Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Pre-school Help w/ PreK App

My dd (4 in July) has a slot at the neighborhood state-funded prek. It's a one class pre-k (a big, lovely room with a big, lovely playground) w/ 20 kids, 1 teacher, and one teacher's aide. I have not had a chance to meet the teacher -- will do so at some point in July.

I am inclined to think I will not enroll dd in PreK, but keep her at home instead. I want her to be able to go at her own pace, and to remain happy and comfortable with who she is. HOWEVER, I'm also entering my pre-dissertation year in a doctoral program, and sure could use the free day care. So, I keep a tiny flame of hope that they can and will accomodate her. (BTW, there are grade requirements in this state until 1st grade, so no grade skipping in public school, and most of the private schools around here follow suit).

Today, I got a large packet of stuff to fill out from her school. One section said "My child has the following special need(s):" and "The following special accomodation(s) may be required to most effectively meet my child's needs while at this center."

I believe giftedness is considered a special need, BUT while there is a state-mandated gifted program, it's K-12 (and, 10% of the school population is in GT programs, which makes me question how meaningful they would be to dd anyway).

Anyway, my questions are:
1) Do I bother filling this section out? (DD is not 2e, just -- untested -- HG+) Also, this is a state form; I don't even know how the local PreK uses it.
2) If I *do* fill it out, what do I say re her "special need"?
3) Does this sound okay for the special accomodation request: That my daughter be allowed to undertake independant work in Language Arts and Math (and other subjects as appropriate) so that she be allowed to work at her own level and at her own pace?

Thanks in advance for the advice/insights!

This sounds perfectly ok!
For the rest, you can try to couch all your requests in 'social-emotional needs'-speak. She enjoys peers who are highly verbal, is less shy when the teachers are aware of and comfortable with her reading level - she is currently reading X.

If the program is half-day, many unusually gifted kids have found a half day program just fine. Preschool teachers seem, as a group, to be more comfortable with the idea that each child develops at their own pace, so are often more open to a child have unusual needs for higher level material. often.

I would bring some written samples of your dd's work, in her own handwriting - some math worksheets and perhaps a 'book report' if she can do that sort of thing to show the teacher in July, and ask what she has done with kids who are doing similar work to your DD in the past. Observe closely the teacher's reaction. If he or she automatically starts 'blaming' you for being 'one of those parents' - it's better to know right up front what you are dealing with.

Take a look inside that lovely room - specifically the bookshelves - will there be books available that your dd would enjoy? What kind of signal does it send a sensitive kid when all the 'approved books' on the school books shelf are 'babyish?' It doesn't send the message that we like 'who you are.'

Ideally, you would be able to observe the Kindy gifted program in action. If it meets very often, you might see if your dd would be allowed to attend as a pre-k. Pull out programs that are a real snooze with agemates, can be very wonderful if the child is a year or two younger than the target group.

Enjoy,
Grinity

All state-funded (ie, free) prek programs here are 6.5 hours/day, 180 days/yr. Grr. HOWEVER, I'll look into a PT private PreK if this doesn't seem like it will work out. (I know of three in this area: one was filled up in March -- doh!; one has a waiting list, but I didn't like the vibe anyway; and one, I haven't checked into -- mostly because it's not secular, and just as I was writing this, it occurs to me that it's not b/c I have dislike religious schools but b/c I have a bad gut reaction to my in-laws religiosity. wow...) There are probably more options; I'll have to dig, but thanks -- for some reason that option hadn't entirely clicked...

Anyway, thanks for the tips on showing samples -- that sounds perfect. And for the wording (I love the "less shy" thing -- I think that type of thing happened to her in day care, though she loved her teachers).

That's a great question about the bookshelf. Haven't seen it, but when I saw the state's PreK book list, I cringed. Which isn't necessarily to say that dd wouldn't mind looking over those books, but you are right, if it's to the exclusion of the type of stuff she reads now (which I have no doubt it will be), she'll notice. And she is very observant about that sort of thing. *sigh, sigh, sigh*

Clay, we have the same type 6.5hr Pre K program in FL and my DD is enrolled for fall. I enrolled her for the social benefits and with the hope that since the Pre K is located at the elementry school she will be attending for Kindergarten that it will help with that transition. I plan to send her with her own books each day as she reads chapter books and I'm pretty sure that they won't be availble on the shelf. We will continue to have the work books, work sheets, games and puzzles she loves at home so that she can still be stimulated in those areas. I do have a worry about "nap" time as DD gave up naps at 18 months and I'm not sure how she will handle this, I hope they will let her lay quitely and read.

Clay, being in GA myself, DS6 went to pre-K. It was a bunch of stuff he already knew, and Bright from Start can do NOTHING to accomodate gifted kids. BUT, meet with the teacher. DS's teacher did let him read to the class during reading time, and do a few extra things. The one thing I think helped DS most of all is the socialization... sad, but true.

As for gifted programs once in school... Whole Grade Acceleration IS available once she is in K. The school will even test! But it has to be at the recommendation of the K teacher. It's very hush hush though.

Oh, and DS6 (who will be entering 2nd in August) is also in the Target program. It's actually quite great. I'm not sure how great it would be if he didn't get the grade skip, but it's definitely benefited him.

Good luck in your decision.

JJsMom -- Thanks for telling me @ the whole grade acceleration. We'll push it if we are still in the state next year -- but chances are, we won't be.

DLK -- Yup, we'll bring books from home if its okay with the teachers. We occassionally did that when she was in day care. (I remember one time she brought a book, and when I picked her up that afternoon, she was very sad because the teacher had read the book to the class and the other kids hadn't liked it. )

I hadn't thought about the whole nap thing. DD hasn't napped in ages (except sometimes when we're in the car, which is rather convenient...) At her day care, it was fine as long as she stayed in her cot and was quiet.

The more I think about it, the more I like the PT pre-k idea. Allows her to socialize, allows mommy to get her work done, hopefully minimizes her homework, and leaves plenty of time in the day for exploring!

One thing I was thinking about last night is that she was perpetually sick when she was in day care, and I was nearly so. And the day care was very clean and consciencious about washing hands, etc. I hope kids are better about not sharing their germs in pre-k, though somehow I doubt it...

They are only a tad better.

Par for the course I'm afraid. I don't see it as a negative though. It helps build their immune system. I will never forget DD at 15 months and how she got virus on top of virus that month. We were freaking out and even had tests run to make sure it wasn't something more serious. And this was before we ever put her into a preschool/daycare. Now that she goes to school she has hardly ever gotten sick.

Yeah, I'd be all for the whole immune-system-build up -- snotty noses aren't *that* bad, except that her colds had a funny way of turning into horrible middle-of-the-night wheezing attacks...
After four emergency room visits, we told the pediatrician this was getting ridiculous and he got us some stuff so we could do home care, and we've avoided the hospital since then... BUT since I pulled her out of day care (for unrelated reasons), we haven't had to treat her at all. I'm not looking forward to revisiting all that. It's no fun not to be able to breathe... But maybe (maybe?) her lungs are a little bit stronger. I similar issues when I was a kid, and I outgrew them... but at age 7, not 4.