What the... Is this what Kindergarteners learn?

reply to post by UnlimitedSky


Everything that my children are is a result of myself, my wife and their surroundings.

(8 year-old daughter, 6 year-old son)

When I converse with my wife or friends OR CHILDREN I use words well beyond that which you have singled out as inappropriate for young ears. I strongly disagree with your premise that the kids need not be subjected to this.

My kids get ample "kid" time, daily. When we talk, sometimes they will ask me "what does that mean daddy" and I will explain it to them - no harm done and they have learnt something.

They are still little sprites and I love them for that.

I will prepare them for the real world - conformity can go and take a flying leap.

Originally posted by mr10k
Ok. My sister recently got a couple questions regarding a book she was supposed to read in class. Keep in mind this is Kindergarten....

1. What is the problem proposed in the story?

2. Can you name an alternative for the solution in the story?

3. What are the characters in the story?

4. What is the setting of the story?

5. Did you like this story? If so, what did you like about it? Would you recommend this to a friend?

Are these the questions K-ers are supposed to answer these days? Also, there are actually 12 questions in total, and she has to answer ALL of them. These aren't just her questions, they were given to the whole class. And I think she gets one like this every week, I believe.

I don't remember even one day of kindergarten or having homework in kindergarten for that matter.

I don't see anything wrong with the questions. If my kids get homework like this or any homework at all, I'll be right there with them to help them understand, re-interate the questions & learning points, and send em back with confidence in the subject and a sure fire passing grade.

The only question I see anything wrong with is the one about imagining an alternative ending. I'm not sure if a 5 year old has the developmental capabilities for such thought patterns. I'm no child development expert, but I am left wondering.

Originally posted by mr10k
Ok. My sister recently got a couple questions regarding a book she was supposed to read in class. Keep in mind this is Kindergarten....

1. What is the problem proposed in the story?

2. Can you name an alternative for the solution in the story?

3. What are the characters in the story?

4. What is the setting of the story?

5. Did you like this story? If so, what did you like about it? Would you recommend this to a friend?

Are these the questions K-ers are supposed to answer these days? Also, there are actually 12 questions in total, and she has to answer ALL of them. These aren't just her questions, they were given to the whole class. And I think she gets one like this every week, I believe.

This is fairly vague. Those are questions that require an ounce of thought and I agree with them; regardless of whatever was read to the mushy little minds. Keep in mind 200 years ago, kids (akin to the level of society that most live in today) were learning about Aristotle, Plato, Law, Science, the Arts; now? Just the basics.....

Originally posted by obnoxiouschick
reply to post by mr10k

 

Yes it's shocking that they expect more and more out of the very young these days.
My son is in 2nd grade, when he was in 1st they had him do not just 1 but 2 "book reports". General outlines of the story but still it was a lot for such little kids. And what's sad is that parents want this more and more too.
I think educators forget that kids this age need learning to be fun and not have such high expectations.

Yeah
Tell that to China

What's wrong with these questions?

Too much analysis for a five year old.

At five years old the average human brain is in information mode. These kids should be learning
about the world, gathering and stockpiling information, not analyzing data. At that age the brain
is like a sponge for information.

I have a child in seventh grade and I am amazed at some of the curriculum and the methods
used to teach. Her math class has no text book for reference...you learn--in class--a spoken
lesson and are sent home with homework. She is doing math equations I didn't have until
10th grade. The other problem I see is a lack of emphasis on general basic learning. She has
peers who struggle to add two numbers in their head, but are expected to solve complex equations.
I think we are glossing over the basic fundamentals like the example in this OP

I

I noticed this in my granddaughters homework a while back. The story was just a kids story. Maybe they designed some kind of conditioning into the story but they did a very poor job if they did. I couldn't see wasting their time trying to analyze something like a kids story. Teaching kids this will make them over-analyze things that don't need analyzing. I doubt if the teachers agree with some of this new method.

I see a cartoon on PBS called Dinosaur Train actually teaches kids about real things, or at least our present perception of reality's history. I see nothing wrong with this or some of PBS's other cartoons that teach civility.

Children develop at different speeds. These questions would be perfectly acceptable in a "gifted and talented" Kindergarten class as most of those children can usually already read and they are a little more advanced in their thinking processes. However, for an average 5 year old it is a little much, as most of these kids have not even mastered their ABCs, much less learned to read.

I think that maybe the point of such homework assignments is to force parental involvement as most children at that age would not be able to do it without help. The problem with that is there are always going to be some parents who can't or won't help their child, and those children are going to fall far behind and start to get an inferiority complex that could end up lasting a lifetime. If they are going to give such small children assignments like that I would hope they have student teachers or teacher's helpers to assist the children who aren't getting help at home.

reply to post by mr10k


I personally don't feel it is too much and here's why.

