At the beginning of the year, she was upset because she said that the teachers thought she was a “baby”. When I asked her why she said it was because they are teachers were teaching her letters and colors etc.. and she said that she was not a baby, she knows that stuff. So it was a bit difficult to explain to her that when her teachers try to teach her things she already knows, it is not because they think she is a baby (the biggest insult ever to a three year old). I think she has gotten past that now. She has not said anything about them giving her “baby” books.. and I certainly don’t want to put that idea in her head. .... I just don't want her to have to sit through lessons about what the letter "d" is.
This is hard becaue many preschools have group lessons like this during circle time. When DS was 3, I put him in a program that said they were not very academic in the 3yo program, but were more academic in the 4's...so I thought he could just play and interact with kids. But during this program I observed them all on the rug reviewing shapes and colors, and doing some letters and numbers too. They held up a circle and asked DS what it was..and he said "an octagon" and laughed. They asked what color (it was white) and he said "pink" He then said the right answers after they encouraged him. But they would review letters during this time, and sing basic heads shoulder type songs, etc. Consequently he started to hate circle time (and instead ran in circles at this time). Granted, this wasn't a big part of their day...but it was at least 20 minutes. They Anyhow...I have noticed that many schools do this, even though they aren't teaching these things one on one as much, they do it as a group. Of course your program could be different, they may sit down with her and do them. His program also had "reading" where the kids would just pick up books and lay on the rug and "read" to themselves. So DS would actually read..and this time was only a couple minutes so when it was time to put them away he would be in the middle of reading a book and would be a little annoyed. DS4 is just starting to realize that he knows things that some other kids his age (and some adults)do not know. It is an interestesting revelation to him.
