From the article: Early Entry into Kindergarten for Gifted Children
Some people strongly believe that gifted kids should start kindergarten early, before they turn five. Others believe, just as strongly, that gifted kids should wait. Which group do you belong to? Did your child start school early, but you wish you'd waited? Or did you wait but wish you hadn't? Did your child start early and you're glad she did? Or did you wait and end up sorry? Tell us about your child and your experiences. Tell us what you think!
It will depend on the child
- My youngest brother and I would have benefited from going to school early. We were alike in that we were reading, doing math, and even riding bikes without training wheels before we started kindergarten (how's that for motor ability!). When we got to school we were bored bored bored bored bored. Every year from K-3 teachers recommended to my mother that we be moved up. My mother wouldn't do it. By 4th grade, we'd lost all interest in school. Unlike my brother, I hated the people in my grades--they were all stupid and slow and drooling immature fools. My friends were always a grade or two ahead of me. I took the GED the summer before my senior year, and aced it. The college where I took the test called me in to talk to me about attending college in the fall--with all my friends. So I did. It was stupid to hold me back. I hated school until I went to college because I was so bored all the time. My brother hated school, too, until he went to college.
- —AquariaSW
Mom knows best
- I wish that the school would listen to the parents, we are suposed to be our childs first and best teacher. My son made the cut off (by 15 days) but was not ready. I wanted to wait another year, but the school told me that Kinder was optional and if we did not send him this year they would put him in 1st grade the next year. Our district had just started full day kinder, and he was falling asleep in school. We had to get a special permit, and drive to another school to get him part day instruction. He has been on the edge, and falling behind ever since in 3rd grade they wanted to hold him back, we said no for social reasons. He is now in 5th grade, and advanced in math and just below grade level in reading. He has had full time summer school every summer ( home school when the school budget was cut)
- —Guest Heidi
Best decision I could have made
- My oldest exhibited gifted tendencies as early as a year old. Before she left the 1 year old room at her preschool, she was already recognizing upper and lower case letters and counting to 10. By the time she was 3, she was already reading books. At 4.5 years old, she was reading on a 1st - 2nd grade level. Many people... the preschool director, family and friends, all suggested just letting her start K "on time" which meant that she would have been 5.5. Thankfully, I researched a LOT of different schools and found a couple that would accept her in. Not even 5 years old yet, she is making all A's on her academic assignments and she has lots of friends in her K class. How in the world could it have been "right" to keep her back from progressing? She is doing so well and really enjoying school. This one-size-fit-all mentality is not for MY family. I am thankful for the wonderful school that we have her in now.
- —vlias
Early Entry
- My daughter missed the cut-off by 8 days. The local school district totally stonewalled us in our attempts to have our daughter tested. She had already attended kindergarten at her preschool, and the headmistress stated emphatically that she would be bored to tears and a bad attitude in public school K class. We opted to enroll her in a reputable Montessori school at that point, where she blossomed and was nurtured and given challenges suited to her capabilities and intellect. Best decision we ever made. However, the transfer to public school has been less than charming and we are now considering home schooling, as the high school politics are challenging, but the academics are not. My daughter easily outpaces and tutors her peers and upperclassmen, and she won't be able to drive until she's a junior! Wake up public education!
- —Quill13
Early entrance
- I am too pushing my daughter in early. She missed the cutoff by 28 days. It was a struggle at our current school (where I have been ten years!) so I moved her to another school who welcomed her into kindergarten with open arms. It is about the student and their capabilities. You can mold social skills, you cannot "make" someone gifted. I have three gifted learners (my daughter being the last one ) and I have always fought to get them what they need academically. The school system is for the average, not the exceptional. We ALL pay taxes so why should my tax dollars help those who struggle when the system does not help mine who is the exception?
- —Guest Mom of three gifted learners
No One Size Fits All
- In our state the cut-off date is September 1. My younger daughter is a November birthday and has been ready for Kindergarten since she was three, but I knew that wouldn't fly so now that she's four the school just tested her to see if she qualifies for early entry. I find out in three days. My older child is an April birthday child and was 5 years, 5 months when she began Kindergarten. Unfortunately I feel she could have used an extra year and entered Kindergarten as a 6yo. So as you can see, there is no easy way to answer this question. The lady who tested my 4 year old did tell me that if for some reason the committee chooses NOT to place her in Kindergarten to promise her that I would put my daughter in SOME Kindergarten (i.e. a private school that will allow it or homeschool).
- —Guest Mermaid
Now or Later?
