Does anyone else think that Kindergarten is too strenuous?

Heather - posted on 01/29/2009

I've thought the same thing many times this year. To top it all off, my kindergartner now has to complete a Science Fair Project - complete with display board, hypothesis, etc... Tell me, who is REALLY going to be the one to do this...yep - mommy and daddy!

Jeanette - posted on 01/27/2009

Have you talked to the other parents? What do they think?

Christina - posted on 01/27/2009

Quoting Heather:

Quoting Valeria:

Quoting DM:

In Kindergarten they don't have recess? My second grader gets 3 recesses!

 

His teacher said that the time used for ice cream and play can be used for learning.  As she puts it, children want to many privileges.

Children want too many privleges! I think she sounds like an uptight biddy (for lack of a better term). I remember having a second grade teacher that had this attitude and it RUINED learning for me. I had such a difficult time in school because of her nasty ways. Teachers need to chill out and let kids be kids. Yes they are little sponges at these young ages, but that doesn't mean we have to academically drown them.

Very well put!

Christina - posted on 01/27/2009

Quoting Valeria:

Quoting DM:

In Kindergarten they don't have recess? My second grader gets 3 recesses!

 

His teacher said that the time used for ice cream and play can be used for learning.  As she puts it, children want to many privileges.

His teacher seems behind on the research that NOT taking breaks throughout the day overstimulates their brain and keeps them from retaining information; learning should be fun and incorporate every part of their being: their mind, their spirit, their emotions, AND their body... your situations seems to hit the nail on the head with what is wrong with schools today... children learn through play: they learn social interaction, how to function as a group, coping skills... and their body needs break from the mental work to retain the inforamation and destress... you seem to be in my biggest nightmare!

Crystal - posted on 01/27/2009

Yet another reason why I homeschool. My son is doing k-4 right now, and he is learning a lot in a lot less time, and he's not overloaded with it.

Valeria - posted on 01/27/2009

Quoting Amber:

We live in ga and my kindergarten daughter does not have that kind of work at all. My best friend's son is in kindergarten at the same school and he has way more work than my daughter. I would talk to the teacher, or the principal. Try to change his teacher. If the problem is not resolved then go to the admistrator. I have had to over a couple issues in the past few years and they were resolved. Where in ga do you live? That is crazy. It will lower his self esteem and make him more self concious and hate school. You have control and rights, it is his future!

We live in Milledgeville (30 minutes from Macon).  I couldn't change his teacher because all of the kindergarten classes were full.  I told his teacher that I'm not going to force him to do all of that work because he was getting frustrated. 

Amber - posted on 01/27/2009

We live in ga and my kindergarten daughter does not have that kind of work at all. My best friend's son is in kindergarten at the same school and he has way more work than my daughter. I would talk to the teacher, or the principal. Try to change his teacher. If the problem is not resolved then go to the admistrator. I have had to over a couple issues in the past few years and they were resolved. Where in ga do you live? That is crazy. It will lower his self esteem and make him more self concious and hate school. You have control and rights, it is his future!

DM - posted on 01/27/2009

Plus at age 5 they developmentally are not ready to sit all day long. They need to let off some energy so they can actually learn. Even at almost 8 my son needs some down time to run before we do homework.

Heather - posted on 01/27/2009

Quoting Valeria:

Quoting DM:

In Kindergarten they don't have recess? My second grader gets 3 recesses!

 

His teacher said that the time used for ice cream and play can be used for learning.  As she puts it, children want to many privileges.

Children want too many privleges! I think she sounds like an uptight biddy (for lack of a better term). I remember having a second grade teacher that had this attitude and it RUINED learning for me. I had such a difficult time in school because of her nasty ways. Teachers need to chill out and let kids be kids. Yes they are little sponges at these young ages, but that doesn't mean we have to academically drown them.

Valeria - posted on 01/27/2009

Quoting DM:

In Kindergarten they don't have recess? My second grader gets 3 recesses!

 

His teacher said that the time used for ice cream and play can be used for learning.  As she puts it, children want to many privileges.

