[mle bb]

so sorry about all your troubles with school systems, that stuff is ridiculous! I have no kiddos yet but i am close to many kids in my life and I sure know that lack of compassion can be a real problem that students face in schools.

I am also a substitute teacher and i work 2+ days a week most weeks and I LOVE being a sub! That being said I know firsthand about challenging student behavior, learning delays, and the FUN of learning! I try to be just strict enough to foster a safe and respectful learning environment while still engaging students and making learning relevant and interesting.

I actually had a conversation today with a student where she asked me if i liked being a teacher. In 5th grade she already knows that some people have jobs they do not like but need the money from, so she asked. I asked her if she thought i acted like I like being a teacher and she said yes, I did. Dunno if she was lying but yay! It old her that i loved being a teacher and spending time with students and learning new things and she said she would like to be a teacher too someday. I asked her if she thought some of her teacher’s didn’t like being teachers and she said yes and named two of them (ah the candidness!) one I think she was correct about and the other i am not so sure so I asked her how she knew and she said she can just feel it. I think that students are so sensitive to that kinda thing, if i am feeling stressed they know and if i keep my calm i can calm a class down by just sitting and reading a book.

anyway sorry long post but i was thinky today after she asked me that and then i read all your posts and had to contribute!

[Tamara]

Some schools do things along the lines of virtues and use strategies to deal with consequences that are natural. I’d agree to that because it is actually teaching the child not punishing the child. And learning to be accountable for their own actions is definitely a quality.

Actually getting the kids to sit down and talk through the issue right there and then can be difficult because of supervision etc. But this is the whole problem with what occurred last year, in the sense that the staff weren’t supervising the children properly and the kids would go and tattle. They thought the aid would be able to supervise that area. The aid was there for an actual special needs child and so the supervision responsibility was for that child alone. Both sides of the story were not heard properly.

Negotiation skills is something that has to be taught as they don’t come naturally. Conflict is a prime example of where the children can learn these skills. Lay out the natural consequence to the action but don’t go and stick a child into isolation! Of course the child won’t improve the behaviour and it won’t improve relationships between that child and his peers or the teachers. How can a child trust an adult if they know they don’t believe in them?

Communication skills also need to be taught to be effective and this again is where it can be taught. Kids after all are only learning how to socialise from other children who are still learning to get along. They are only small children! Sometimes adults need to re learn the basic skills also!

The peace table sounds effective! Eye contact seems to be a rare thing these days.

[Sarvi]

Wow, 80 minutes for a kid that age is totally nuts!

Very interesting to hear about everyone’s different experiences. I do want to say that I am pretty happy with our school over all. In addition to the teachers they do employ what appear to be essentially grandmas. I see them out there hugging the kids and braiding the girls’ hair. I know some parents would not like that but I quite like the informality and affection.

[with love Heidi]

Here in Tassie the kids start the calender year they turn 5 Kinder, then the year they are 6 it’s Prep, then years 1-12 (7 years old to 18).

[highpowermom]

Hi, I’m Audrey in Florida, new to the thread so I thought I’d make that introduction first. Been sewing O+S for my four year old since he was 9 months. 🙂

Sarvi, I think it’s great that the staff at your school is (appropriately) affectionate. I think one of the biggest problems in our world is the lack of connection, and we’ve gotten so fearful that we hardly touch at all anymore (adults, either). I once read that a human being needs 8 hugs a day just to survive… not thrive, just survive!

In Florida we have Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) which is half day, five days per week and paid for by the state. My son started in a “parents day out” program at age 1, but at age 2 it became certified as a preschool. I had mixed feelings about that because I didn’t want to force him into “school” so early, but I loved the staff and the philosophy there and it turned out fine. We had the option of attending 3 or 5 days and we found 3 days was perfect. Now he is four and VPK requires that he attend all five days. We also switched schools because VPK requires he show up at a certain time, which was too early at his old school (8AM and he is NOT a morning person… neither am I!).

I’m also considering “red shirting” him because as a July baby he has always been youngest in his class… almost all the kids have birthdays in September/October so they are almost a full year older than he is! I think this is why every year the teachers report him having problems in the fall and then doing well in the spring… when he is finally mature enough to get along with the other kids! We couldn’t delay VPK because the state only pays for it during the year the child is actually 4 years old. But he’s so smart, I hate to hold him back.

This is also the first year he’s coming home with attitudes, beliefs and ideas that I haven’t raised him with. Nothing “bad”, just annoying that other people besides me are shaping his world view so many hours per week. My girlfriends are encouraging me to homeschool. If I do hold him back a year, I may take the “off year” to give it a try. If it doesn’t work for us, then he’d be starting regular kindergarten at 6 as planned.

[cybele727]

Sarvi, your post about public schools and zip codes made me wonder… Are you me? I was laughing at how much your words mirrored my own thoughts.

