. But many more just are turned in that direction yet. I fear that this push is misguided. They have already got a specialist working with my son 5-7 mins a day as an 'intervention.' I don't mind this and fortunately he is happy to learn and enjoys school, but I have to watch myself from trying to push him to meet the teacher's expectations. The problem isn't even so much that he 'can't' - it's a speed issue. In their assessments (which in reality are verbal tests), the kids have to respond quickly or their reports indicate that they don't know it. That is not realistic in kindergarten. I'd also like to respond to the parent who criticizes others for sending kids to day care and pre-school. I think it's wonderful that you obviously were able to stay at home in your child's early years. Some of us do not have that luxury. It does not mean that we do not work with our children on learning and it does not mean that we do not want to spend time with our kids. It means that our family situation is different from ours. My mother worked after I was born and I went to an Ivy League college. Not staying at home does not hold your child back from learning."

"The bucolic world of 5 year old's finger painting and just being kid's is long gone. Is it the schools fault? The parents? Both? Parents don't intend to rush their children through their childhood. But we're pressured as parents to not let our child fall behind. I've heard the warnings of too many moms that let their 'kid's be kid's', only to hear about kindergarten 'repeaters' and having to hold their kid's back later. It's a shame, but many pay the price of having a childhood by struggling with school. It's all about balance, and readiness. The best solution is to supplement their learning by doing academic, writing, scissor work at home in a fun way BEFORE they start kindergarten. Then have them tested by a reputable agency to see if they are ready developmentaly and academically. If they don't pass, are borderline or have late birthdays (especially for boys), wait a year before putting them in kindergarten. Then work on the area's they need to improve in. It's not fair, and a little sad that kindergarten is 'the new first grade'-but to wish it away and not augment your child's learning may hurt them later on."

"Inventive spelling is an issue with me, because my daughter wanted to learn to read very early. She began to experiment with writing at three (beginning with her own name) and she was picking up proper spelling from her reading. From the beginning, I answered her questions and spoke about things like 'how silent 'e' affected the way words sound, consonants and vowels, etc. Her Montessori combined work and play in a way that complimented my teaching style perfectly, and my daughter was coming along nicely. Now she is in kindergarten, and her teacher (who is just wonderful in many ways) is encouraging her to 'unlearn' all those things that kept her on track about understanding language development and spelling. The teacher allows that this is the way that children associate sounds with letters, but I'm concerned. My little one has sensed that this is an issue, and her confusion makes it difficult. Now, for her, it's 'Who's right - Mumma or the Teacher?' That's a bad place for all of us to be. As far as kids all 'leveling out in third or fourth grade'... I don't know if that's true, but I do know from my own experience that kids who are 'Pushed' are often kids who have a bigger interest in what is going on in the world. Their exposure to things that give them greater control and understanding make them better learners. Yay, for Sesame Street and Between the Lions and Kumon work books, Discovery Channel and the public library and Bill Nye the Science Guy and lots and LOTS of bedtime stories! My daughter is where she is because that's where she wants to be - not because I decided she should perform. Feed their heads, and it's amazing what kids can actually do!"

"Inventive spelling is an issue with me, because my daughter wanted to learn to read very early. She began to experiment with writing at three (beginning with her own name) and she was picking up proper spelling from her reading. From the beginning, I answered her questions and spoke about things like 'how silent 'e' affected the way words sound, consonants and vowels, etc. Her Montessori combined work and play in a way that complimented my teaching style perfectly, and my daughter was coming along nicely. Now she is in kindergarten, and her teacher (who is just wonderful in many ways) is encouraging her to 'unlearn' all those things that kept her on track about understanding language development and spelling. The teacher allows that this is the way that children associate sounds with letters, but I'm concerned. My little one has sensed that this is an issue, and her confusion makes it difficult. Now, for her, it's 'Who's right - Mumma or the Teacher?' That's a bad place for all of us to be. As far as kids all 'leveling out in third or fourth grade'... I don't know if that's true, but I do know from my own experience that kids who are 'Pushed' are often kids who have a bigger interest in what is going on in the world. Their exposure to things that give them greater control and understanding make them better learners. Yay, for Sesame Street and Between the Lions and Kumon work books, Discovery Channel and the public library and Bill Nye the Science Guy and lots and LOTS of bedtime stories! My daughter is where she is because that's where she wants to be - not because I decided she should perform. Feed their heads, and it's amazing what kids can actually do!"