Christina - posted on 01/27/2009

It sounds extreme to me; talk to the teacher, then approach the guidance councilor and/or the principal.  The teacher may be following guidelines set down by the school board or may just be pushing the children to excell for his/her own reasons.  Kindergarten has gotten much more aggresive on the learning expectations than when I was a child, and many progams are entirely too hard for the children to adjust to (all day school work without nap time when most 4 and 5 year olds still require sleep during the day, for example).  It's up to you to advocate for your child and speak for him when he can't. 

My children's school does have handwriting grades, but that didn't start until 1st grade, and their teacher is more lenient on them due to their dysgraphia/dyslexia.  Just a brief meeting with her and the principal before school started helped get them on my side in educating my children so that we weren't working against each other.  Also, our school is an academically challenging one, and it has taken the whole of this year to get the kids to properly identify the different coins; they are just now practicing adding different coin denominations.  And the writing 40 words two times each??? Come on! I have a hand cramp just reading that! My kids started 1st grade with 10 spelling words and they had to write them 3 times each a couple days a week... it has slowly crept up to 15 words a week, but to try to learn 40 new words???

Good luck in finding a workable solution to these problems he's facing; hopefully a short meeting with his teachers/principal will resolve this problem quickly.  Even if you don't get a quick fix, your son will know you're on his side and speaking up for him- exactly what we as parents are charged with doing!

DM - posted on 01/27/2009

In Kindergarten they don't have recess? My second grader gets 3 recesses!

Valeria - posted on 01/27/2009

I'm 23, so I haven't been out of school long, but I didn't know things would change this fast.  This is ridiculous.

Valeria - posted on 01/27/2009

Quoting Karen:

yes.. teach kind. where do you live..we all should being following the state standards!!

 

I live in Georgia.

 

Valeria - posted on 01/27/2009

Thanks for your responses!  I believe that the educational system is slowly taking their childhood away.  I understand that times are different, but I don't appreciate the way that some teachers make children feel inadequate because they are not learning at a certain speed.  My son doesn't have nap time, recess, or ice cream time after lunch.  In my opinion, people have to balance work with play.  Adulthood lasts a lot longer than childhood, so they need to enjoy being worry free while they can.

Tamarah - posted on 01/26/2009

I'm homeschooling our first in Kindergarten, and the load is just unreal.  This is not the kindergarten I remember.  We're doing geography, art, music, Language Arts, Phonics, Math and science.  I've worked out how to  fit it all in the day/week...but it is still one heck of a load. 

Tamarah - posted on 01/26/2009

I'm homeschooling our first in Kindergarten, and the load is just unreal.  This is not the kindergarten I remember.  We're doing geography, art, music, Language Arts, Phonics, Math and science.  I've worked out how to  fit it all in the day/week...but it is still one heck of a load. 

Karen - posted on 01/26/2009

yes.. teach kind. where do you live..we all should being following the state standards!!

Angelika - posted on 01/26/2009

I think that's aweful.  My son is in grade one here in Ontario and he does get quite a bit of homework, but he doesn't get retained because it's not perfect.  Every child learns at their own pace.  I know they write quite a bit at school, and every week my son gets sent home a homework sheet that has to be filled in by friday (we usually do a bit every night until it's done).  He also gets sent home with a "home reading" book.  These books have different levels depending on the child's development and the level goes up when the books get too easy.  I know they are uping the standards everywhere, but our little ones can only take so much.  Just take it day by day.  Maybe do a little bit at home with him if you can, but don't over do it either.  They are kids afterall...and kids need to play too...

Kat - posted on 01/26/2009

I think that a lot of public schools suck. Who thought of this writing all these words over and over again? I love Montessori School systems. They don't make your child do that kind of work. The child learns at their own pace but they learn a lot more quicker. I have two school age children. One is in a public school (7year old)(I have no say over this) and one goes to a Montessori school (4year old). The 4 year old is doing fractions and reading regular books. Geography is her favorite. I would say take a look at your options. There are many schools out there. I personally love the Montessori education. Good luck!

Billie - posted on 01/26/2009

Kindergarten is definitely not like when we were kids. They have to know how to do everything that we learned in kindergarten when they start now. It's crazy. My son in grade 6 is doing math I did in high school. It's a crazy world out there and they apparently have to adapt to keep up.