PUBLIC SCHOOL KINDERGARTEN:

 

  PUBLIC SCHOOL KINDERGARTEN

By Mary McGarr

September 14, 2005, updated September 1, 2010, and May 18, 2014

Many children each fall  in our school district are just beginning their public school education by starting to kindergarten.

Since kindergarten attendance is not required by law, each parent must give considerable thought to selecting the appropriate time to enroll his child in public school. There are several options, and parents are not always aware of those options.

Usually the pattern is for children upon turning five years old or turning five during the school year, to be enrolled in kindergarten. Most children are able to successfully enroll in a kindergarten program

If one is convinced that public school kindergarten is appropriate, then such enrollment should occur. However, there are extenuating circumstances that may enter in to this decision.

For example, if one's child is born after the first of the year and is considered to be "young for his age," the parent may opt to send him to private kindergarten for his first year, and then enroll him in public kindergarten the next year, thus "holding him back" so that he will be physically and socially more mature when starts to the first grade.

For athletic reasons, some parents decide to hold a child back so that he will be physically more mature than the other students once he/she reaches the junior high and high school level. That's a parent's perogative.

For other reasons, some parents send their children to private kindergarten that lasts only half a day. Public schools have, in the last few years, decided that kindergarten should last a full day. Prior to that time it had always lasted for half a day. Katy ISD made such a decision without much discussion of the pros or cons a few years ago. No public discussion was ever held. Only the school district's side of the issue was mentioned in the rationale given to the public for the change. Parents are often not aware that compulsory attendance begins at age six, not age five.

School boards are responsible for the decision to have full day kindergarten.

There used to be a link to the reasoning and explanation for a grant that was to be given to school districts if they implemented full day kindergarten, but that link has disappeared! I suppose they didn't want the public to see the real reason they changed things! Parents can decide for themselves if the enticement of more money for the school district had anything to do with the decision that was made.

Another consideration, if one is opposed to being taxed unnecessarily is that since kindergarten is not a legally required grade level in the Texas public school system, one might decide that it seems unnecessary for our state government to help pay for this unrequired level of education. What it amounts to, in my opinion, is free child care.

There are actually many good reasons for some children who are five years old to attend kindergarten for only half a day. For instance, many children that age get tired after a half day of school. Their attention span is not developed and cannot endure a structured environment for that long. They need a nap in the afternoon, otherwise they are quite unmanageable after lunch.

Some children just naturally sleep late, and starting their day around noon fits their schedule. I had one of those. It is amusing to me that some kindergarten classes actually take time out during the day to take a nap at school. Why not let them take a nap at home where they are supposed to be taking naps!

Play is the work of children, and kindergarten children need to play whether they are in a structured school setting or at home. Their bones and muscles are not designed to sit in chairs for any length of time. They need to run and jump and skip and climb and roll on the ground, play games, and play with age appropriate toys most of their day. They need to be outside. If they do not engage in a great deal of boisterous physical activity, especially outside, their muscular coordination will not develop properly. They need to have unrestricted play time with no one directing their activities. Their fine motor skills are undeveloped and asking them to color and write all day is not normal for their age group. No one needs an educational doctorate to know these things. This knowledge used to just be a part of common sense.

Do a Google search on "kindergarten skills." You will find lists of things a four or five year old child should be able to do before entering the first grade. These skills are important for a child to know, and learning these skills can be acquired at home. Getting your child off to a good start in the first grade is very important, but the first grade in public school should try to accommodate all levels of skills during the first six weeks of school

Some kindergarten classes will include learning to read. Be certain that appropriate reading methods are used by the teacher who teaches your child to read. She should be using the phonics approach. Whole language methodology and curriculum have never worked and keep students from being able to read with fluency and comprehension as they get older. No other skill is as important to learning as being taught to read in the proper manner.

In my opinion, five year old children are likely to be a lot better off in the long run if they stay home with their mothers until they are six years old and play with their friends in their own backyards. I realize that working mothers cannot enjoy this possibility without some reduction in family income, but that also is a possibility that must be considered. Important decisions about matters of this nature are not always easy or comfortable. Just as a matter of opinion, if it's at all possible, the most important activity for a mother is to raise her own children! I can promise that the rewards of doing so are great. I actually feel sorry for mothers who do not get to see their children grow up--every day all day! I wouldn't trade one minute of that experience for all the titles or money or experience in the world, and I believe that our two children are a reflection of that effort and time spent by me...

Parents may not realize that there are reasons for the current educational philosophy that encourages the government to take charge of our young children as soon as they possibly can Public pre-school for all students is just around the corner. The next step will be to make both kindergarten and pre-school compulsory.

Parents should decide for themselves if such an agenda is appropriate. Let's hope the government continues to give us the option to at least have a say in that decision.

Parents should decide for themselves if such an agenda is appropriate.