I'm finding academically focused preschools can be very difficult for kids that are early readers. My dd3 is in a 3's class where each week the kids learn a new "letter of the week" - which I think would be great except that my daughter started reading just after her second birthday. I tried to kindly mention this fact, and they started pulling her aside and giving her easy readers to do with the teacher. At first I was very happy with the 1 on 1 attention... finally, something academically appropriate - feew. But then I saw what they were giving her to read... ugh. I thought to myself, OK they will give her these ridiculous Mat Sat books, realize that they are way too easy and get her something more appropriate to read. Hasn't happened yet. This has gone on for more than a month. Not only this, but they read 6 pages (one sentence each) per day - so making any progress forward is not at all possible. I hate to be a big bitch (OK, part of me wants to be a big bitch) but come on people! So I try to settle myself by reminding myself that, still, even in an academically focused preschool, most of what she does during the day is play - but it is still unfortunate. It seems that pushing for more academically appropriate work is only going to mean that they are going to pull her aside during playtime - and then she won't get to play. I'm not sure there is an easy answer here other than to keep reading and learning at home (hard to do for a full time working mother of 3).... although I am thinking that I am going to have to push for a bit more advanced reading at school.