At that age, children are not supposed to be let loose to do their homework on their own. At that age, the school is expecting the parents to sit down with their kids and actually do their homework with them. Homework at that age is supposed to be a family effort that provides the parents with an opportunity to get involved in their child's instruction and education.

It's not like an 8th grader where you tell them to go to their room and do their homework. Instead, use this time to sit with them at a dining room table, sprawl it all out, and do it along with them.

My son is in the third grade and we still have this time together in the afternoon. You are right- a 5 year old will not be able to do that homework by themselves but I don't think the school is intending them to.

Originally posted by perpetrator76

Originally posted by UnlimitedSky

Originally posted by mr10k
Yes I understand this is not that severe, but it's just when did they make it so intense for 5 year olds. I mean it's not bad to challenge them but I mean really. One of the questions was even "]?". It's just I was never asked things like that until like 2nd or 3rd grade, and she isn't even 1st grade yet.

I don't mean it's bad. It's good, but I mean, when did this happen is what I'm saying.

edit on 12-11-2012 by mr10k because: (no reason given)

Dear Mr 10K

This is outragious! What can you describe as the beginning, climax, and winding down point in the story

For a 5 year old??!!

What are they trying to do to these kids?

I strongly disagree with you. You say you don't mean it is bad. It's good....................!

No Mr 10K, in reality, this is very very bad for kids. There is nothing good in it.
Expecting a young seedling to produce shade for 10 people is bad.

My heart cries for what they are doing to our kids.

They cannot possibly percieve climax or winding down yet and it can only lead to pretending they understand and actual confusion at a time when their perception of self is vulnerable. Perception of abstract concepts only start developing later and is not appropriate for a 5 year old. They are still finding their way into the concrete world and is not ready for any of these things. It is a shame.

Yes, I worked with small children for very long and truly understand them.

I love how you equate a child to a seedling, go hug a tree hippy and actually learn something and be a parent. Dont tell me you're also one of those parents who dont punish their kids and make them sit in a chair against the wall for 5 minutes.... give me a break

edit on 13-11-2012 by Gemwolf because: Fixed broken tag

Hey!

I am neither a hippy nor the kind of mother who punish my kid by making her sit in a chair against a wall for 5 minutes. If I punish it pertains to what went wrong so a connection is made.

I don't know if I have simply been blessed with a very lovely child who has never had the need to be put against the wall for 5 minutes (not my style of punishment anyway) or if I am simply doing something right. However, my frieds strongly believe the latter and consult me regularly. Threads on ATS about kids are the ones I will probably reply to because I know my subject.

There are times when I allow her to make mistakes without interfering (depending on the circumstances) as I do believe that man learns through EXPERIENCE and if we take away all those experiences before they happen we deprive our kids of valueble skills such as being able to predict the consequences of our actions, and learn through experience.

However, when she does make a mistake or an irresponsible choice I do not freak out. Many parents view their children's actions as a personal attack or insult, which it absolutely is not.

Yes, I do punish my child when needed. Admitting that it has not been needed much. She had a very rich childhood (not financially) in which she climbed trees, moved continets, got dirty in the mud, etc but has blossomed and grown up suddenly in the past year. I go at her pace. She is now 13 (just turned on 5 Nov) and wanted to do modelling very badly so I let her. I do not push and I do not hold back.

She needs the desk right now to come and prep for exam and told me to please move. (I kid you not, I don't ever ask her to go to bed now, study now, or anything. She just does it because she has learnt the consequences of being tired at school, doing badly if not studying - her own pride being effected, not any rejection from me- and I am extremely proud of her.)

Does this look like a kid with a hippy mother?????????



Ok, then. Do I look like a hippy mother?????????




There really are ways to bring up kids that are pleasant for both parent and child.
Prime to it all is RESPECT. Both ways!

Hey, must go. Lest she pushes me out the chair!

Originally posted by AshleyD
reply to post by mr10k

 

I personally don't feel it is too much and here's why.

At that age, children are not supposed to be let loose to do their homework on their own. At that age, the school is expecting the parents to sit down with their kids and actually do their homework with them. Homework at that age is supposed to be a family effort that provides the parents with an opportunity to get involved in their child's instruction and education.

It's not like an 8th grader where you tell them to go to their room and do their homework. Instead, use this time to sit with them at a dining room table, sprawl it all out, and do it along with them.

My son is in the third grade and we still have this time together in the afternoon. You are right- a 5 year old will not be able to do that homework by themselves but I don't think the school is intending them to.