- My oldest son was VERY MUCH ready for kindergarten at age 4 1/2. But in our state, he couldn't even be tested to start at that age, because his birthday falls just a little after December 31. That's the law. So instead, he started kindergarten the next year, at age 5 1/2, and was reading 3rd grade books while his class learned simple words. He multiplied while his class counted buttons in a jar. But it was fun for him. When he got to 1st grade, though, he started getting into trouble. After two months, he was tested and moved to 2nd grade. Skipping has had its own challenges, and it's hard not to think that if he'd started kinder early, he'd be right where he is now, but without the trauma of changing classrooms and grades. My second son is also very smart, and definitely gifted, but was definitely not ready for school at 4 1/2. It's just his personality and maturity, not to mention potty-training issues!
- —Guest 3SmartBoys
Early Entry
- My son was eventually accepted early (he is 33 days after cut-off) and is now in Gr 2 and although the work is very easy he is much better off than he would have been if he had done another year at pre-school. My daughter now needs to go early but she has missed the date by 8 months and I am having trouble deciding what to do. There are no gifted programs in our area and teachers give the 'social' reasons for staying back although she's comfortable with older children. Such big decisions. But if you go early and it is not right they can stay back at any time? And if you wait it is very hard to grade-skip later on.
- —AlixWJ
Trust your gut
- We made the choice to accelerate our daughter's entry into Kindergarten as she missed the cut-off by 26 days. It was the right decision for her, though I encounter people almost every day who question my choice and my child is now finishing 4th grade and more than holding her own with some classmate 18 months older than her. Parents have to trust that they know their child best and understand that schools will always err on the conservative side in this debate. Did my child have some issues in first and second grade with some "age-appropriate" behaviors that other older students didn't exhibit? Yes. Were they detrimental to the class or her progress? No.
- —Guest girly mom
Embarking on the process
- My daughter missed the cut off date by 5 days. She is a high functioning Autistic with two years of preschool under her belt. I am split on having a 3rd year of preschool to see if we can improve her social skills and just fulfilling her drive for academics at home, or sending her to Kindergarten where she will already be ahead. Luckily, Portland Public Schools Talented and Gifted office will sort it all out for us in the testing process. I have decided not to decide. Of course I think she is ready...but I am ready for the process to tell me the truth.
- —Guest Openminded
depends on the child
- I, too, am soured on public school. I have a child who is 2 years ahead of age-peers. When she was tested for G&T, she missed entry by 1 point. When I asked if her score was compared to same age, or same grade, I was told that she was compared to same grade. They refused to allow her into that program. At the end of that year, I pulled her from public school. I am hoping to enroll her in middle school next year, which is also turning out to be an issue due to her age. She wants the sports/language opportunities that I can't offer her at home.
- —Guest mom2many
Early Entry
- I now have a son in 2nd grade who is the youngest in his class. He attended a Montessori school from the age of 3 through K. He started first grade in the public school system when he was 5, turned 6 at the end of October. Many of his classmates are a whole year older than him but I would not have done it any other way. He is still not very challenged in 2nd grade and would be incredibly bored if he didn't start K at an early age. These days people are holding their kids back with birthdays ranging from June-Sept., so kids are starting K at 6 or over 6. The same way schools have a cut-off for starting school they should also enforce it for parents holding their kids back just so they can be the tallest and best at sports. If your 5 year-old is not mature for K, he probably won't be mature enough at 6 either.
- —Guest Mom of Gifted Child
Early Entry
- My child started preschool at age 2 after an evaluation by the Montessori school we applied to. We were told our daughter would have to stay in the preschool room for an extra year because they never move children up who don't meet the age requirements. In a Montessori school classrooms are multi-aged. Pre-school & kindergarten (3-6yrs) are in one room. By the time my daughter was 5 she had finised reading everything in that classroom and they were brining work in from the 7-9yr classroom. My daughter became very sad and depressed the year she began kindergarten because she was so lonely. She had always gotten along with the older kids and they were gone. The school finally made the decision to move her to 1st grade by-passing kindergarten after 3 weeks into the school year. It was the best decision that could have been made. Now she's happy and motivated again, and finishing 2nd grade in 1st grade with her friends. Not starting our daughter in school early would have been a mistake.
- —Guest Smartcookiemom
Early Entry
- I always get confused when I see articles mentioning early entry. I tried desperately to get my son bumped into 1st grade when he was eligible for kindergarten. However, not only did the school director specifically state how they NEVER allowed a child into 1st grade who did not meet the age requirements, i.e., would be 5 before January for K, or would be 6 before January for 1st grade; she was also insistent that I must be "pushing" my child. He is still 5 and reads at 5th grade level, as well as being ahead in all his other subjects. The 2 1/2 hour K-program would not have been accessible for me as a working, single parent, so instead I just manage with odd jobs at home and home-school him. The entire experience soured me on the public school system, and I've yet to find any "real" gifted program in the schools. Their main concern appears to be social skills and chronological age, not academics. Home-schooling works best for us in this case.
- —Guest Singlemom1
