Thanks, HowlerKarma and master of none
I would not make reading to the class contingent on a certain behavior for 3 days in kindergarten. What a way to kill a love for learning! It sounds like the kids are being asked to act like the ideal view of what an educator thinks a child should be. As in:
"A typical kindergartener can learn to follow rules, socialize well with other children and complete worksheets. So we will work to get those ideal behaviors.
I don't think your 5 year old should have to conform to this. They are there for him to learn. Is he learning? Will the worksheets help him learn? To me, reading quietly is probably the best way he is going to learn at this point. It will help him directly in the reading, it will help him by being "in the classroom environment" so he can adjust over time and not have to come home and do specific recovery activities.
I'd try to make a deal to more behaviorally manage the teacher. Like he will only do worksheets on work he hasn't yet mastered.
He tells me that he is not learning anything new with the worksheets, other than handwriting. His handwriting, while not terrible, is not excellent either. So he is getting loads of practice about how to write his letters the right way. When he "free writes", I really get to see his ideas than well-formed letters.
As far as reading is concerned, he says he does not have enough opportunity to read in school. That's one of the reasons he wants to read in class.
I am not really sure how to approach the teacher and voice these concerns without sounding like I completely disagree with her approach (which I do, honestly)
He also says he wishes math was verbal -- not that he can't write his numbers, he can; but he just thinks that math stories (we do a lot of make believe math stories at home) and using math manipulatives is a better way to learn, rather than a page of writing out numbers.
But, all in all, I'm worried for your son who is being pressured to conform as a prerequisite to being allowed to learn-- and in reality he isn't going to be offered much academic learning so it's a rotten carrot being held out. As in: Conform first, and then we'll be able to see what you know and we'll realize we have nothing to teach you.
Yes, that is exactly what is being said. I am sure that the teacher's job would be easier if he was a child who did everything by the letter.
I wish I could homeschool, but my husband is not on board (nor are our families), so that is not an option, unfortunately.
I am also somewhat worried that negative impressions that are formed during kindergarten (non-conformism, does things his own way etc) will affect him all through elementary school.
