Reading at the start of kindergarten

[Phoebe]

Were your kids reading going into kindergarten? Mine isn't and my neighbor told me that most of the kids in her daughter's class were reading. I am now wondering if I should send my daughter to all-day kindergarten so she can have more of the repetition and maybe pick up some more. She wants nothing to do with learning from me. She knows all her upper case letters and most of her lower case and most of the letter sounds. I have to register in two days! I can't decide.

That is about where DD1 was around this time of year before kindergarten. She did do full-day but not b/c of concerns about reading. IMO, I wouldn't worry about it and go with whatever you were planning before talking to the neighbor.

DS will be entering kindergarten this fall. He can sound out some words right now. We are using the Bob reading book sets with him. We follow his lead, he goes months without wanting to read anything and months where he's really into it. I figure why force him until he has to, I don't want him to hate it cause of me being pushy. I do believe some do read into kindergarten, and some don't. Sounds like your daughter is totally in the norm.

She's in the norm. Jacob has been resistant to learning to read (he seems to not want to do anything until he KNOWS he can do it well), but the kids in his class fall all across the spectrum. There is one boy who didn't even know his letters which blew my mind. A few could read at the start of school, but that wasn't the norm. At the 1st open house our teacher said the goal was to have them all reading by the end of the year.

I say go forward as you'd initially planned.

[PrincessFiona]

Jenn, I wouldn't worry about it at all....I would still vote for all day kindergarten. The 1/2 day group does the same thing but on a compressed schedule. Most of the kids that I know that did all day did better academically. Just my experience here though.

kris

[Flynn]

That is about where DD1 was around this time of year before kindergarten. She did do full-day but not b/c of concerns about reading. IMO, I wouldn't worry about it and go with whatever you were planning before talking to the neighbor.

ITA!!!

Don't listen to other parents!!!! If you have real concerns talk to her teacher.

Reading BEFORE kindergarten doesn't necessarily mean A THING. Truly.

[Stella]

I was reading well before Kindergarten and I started at 4. However, my oldest younger brother was completely the opposite. Now, in our 20s, we both love to read. I probably enjoy it more than he does, but we're both pretty avid. I wouldn't worry too much!

[Flynn]

Early reading is not an indication of success in school.

ITA!!!!

While lots of parents put a huge stress on "reading before kindergarten" the above statement is true!!!

[Sheherezade]

No one here read befor kindergarten. In K, yes....but not before. I also think starting kids later for kindergarten has increased the numbers. Here, kids start a whole year in age older than where we started our kids. 6 year olds have a much greater chance of reading than 5 year olds. Still, no one expects it. I say do exactly as you had planned and ignore the reading issue.

[madeintaiwan]

I wouldn't worry about it. One of my friend's sons has known how to read since he was 3. But it was because she pushed it and he was receptive. DS couldn't read before kindergarten and had no interest in it. We just had our parent conference and DS is in the top 1/4 of his class for reading. He can read Hop on Pop on his own. He is one level away from 1st grade reading. We never pushed him or drilled him. Personally, I have a thing against rote memorization/drilling ( I know for some things it is necessary) but I always stress problem solving/critical thinking. They all will learn their ABCs and numbers and to read at some point, but problem solving/critical thinking is a skill that I find some adults still lack. I really feel like kids balance out (in terms of letters, numbers, reading) by 2nd to 3rd grade. In K and 1st grade, you have kids who are behind, kids who are above. But most get on the same page around 2nd to 3rd grade with only a few kids below and a handful of kids above. DS goes to half day kindergarten. I didn't like the idea of full day kindergarten bc they make them take a nap. For me, I feel that I send him to school to learn and socialize, he can take a nap at home. Every kid is different, with different learning styles. When I did my internship in a second grade class I got to do reading assessments on the students, you would be surprised the number of kids who can barely read at the end of 2nd grade.

[diggitydot]

Do not worry about your children reading before Kindergarten. Most schools want their students reading by the end of that year, but certainly don't expect them to do so before.

Of my three kids, the two currently in school didn't read before Kindergarten, but did so by the end of the year. And both of them are exceptional students who are part of their school's accelerated readers program.

Seriously, do not listen to your neighbor. If you have any questions about your child's education or development level, talk to their pediatrician or teacher. If they don't have a teacher yet, talk to someone who teaches at the level your child will soon be in.

Good luck!