I need your input on a huge decision. I have been wrestling with this decision for over a year now, and it's time. I have to figure out what to do about schooling for Big Sissy. Here's the situation. She is academically ready for kindergarten work, which I already suspected, but now it's been confirmed in a couple of ways. First, we did the DIAL screening that I already blogged about here. Then we attended Saturday School. This is where the kids in our school district who are ready for kindergarten either this year or next get to go visit their new school, meet a couple of the kindergarten teachers, and do some activities in a kindergarten classroom while the parents learn more about the school. All of the super-achiever scrapbooking parents were there with their cameras while the kids loaded up onto the school bus for their first ride. Except for me, of course. My only thought that morning was, "Must keep moving. Must get there on time."
They only rode around the parking lot on the bus, but I cried the whole time. Thankfully it wasn't the loud wailing kind of cry that would draw attention, but more like the welling-up-of-the-eyes kind of cry that makes the school bus look like a big fuzzy monster as it pulls away with my innocent little girl.
So the problem is that she will miss the deadline by 3 months to be old enough for kindergarten. That means she won't start in 6 months; she'll start in 18 months. As I listened to the teachers explain what they will learn in kindergarten, I am convinced that she has already mastered 85% of the prescribed goals, and I'm quite sure she could be up to speed even in 6 months. So here are my options as I see it:
1) I just put her in preschool and let her play for a year, and then let her go to kindergarten in 18 months even though by then who knows where she'll be academically.
2) I try to convince a private school, who is not so bound to the birthday cutoff rule, to go ahead and enroll her in kindergarten (this would only be an option if they had half-day kindergarten).
3) I start homeschooling her in the fall and let her set the pace for her learning. Then I let the district figure out where to plug her in if/when I decide homeschooling is not a permanent choice.
I'm painfully aware of the pro's and con's of the different choices, but I still don't know what the answer is. She wants to go to school, although I really think it's all about riding the bus. I am hoping some fellow parents and educators can help me think this through. Preschool registration has already begun and the spots are filling up, so I'm feeling a little pressure. Help!!!
6 comments:
Well you know my vote. She could do pre-school, while you do a little school at home also. Most of all let her be a four yr. old. Praying God will give you mommy wisdom!
I'm not against public/private school. It will give your little one a chance to make new friends (some, perhaps, not of your choosing), learn to function away from you (independence really is a good thing, you know), and practice the virtues you've already instilled. She's aching to spread her wings a little. Homeschooling takes a serious chunk of time out of a mother's day if it's done properly. I know that from experience. It would give you a couple hours of quality time each day with the younger two. Your decision will be the right one, I'm sure. But I would have to vote for school outside the home - NOW. She's ready.
Lots of hugs, but no real advice. We have decided to go ahead and homeschool for now. It is a tough decision--like you, I see pros and cons for all the options.
As you know I homeschooled my daughter (even though she was older) for two years. Now, she is my only child so I can't speak to time matters. But I can tell you it was the best decision we ever made and I wish I would have done it from the beginning. When we put her back in school she was a half a grade ahead. She lost that in no time at all, but she did graduate a semester early.
wow!! I have to many comments to make. So, lets get together and chat!!!
Oh, this decision was so hard for us! And it was worse b/c my husband left it entirely up to me. so much pressure!
Our first has an October birthday so she missed the cutoff, and she was ready for kindergarten a year early. Way ready. Since she had already done a year of preschool, she went ahead and did a second year and started kindergarten with her classmates. Private school was not an option, and I wasn't on board with homeschooling. In retrospect, I think we did the right thing. She is a firstborn, over-achiever and always will be, and I am glad she's with kids her age. We were in a small town so it would have been obvious if she'd gone to school early.
I don't know your daughter, but I know this is a hard subject and a big decision. I pray you make the best decision for all of you.
Btw, Beth says we have a lot in common and I love reading your blog. When I come visit let's get together!
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