"Thank you for the valuable information."

"Many parents believe that knowing the alphabet, counting, and some reading are the only things kindergarten is about, and therefore fear that their child will be bored in Kindergarten. Any parent that fears that kindergarten is too slow for their child I encourage them to visit a first grade class. You will see your five year old is not ready for the responsibilities of first grade. If you believe your child is way ahead of his/her peers, answer the following questions. Does your child recognize and know the value of coins? Does your child have the ability to add or subtract groups of items and translate them to math sentences? Does your child know how listen to a story and tell you what it was a about? Does your child learn and sing songs and play with simple instruments that are age appropriate? Does your child have the social skills to play with other children and get along with them? Does your child color pictures and stay within the lines rather than scribble scrabble? Does your child know all the days of the week, months of the year, and understand what each season of the year entails? Does your child know about major federal holidays and why we celebrate these days? Does your child know what kindergarteners are expected to know about science? Can your child accurately look at pictures of events and put them in order? Does your child know! his/her name, parent’s name, address, phone number? Does your child know what to do in the event of a fire or in the event of an emergency? Does your child know how to take care of his/her body? Does your child know about exercising, eating healthy? Has your child been exposed to children from different ethnic backgrounds and knows how to respect and value other people’s differences? I could keep going and going with that list of questions. Everything mentioned above and many other things are usually learned by children by the end of Kindergarten. There is a lot more to kindergarten than writing and reading and counting. If your child is ahead of the class in some areas, challenge your child at home to keep him/her growing. But is you believe your child is too advanced for Kindergarten, you can him/her tested to see if placement in first grade is appropriate. I also saw a question from a parent of two-year old asking how to help the child focus. All I can say is your child is normal, please read about the developing brain of a two and three year old. There is a lot of science out there that will explain to you why your two-year old can't sit there to learn the way you want. Your approach is not age appropriate."

"I love when my 6yrs old boy try write a word the way its sound... I think he is doing great, specially learning two languages at the same time(english & spanish)."

"My son is in kindergarten and at age 6 he is well ahead of the kids in his class, but it isn't because of daycare. I stayed home with him and we made learning fun, so I am not pushing him I just make it where he wants to learn. I have most of the things around the house labeled starting when he was 3yo and I don't have a problem with him not knowing everything. I am troubled with kindergarten, I don't think that he should be pushed, but I think that if a child is ready to move onto the next task that it should be offered. I feel that at his school he with a few other kids are waiting on everyone to catch up. No, being to pushy isn't fair,but if a child is ready why should anything hold them back? By the way his teacher wanted to put him in speech and I told in a nice way, is she would just listen to him and make him slow down she would see that he can pronounce those few letters, and if she could just ask him to repeat those when he speaks he will start noticing and pronouncing them correctly. I was right."

"Having a now adult child with disabilities and delays, I am familiar with IEP meetings. My daughter in law got a letter for an IEP for my 5 year old grandson. Some of the wording in it upset her, and I understand that. One of the things being discussed will be speech. My grandson has participated in speech already in this, his first year of Kindergarten. I am a bit upset over the fact that the speech teacher hasn't noticed that the child has no front teeth! His top ones were pulled over a year ago, and in the timeline of new ones coming in, they just aren't there yet! His bottoms are just now appearing. The complaint is the he doesn't enunciate sounds correctly. You try talking with four front teeth missing longer than normal! In the process of changing the date for the meeting, it was apparent that no one noticed the 'teeth' issue! Add to that his father being in Iraq for the second time, and having moved several times in his short life. Also, his motor skills are being que! stioned. I drive school bus and have many pictures taped up from my students. There are some 1st and 2nd graders that still write some of their letters backwards, or not in a straight line. I have driven this run for 15 years and know most of the parents well enough to feel comfortable in asking if THEIR child's motor skills were questioned, and they weren't. Where can I look at a more descriptive site covering motor skills and speech? The thing that really has me irritated is the fact that it should be obvious that one can't make the proper 's', 'f', 'r' sounds if a 'BIGGER ONE' (adult) doesn't notice there are no teeth."

