QUESTION: I have a three-and-a-half-year-old
son whose birthday falls in early September. He can write letters,
spells a handful of words, recognizes letters and words independently
and is very bright. I am thinking ahead to kindergarten and wondering
whether I should start him at five or six years of age. What kinds
of things should I be looking for when making this decision?
ANSWER: Your son is clearly intelligent.
No doubt he will do fine academically. The real adjustments that you
need to be concerned about is his social readiness for interacting
in a group, being separated from you and his ability to take and follow
direction in the classroom setting.
Naturally, all of these things may influence each
other. Some of his comfort with the adjustment to kindergarten may
depend on the teacher's personality style and the manner in which
the classroom is run. If he is a boy who enjoys social interaction
and tends to follow directions from a preschool teacher, he may easily
adapt to this new challenge by age five.
If he likes to play by himself and does not like his
focus interrupted for a change in schedule, you may find he will enjoy
school more and have more success emotionally and academically if
he begins kindergarten at the more mature age of six. He will be more
capable of taking direction and benefiting from a structured day rather
than resenting it, the older he gets.
Consider talking with other mothers and any of your
son's child care workers or preschool teachers about their experience
of your son as he gets older. Sometimes others who care for your child
can offer insight into his personality and how his mind works from
a more objective viewpoint, which can prove valuable in determining
what is right for him.
Still, so much can change in his development by age
four-and-a-half, that it is entirely possible that you simply can't
know what is right for him at this time! Plan on getting an evaluation
from his preschool teacher or other learning specialist if you are
still unsure prior to his fifth birthday.
But keep in mind that no one knows your son like you
do! As a parent, I have always found that my best judgment about what
would benefit my child came from a personal visit to the classroom.
You know your son. If you are able to experience the kindergarten
classroom that he would participate in, you are sure to get the inevitable
"gut" response as to what your son's experience of this setting would
be.
Plan on visiting the classroom(s) of your son's potential
kindergarten teacher(s) in the springtime, before your son's fifth
birthday and trust that you will be able to evaluate what is right
for him. Remember, too, that your son will benefit by a continued
proactive approach on your part. By this I mean, voicing your needs
to the principal for a particular teacher if you feel strongly that
your son would do better in one classroom over another, establishing
teamwork with his teachers throughout his educational years, and overall
being the great Mom you already are, at looking out for his needs.
Research has shown that children whose parents are
involved in their education tend to fare better than their counterparts
whose parents may not take an interest, or even be intimidated by
the educational system. I'd say your son already has a head start
with you as his Mom, no matter when he begins his educational career!
