My guy in K is bored with the work. He excels in it, and is probably at 2nd grade reading level, and 4th grade math level. You can't expect a teacher to be able to challenge the highest kids, and dumb down for the lowest. Although the public school system expects it, and claims to acheive it, I beg to differ.

There is nothing wrong with complex, or easy challenges. PARENTS are the real teachers; the buffers of capability. Help your children through. Try to make it enjoyable, after all, they are only five.

I wish they pushed science a bit more, but I handle that on my own.

Originally posted by UnlimitedSky



Why do I have to be wrong and you right? You seem to be getting agressive or something.

It is just possible that we actually have the same views on child rearing but you are going into defense mode. No need.

This isn't about you being wrong. It was about pointing out something obvious. Guess what? I had 3 children do runway modeling well into their teens. Never once were any of them required to wear makeup to improve their looks. I never would have allowed it, anyway.

In recent years schools have instituted new teaching techniques and new programs. Most (48 states) are doing the common core program. They have completely reinvented early education and I am glad. The teachers I talk to love the new system. Yes, the kids are challenged and us parents need to participate in our children's education, but when I see my 5 year old sounding out six letter words and getting through entire sentences after 3 months of school I'd say it is well worth it.

These young children will probably be the generation that brings our education system back (I have some reason to not be convinced, though). I have spent time in class rooms using common core and the difference from when I was in elementary school (early 1980s) and today is remarkable.

As a side note I'd like to mention that the problem with education today is far from just the educator's and/or institution's fault. Parent's, look at the spoiled, undisciplined, disrespectful kids you send to school these days. I'm not above that either. My daughter says things to me that I would have gotten my head slapped clean off for and too often I let her get away with it.

A typical high school today offers a degree of education far beyond that of 20 years ago. Like the old saying goes though, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. What happens if a student fails a grade? The parents come to school raising heck. It isn't their kid's fault. That's if the parents are involved enough to come to school even then.

I remember kindergarten being a lot less scholastic and more involved with finger painting and learning about stuff like the food of other cultures. Singing songs. Things that stimulate the growing mind.
And I still became a bookworm, see. There's no guarantee that literary analysis homework during the finger painting years will produce a classroom of advanced readers.

Even if it did, let me tell you, vast vocabularies and college level reading skills cease to be a novelty after grade school. Ooh, look at me, I can speed-read and complete the NanoWrimo challenge. So what?

Most books aren't even worth reading and should be scrapped. Bring on the history books or your fathers WW2 journal.