"Children are little only once. The play time and fun that they miss from doing flashcards etc. will be gone forever. My concern for my child is that the expectations are too high in her kindergarten room. They have to write 2 complete sentences with a capital letter and punctuation at the end every morning for journal. They have been required to write as many as 4 sentences for a story all before Christmas time. Am I the only one thinking that that is too much?"

"These are great ideas, I will try for my daughter."

"I am proud of the parents that are letting their 5 year olds be 5 year olds. When I went to kindergarten we were finger painting. In this rushed world our kids are failing kindergarten for not reading and doing math. I admit, my son is 4 and he can write his name, we are working on phonics, but I feel guilty that he cannot read yet......"

"I think it is great to hear that the children know how to write their name when they are at the age of kindergarten. My son is 4, he can write his full name and he can read and write most 3 letter words, count to 100. I believe that if you teach your child from the onset that learning is fun, it will be fun!!!My son - at four, thinks that learning is one of the best things he does during our day. I do not believe that a child of this age should need to go to pre-school (or kindergarten). I think this type of 'socialization' is not a necessary element - rather I believe it is a bit detrimental to the childs development. If we had parents that took care of their children instead of giving birth and then shipping them off to some 'daycare'??? we would not have questions or concerns regarding their learing. "

"I am shock to here about the child that just turn five in June, and now having to be tested for learning diabilities! Kindergarden is scary to some children, they may be over whemed at such a big place, where you are told what to do by a bunch of strangers,to me 5 is still a todder, you teachers should give these children at break its there first year if there is no fun, how are why would they want to go to the 12th grade,and college! Yes the activity of counting 26 acorns is absolutely ridiculous, my child would be out of there. They have years of school ahead and Socal Development is much more important than making sure your kindergarderner can read at 5 years old! One more thing they are in school to many hours, alott of them are still use to taking naps all of you teachers and parents need to chill! LET THEM HAVE SOME FUN!"

"I am very surprised to read that inventive spelling is still being encouraged. Not only is it more difficult to correct a mistake that has been repeated for a long time but it also slows down the process of acquiring proper grammar and spelling. If my child was being taught in this manner, I would remove him immediately from this environment. The problem is that despite what is being said, children do not use proper spelling once they are exposed to it. Let's just see how average american adults spell.... "

"Kindergarten is supposed to be fun. I feel sorry for all of these young einstiens, the fact that parents are pushing their young children to be geniuses and rushing their youth is unforgivable. I have 3 children, one in kindergarten, she attended pre-school, learned to get along with other children and is as happy as can be. She is very proud of the fact that she is learning to write her letters properly and loves going to school everyday. I have no doubt that she will succeed in school, eventhough she didn't know how to read or write when she entered kindergarten. Parents relax and enjoy your children. They will be grown before you know it. "

"I am very dissapointed to read all of these comments from parents. It is proven that children who are early readers lose the jump they have on others their age by grade 3 or 4. It is not that the child is more intelligent then their peers, simply that they have been exposed to oportunities earlier, and given the same exposure their peers catch up. Since this is the case why would anyone push a youngster like this instead of allowing them the chance to develop socially, the school sucess will come let them focus on what it means to be with other people and make freindships. I am a ESL kindergarten teacher."

"My child is in his first month of Kindergarten. He turned five back in June. I am being told to have him tested for learning diabilities because of his inability to keep up with his class. One paper we received to help him with at home had groupings of acorns in which he needed to count them, and then write that number below the acorns. My son's having difficulties with his motor skills in writing the numbers. I assumed kiindergarten taught him these skills, but he is expected to know them in the first 30 days. This isn't just recognizing and counting thazt there are 26 acorns in a grouping, it's counting and recording the number below in a Quarter inch space. His motor skills don't let him make his numbers that small with that much accuracy. It has been told to me, that 'we can't legally tell you to hold your child back. We can work with him in 'special Programs', but he's falling very far behind and disrupting the clases flow.' Does this activity seem a little ad! vanced for the first 30 days of Kindergarten?"

"i would hope they are reading by the end of K. my kid has known phonetic sounds since the age of 2 and has been writing since he was four. I hope for MUCH more that just writing his name as he mastered that 12 months ago. "