Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School Kindergarten 2009-2010

DD5 started first last Tuesday; so far, so good. She loves her teacher and seems to be adjusting quite well. She also started doing basic division problems spontaneously in her head over the weekend. Looks like we have another mathy one (DS9, who's starting 6th tomorrow, is also mathy).

Val

Val, sounds like a good start - that's great!

LMom, ditto what you said, best of luck to all who are starting school this week!

DS5 had a mini-conference with his teacher today, before he starts kindy tomorrow. I am so happy with this teacher! She brought in some books for him to read to her and asked him questions about a chapter he read. I really like her. I think things will work out. And DS can't wait to check out her lego table tomorrow - she had many pieces he does not have.

Good luck to everyone else who starts this week too!

That's great! Appropriate reading material and Legos! Sounds like he's off to a good start.

Val

SPG -

I hope it went well.

Our update:

DS5 does not like Kindy. and I don't blame him... sigh.

He is beginning to resent homework [because it easy? because it is pointless? Practice zipping and unzipping your back pack. Practice counting to 30 or higher...] and he has told me how he doesn't like the rules and that they don't make sense. (during line up keep your mouth closed and arns at your side. there was a off-balanced rhyme that went with these instructions)

He also says it is not fun (except for the legos). From my and DH's point of view, we are dissapointed because he is not learning anything new either.

I had planned on not advocating because we are moving in a few months but I think we need to do something before he starts acting out or worse. Not sure what to ask for though...

"Can you provide more interesting stimulating work that is hands on and messy and give each child (all 25!) individaul attention and let them ask as many questions as they want and spend more time outside exploring nature and animals and less time inside doing mind-numbing worksheets?"

oh yeah. that would go over really well.

At least he likes his afterschool program.

SPG, that sounds really promising

EastnWest, I'm sorry to hear that things are not going well. Is his K half day or full day? Homework may be a good place to start with. Would it be possible to ask if you could substitute his homework?

Hi EastnWest - I'm so sorry your DS doesn't like kindergarten.

I would say that it cannot hurt and can only help to let your teacher know that your DS has told you that the only thing he likes is Legos. If you didn't give the teacher a heads-up on your DS's abilities, she probably hasn't had time to notice with 25 kids.

Maybe start with your explanation that since you are moving in a few months, you didn't think you needed to say anything about DS's abilities, but he's been coming home very unhappy, and I think it's because he needs some more challenge. Here is what he could do before he started kindergarten (examples of advanced reading/math). Is it possible he be excused from some of the more basic instruction and given something else to do (higher math/chapter books)?

Just some thoughts. I hope things get better for your DS.

We dropped off our DS5 this morning for his first day, and he happily went off to play on the playground before the school bell rang. It was weird; I didn't feel nervous at all about dropping him off. I guess I wasted all my nervous energy ahead of time worrying about this day!

Hi EastnWest: So sorry to hear about DS5. Agree with others about substituting different homework. Do you have to turn yours in? Our K homework is optional. I quickly scrapped the math portions, in particular, for my mathy DS7 in K, getting him a workbook at his level. Worked beautifully. I'm already planning for the same with DS5.

In fact, I kept him home for the day yesterday b/c he was a little sick and home schooled him for the day. I know without a doubt that what he did here was much harder than anything he's done at school so far: Cut out a picture, glue it to paper and write something about it. (His work: "Logerheads do not wok on land. Thy do swim."). Of course, when I challenged him about the fact that they lay eggs on land, I was told: They don't walk, they push up the sand with their flippers! Math: First-grade math workbook. Reading: Whatever he wanted.

St. Pauli girl has some good suggestions. Sounds like you need to chat with the teacher in a non-confrontational way, like, I hope he's not causing trouble, but he's coming home unhappy every day. I wasn't going to say anything b/c we're moving, but ...

St. Pauli girl: So glad to hear your good news. I surreptitiously donated a "found" box of Legos to DS5's teacher for this school year b/c his room was lacking good toys! No special pieces in the box I donated, but at least there's SOMETHING Lego for DS to build with ;-). Amazing how even when they're learning full speed ahead, the toys really do matter!

SPG - sounds like a good start - that's great!

EastnWest - I'm so sorry to hear that your son doesn't like school. SPG has good advice. Even though you are moving shortly, you don't want things to develop into behavior problems. My son is probably different than yours, but when he started complaining that he didn't like the rules in pre-K, that's when the behavior problems started. It wasn't so much the rules, it was that he wasn't being challenged. Keep us posted if you do talk to the teacher.

hey all
wanted to chime in my support for everyone and report that my DD loved her first day of kindergarden. In her normal style, she did do some critiquing but it was mild and the positives were huge- buying own lunch, having older kids say hello to her in teh hall, the bus, etc..

we are wondering when the honeymoon will be over and if its a good place for her long term. Not sure if i've ever described her this way on the board, but she seems most advanced socially and experientially (not sure if thats the right word). She loves to experience things that older kids would, but in a totally non-academic way. She is not interested at all in academics at this point, only reads a little, and will only do a few math problems before she is bored stiff. But she loathes doing the same songs, holidays, seasons, etc..that has basically been the preschool curriculum since she was 2. And i know she's in for lots of the same in kindergarden...

So if she is unhappy, i think acceleration would be a very tough sell. So keeping fingers crossed!!!

irene