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January-baby school blues

Robyn - posted on 11/23/2010 ( 3 moms have responded )

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We know that our January babies are and always will be the oldest kids in their classes, and that's usually a great advantage for them.
My daughter is almost 6 and in a JK/SK class where some of the kids are almost 2 full years younger than her. Last year she would come home every day full of stories of what she did at school and how much fun she had. This year she just shruggs and tells me that she didn't do anything. I've asked her teacher what's being done to encourage her and keep her working at her intelligence level, but all I'm ever told is "some SK kids are working at a JK level, and some JK kids are working at an SK level, so we do a lot of small group work" This doesn't mean anything!
My daughter is bored and I want her teacher to keep her engaged and interested at school, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere with her.

Any suggestions on talking to the teacher or school?

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3 Comments

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Felicity - posted on 12/06/2010

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some one has to be the oldest and some one has to be the youngest its just the way it is. my dd is 3rd of jan but here the cut off point is 30th Aug.
also our school years are different she is in year1 which is the second year of school, but she is in with the year2's. so she is doing lots of formal learning and already can read very confidantly and write joined up. Im so glad that it works this way here as if she wasnt getting this sort of stimulation she would be bored to tears!

i would speak to the school about your concerns tell them taht you think that she is ready for more.

Robyn - posted on 11/23/2010

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You're lucky that you've got an August 30th cut off for kindergarten. Our school year begins in Spetember, but the kids simply have to turn 4 before the end of the calendar year - December 31! (My daughter is born January 17, and last year there was a little girl with a Dec. 31 birthday...there was almost a full year between them and it was SO noticeable!)

Thanks for the tip about asking for an IEP. You're right, I've never though of asking for one for an advanced child...they're always associated with troubled or delayed kids.

Thanks!

Kimberly - posted on 11/23/2010

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January babies are not the oldest in the class, where I live. I have two September babies and the cut off for kindergarten is August 30th. I have run into this problem though, because my kids are bored in class they end up with behavior issues. My January baby seems to be doing well, she is in kindergarten this year. What you can do is ask your child's teacher for an IEP, if she is performing ahead of her class, public school are required to give every child an IEP but most parents who have above average children do not ask for one, you can try this.

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