Generally education depresses me. We are all in such a hurry to compete with each other and be the best that we don’t always recognize each child is unique and moves in fits and starts and plateaus at their own levels. In my son’s 1st grade class they have grade 4 readers down through early kindergarten readers. One day, most of those slower readers will click and blossom! His teacher isn’t used to teaching high level readers, so tons of additional instruction goes on at home. (Un)fortunately, having a mommy who is a teacher can be interesting, depending on whose perspective. His teachers love it; he -not so much.

While we generally like our school, we have had our share of problems, but mostly on the bus. THAT has not been a joy. But I won’t drive him because he needs to learn social skills and coping with conflict skills. Plus I do not want to turn him into a bigger nerd than he already is. However, if I have to step in, I will. Momma bear to the rescue. 🙂

Our biggest problem is a young lady who is obsessed with him. Not the normal crush but a true obsession! We are working on that.

Of the 115 kids in 1st grade, about 65 of them are special education or English as a second language. With such challenges, I see educational miracles happening every day. Right now they all move together barely noticing the differences. But by the time 3d grade comes round, they will have all pegged themselves- smart kids, Chinese kids, special ed kids, Arabic kids, etc. my heart will be sad. I like that right now they see nothing but skin color as a crayon type to choose for art, and multilingualism as really cool. 🙂

[Maggie]

I thought I would chime in. My 3 year-old daughter has autism and attends a special full day pre-school with special instruction and therapies (speech and occupational). I feel very lucky that such a program is available from the state.

Of course, it is a long day for her. It is a lot to expect from a little girl, but I know that early intervention is what is best. Besides, she can be really tough to be with all day. I need a break so I can be the even tempered person I want to be.

Luckily she is doing really well. I’m hoping she can go to our local public school in a few years.

My older daughter started kindergarten this fall. She loves it. It does seem more about learning to read and less about finger painting and fun than what I remember. Luckily she is very quick academically.

I’m so interested to read about all the different experiences here.

[Sarvi]

Ditto! It’s probably not necessary to note this, but I want to add that whatever opinions I may express are about what I think is best for me and my child, and never extend to a comment on other folks or their choices.

cybele, funny thing you reminded me of — I remember admiring a teacher’s elaborate braids when I was a kid, and wishing I could have the same style. She told me that it wouldn’t work for me, you could only do braids like that on black hair. I was so confused, I thought my hair looked pretty dark black? Ha! I must’ve been in 7th grade, too, not even that young.

[Nicole]

Very interesting.

Hugo didn’t start Kindy until nearly 5,school until he was 6. As a very lively boy he was not ready to sit and learn. He has since jumped classes and is with his peers again.

Zara and Elsa started kindy at 4 1/2 but spent an extra term there as Twins *can* have learning delays,for no other reason then who wants to learn ‘stuff’ when you have someone your own age to play with all day everyday. They then spent a extra year in Reception for the same reason. They have since joined there peers. That is a very easy change over as we have composite classes, 1&2,2&3,4&5,6&7,8&9, share teachers and work in the same room.

Liddy did not start kindy until nearly 5 as she was (and is)a very sensitive child. She has not yet been put up as she has bonded with her teacher and the Headmaster thought it was better for her to stay put and be extended. It has worked beautifully.

Tilly is not 4 for another month and she has started Kindy. She went 3 days straight and cracked it when she found out it was not on Friday.

They are all so different and I am so lucky we have been able to work with the schools to find the best option for each child.

[cybele727]

So, I am bummed. Of this house’s 7 occupants only me and the wee one are here tonight. I thought, ooh sewing. Uninterrupted sewing. Well that plan got the kaibotz.

Our internet, tv and phone all bit it a few days ago. I spent the entire day on the phone with or in person working on my home network. I found out that the router can only support 5-8 wireless devices, and we have 19. Basically we killed our network. Slaughtered it.

So, I have spent the entire day working on the network and associated IT problems, and as the stragglers are coming home, the first question is a grunt…”where’s the internet?”

So, no sewing. Rats!

[meleliza]

mele bb, what a lovely compliment! It must be hard teaching the young ones. It’s such an important age for development but they likely don’t understand or won’t remember. My best friend from university is. A second grade teacher and her kids are so very lucky to have her! Such an important job, but it often recognized. We are lucky in our school for sure. Last night we were out late at a parent social and I found that all the other parents in our school feel the same. I didn’t even apply to the charter schools for my second even though I probably should. We like the school so much were going to make it work. I don’t know how tight it will be once all three are in school though. K is two, but I’m not sending her this fall. I feel like two years of preschool is enough and it’s so expensive that i can’t justify sending her this year even though it’s trendy to send kids very early. I don’t understand why the archdiocese continues to shut down schools when there are literally not enoug kindergarten spots for all the kids in the city at decent schools.

