Margie went to Franklin Elementary last evening for “Intro to Kindergarten for Prospective Parents” night. Came back with glowing reviews — it sounds like they have a really neat program, and they have a fine record. A third of the kids there are actually “outside enrollments,” from elsewhere in the district or from outside of it, which sounds pretty impressive.
The biggest question we face is deciding which K program to put her through. There’s a 2½-day course (Mon a.m., W, F or Mon p.m., T, Th), but there’s also an extended/enrichment 5-day-a-week program. The latter costs money, but that’s not the main worry. We’ve a little concern that it may be a “day care dump” for some of the kids, and we’d rather not get Katherine too involved in that — but, at the same time, I think both the expanded education and socialization opportunities of f/t school would be good for her, and I think she’s ready to be able to do it.
Sign-up is in a couple of weeks, so we have time to ponder over it.
Margie’s already wondering what she’ll do with her days without Katherine in the house (I suspect she’ll figure something out).
Oh if she is that bored I have a suggestion for filling her house again ;).
This sounds like a schedule designed to drive parents crazy. I was in AM Kindergarten, M-F. Many schools in CA offer all day K (which I think might be a little much), but with the push for pre-school as the “most important thing your can do for your children’s future” I’m suprised to see a 3-day a week schedule as standard.
The basic program is five half-days, which they cluster into two full days and a half (which adds some flexibility and removes some, to be sure).
I think Katherine can do the all-day K, esp. since the afternoon halves of the session are more enrichment/fun extensions of the educational stuff in the morning. I’m not already grooming her for which college she’s going to (which means I’m probably behind on my parental duties), but I think it would do her good on both a pedagogical and social level.
I remember kindergarden and it was a full day five days a week and there wasn’t a choice about it. I still wonder why that isn’t standard across the US with us as far behind as we are in education compared to other nations.
My K class was afternoons only (I don’t recall how many days per week, but I remember getting dressed in my “Tony” shirt for school after lunch).
And, in answer to your questions, Jackie, I suspect the answer is money.
JeffCo, prior to Hippy school, 5 days a week either mornings or afternoons.
Jim went to morning kindergarden at 4 yrs old (so he could go home ant nap) and afternoon at 5. I went all day for half a year and then transfered to first grade – I think I was too much trouble for k teacher!
Ginger
I think I had morning classes. I don’t really remember, probably because I only went for a couple of months before being booted up to first grade.
I need to turn off the “remember you next time?” setting for Jim & Ginger’s computer.
Seems a sad state of affairs when we spend a billion dollars a day to kill people in Iraq but when it comes to educating our children there’s no money.
Actually, I think it’s more like $120MM/day, but your point is taken.
Of course, we in the US also spend over $40MM/day on flowers, $88MM/day on cheerleading uniforms and equipment and clothing, and about $960MM/day on legal gambling. We also spend about $80MM/day on pets (purchase price, food, vets, goodies), about $70MM/day on wine, and about $9MM/day on CDs.
Its all a matter of priorities, I guess.
Decision points:
1. Is she a morning person, sagging in the afternoon, or does she have a lively afternoon most times?
2. What other opportunities are available for Margie in the down times?
3. Me, I’d plump for the 5 day a week, but only you know your kids.
Al’s history: at age 3, she did a 3 mornings a week playschool, which went for two years, then an “early fives” pre-kindergarten 5 mornings a week, then the year she turned 6 true,all-day, academic kindergarten. But her birthday is 5 days after the cutoff, so she was the 3rd oldest in the class in kindergarten.
The first couple of months of all-day kindergarten (which featured the after-lunch lie-down and listen to a story for half an hour, during which about half the kids would sleep) she was pretty tired and would fall asleep in the car going home, then she got the hang of it and was pretty lively all day.
I think she’s got the energy to do it. She’s more of an afternoon person than a morning one, but she is certainly up and active by the time school would be in session.