Yeah, been thinking it over and I guess this is actually good for them to stimulate their minds somewhat. Still on the fence a bit. Although I still think the "would you recommend this to a friend" question was unnecessary.

reply to post by mr10k


When I was in Kindergarten, I learned multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, memorized all the countries in the world, the states, the planets, learned to read and write, all kinds of things. Youngsters are better at learning than adults. I don't see the problem with a good education system.

Did you think these questions were too easy, too hard, or irrelevant? It could be that different types of learning would be better for those at a young age, I totally agree.

Also, the school I went to allowed kids to learn at their own pace, so if some wanted to relax more than I did that was totally okay.

reply to post by mr10k


That avatar pic...

Because all kindergartens are familiar with words such as "Alternative". Could have made them more word friendly for them but for a Dr Seuss book it's within reason.

reply to post by Sissel


I think having to pay for driver's ed is a racket.

reply to post by darkbake


Seriously, they teach all that in kindergarten? God damned Australian curriculum and their dumbed down ways...

reply to post by mr10k


I kind of agree with that. I get asked that if I do a customer survey.

Originally posted by cetaphobic
reply to post by obnoxiouschick

 

Just wondering, how do you expect us to advance if we don't require more knowledge from our children?

I see this as society starting the "programming" earlier. To have them conform to a set way of thinking but before they are fully capable of actually comprehending the lessons.

Yes it is fully expected that the parent sits down and goes through all the homework assignments and breaks down the fundamentals. The basics like sentence structure aren't even explained. So when my son did his "book report" he wrote his answers but I had to explain that you answer a question back by using part of the question. The teacher specified full sentence answers not 1 word answers.
Who were the characters in the story? The characters in the story were.....
And yes I explain definitions to words if he doesn't understand them. He's been writing his own "thank you" notes since preschool. I think it is a lost art. If someone took the time to buy you a present the least you can do is take 5 minutes and write a note.
His strength is more with math, he wanted to learn multiplication in kindergarten.

We can not all have geniuses and little prodigies.

Perfect example of some of the parents I come across....
My son isn't the most athletic but he tries. It would've been nice since both his Dad and myself played team sports growing up but he likes playing soccer more as a social outlet so whatever. I start talking with some of the moms trying to see if any of their kids go to my son's school. This one starts on about her son reading at an 8th grade level, knowing 3 different languages, etc and she wants to place him at a private school that would push and challenge her kid more. These kids are 7yrs old all in 2nd grade. Her son stomps his feet, throws his head back, lands on the ground, kicks his feet. Full blown toddler type tantrum right in the middle of the soccer field. He kept screaming he wanted to leave. She was mortified, grabbed her kid and left.
Some of these parents dump a lot of money into their kids and expect results, as if they were more like stock investments or something.

This article is about declining creativity in the US.www.thedailybeast.com...
Creativity is what gets people to think outside of the box.
Creativity is what allows people to be inventors, scientists, entrepreneurs because it fosters original ideas.

I loved seeing my sons artwork from kindergarten.
Whatever happened to kindergarteners just drawing the "favorite part of the story".

I miss doing dioramas can we bring those back.

reply to post by nixie_nox


I think paying for driver's ed is a racket also. When I was in school driver's ed was an elective and free of charge. I think most school districts are slowly but surely trying to do away with electives at all, as they are requiring more and more mandatory classes. My own kids went to summer school when they were in high school to take some required courses just so they would have room on their schedules to be able to stay in the marching band during the regular school year- that cost us a pretty penny!

reply to post by Sublimecraft


I agree with you that using adult language when communicating with other adults is definately enriching to the child. This is vital for their learning process. When he grasps the conversation around whatever is being discussed but doesn't understand a certain word, and the asks for an explanation of that word, he is most definately ready for it's meaning. But introducing sophisticated words into a questionair directed at the child may not be such a hot idea.

It reminds me of when I lived in Italy and was learning the language. There comes a distinct stage when you can understand the language but not yet speak it. This is the same concept of how children are in the process of learning something that they are starting to understand but cannot yet use themselves.

As another poster pointed out: creativity is prime in education and in life skills. To little value has been retained form advanced creative activities at school. Critical thinking requires creativity and freedom to do so, not fancy programmed words and concepts which the child has no comprehension of.

I just wonder what exactly is the extreme hurry to push these kids. I am totally against dumbing them down and treating them with baby attitudes or speaking baby language around them. That is just stupid. But why can't we just be sensitive also to their pace?

Life in general has developed into a constant race to achieve the next tier, and have lost its wonder of being able to live in the now, and thus be really alive. It is part of the programme which they are enforcing upon these kids. Make haste!!

Life is not a competition and this is not a dress rehearsal. Every moment is the real thing and should be enjoyed as such. They speed these kids up to be ever unsatisfied in the now, living for the next step, and thus, life passes them by.