[Tamara]

N started kindy at 4 and turned 5 that year. He was in a split k/PP class and was so confused about not being able to take reading books home “because the other five year olds got to” that I started him on reading eggs- honestly the best thing to get them going especially boys and doesn’t take all day and really gets them to love literacy because it is fun and incorporates computing skills as well. Because of this, when the teacher assessed him at the end of PP, his results were off the chart! He is an advanced reader and great at maths but he doesn’t like writing and spelling which is typical I think.

We have a July to June intake period for each year so he is one of the eldest in his class. This means that when he goes to do his final year 12 exams. He will be 18!

It is difficult to gauge as there were 16 little boys in a class of 20 and the majority were year ones last year. And all of them with strong personalities! Boys in my experience don’t really click with the whole sitting down thing until they are about 8. For long periods of time anyway. That is why you see them excel more in practical subjects. Boys just aren’t built that way to sit so early – talking about the majority of course as there are always kids who go against the average!

Nicole, a friend of mine had the same situation in her daughter’s kindy year – spitting it because it was a half day and she wasn’t ready to go home! She ended up just taking her for the full days to save the tantrums! Sometimes you can just tell that they’ll lap up what’s given to them – it honestly is a good sign!

[highpowermom]

justsewit, what is a “reading egg”? My 4 1/2 year old just turned on to reading books with me this year and I’d love to encourage him anyway I can. He wrote his name at school today for the first time which is a huge deal because he hates to write and draw (he’s a perfectionist, comes by it honestly, LOL).

An acquaintance of mine is a neurofeedback coach, he says human brains aren’t wired to sit still and have information poured in for long periods of time. Personally I am an extrovert and it’s hard for me to sit still unless I am at a computer or sewing machine!

[cybele727]

http://readingeggs.com/

🙂

Oh I think we are all not wired at age 5-6 to sit for so long, with the exception here or there. Today, while I was volunteering, I gave the spelling tests. And the kids were wiggly and chatty. It took like 5 min longer than it should have because they just can’t sit still.

One of the words was “help” and you are supposed to say it and use it in a sentence…. I said “God help me administer this spelling test.” The reading teacher was walking around the corner just then and burst into laughter.

[Tamara]

I would have too! Do you get parents to volunteer in the classroom or is that not allowed? I love helping but within reason. I stopped volunteering last year because O just couldn’t et around the clutter in the already crowded classroom. Once you put 20 little people, plus the teacher and aid (who is not tiny!!) and then me who is gigantic compared to the rest, and then you have all the stuff! It as just too much! I helped out in the woodworking room with the year ones last yer and that was fun until the other children started talking negatively about my son! Fortunately, they didn’t have that subject past that term so I didn’t have to go. But I do love going in and volunteering my time to listen to reading or sight words or just dance along to the times tables song.

I plan to be in there very often. I have been given the advice to be more in the classroom to see for myself what goes on. I didn’t do it much last year also because I was working a lot of the time.

Highpowermom, such a thrill for you to know he is clicking into the process of writing and reading. it is really exciting to see them take such a step for the first time. Reading eggs is an online reading program that gives the children a set of maps to progress through and they teach the rules of reading with every lesson – ten lessons per map and twelve maps in all. At the end of each map, they have to do a little test to progress on. It isn’t compulsory to go straight on in fact it is recommended to repeat as much as possible to retain the information. There are books you can purchase in packs to support the reading but they have included Storylands which gives the child the opportunity to read a book online. There are games to play also. Every lesson gives the child a chance to “earn eggs” and they can spend these on furniture for their virtual house or on the games. There is a story factory to encourage writing ideas and utilising formations of sentences. They can contribute their story in the theme competition held weekly. Reading eggs is suitable for children as young as 3 up to age 7 and they have just introduced an extension for 7 – 12 year olds called Reading Eggspress which focuses more on the comprehension side of things. N has just completed the test on map 12 so he can go through to Reading Eggspress if he wants to. He says he doesn’t feel ready just yet so he can play around and repeat some of the lessons. There is a subscription cost but the downside is that there is no discount for more than one family member. It is highly worth it though, especially if your child wants to learn and isn’t given the chance to at school. 20 minutes three times a week is all that is required. It works on the iPad but not through Safari.

The makers of Reading eggs are also releasing a maths site with a similar set up. It is called Maths seeds and should be available anytime now.

I should point out that school can do subscriptions also so if you happen to see the benefits of this, I would encourage you to approach the school to see is they will be up for it. You can have a free trial to check it out but it only lasts for ten days I think. This way the school has the option to benefit the whole school or year group with another way of learning to read.

I think that teachers forget the basics of the stages of development when it comes to being able to sit still. There is a lot of emphasis it seems for teachers to hint at ADD especially in boys because of the wriggliness they possess. Of course they aren’t allowed to diagnose but it doesn’t hold them back from suggesting.

Poor you Cybele! Hope everything is up and running to full capacity soon.