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!
Teacher
- I am homeschooling both boys. As a public school teacher, I will not put my children through the ignorant red tape that are the public schools.
- —Guest Momoftwoboys
any idea?
- my 2 @ 11 mos twin kids can read alphabets,identify colors,shapes, and even solve puzzle....but they still can't fluently speak or construct sentences...is it good for them to enter in school at early age for socialization purposes?
- —Guest jy
what's the life benefit being ahead?
- Pros: -none that I can think of. Some people think kids will be less bored in school if they skip a grade, but really advanced kids will be bored even after they skip a grade because they are so advanced. Cons: -lack of social maturity -Physically slower development relative to peers. -academically advanced people aren't necessarily happier in life.
- —Guest Ed
It was me.
- My older sister and I both began kindergarten just before we turned 4. I was a September baby and she an October. My mother believed that since we already read at a second grade level and spoke in complete sentences that we could thrive in a schoolroom. I went through kindergarten without any problems, and then the first grade, skipping second and going into third. In fifth grade I was placed in an 8th grade algebra class and a seventh grade language arts. I moved from 8th grade into high school at age 12. I was in all AP classes and the gifted program and graduated with a 3.3 in December of the year I turned 16. Pretty promising right? I wasn't allowed to enroll into any colleges in my state, so I didn't. After high school, I got a job at a fire station. I am now 21, with two kids, an EMT, without a college education. The system doesn't actually believe in gifted kids. Treated a gifted kid as such won't help him in the long run. If he wants to succeed, he will.
- —Guest Devorah
let them start early
- I agree I'm a father of 4 kids I and all mykids haave later birthdays my oldest had a lil trouble.ajusting to K but has done excellent in 1st grade this year he is the 3rd youngest child in his class and he was on.princles scholer list on his first report card. All his friends are older but he,s totally on par or above most his friends athletically and socially I'M VERY GLAD we didn't start him late or hold him back. When itcomes to your kids try to do what's best for them remember it,s their lives to.....
- —Guest daboyz57
Don't do it!
- I see many people in here that are so happy about their child starting school early. What many parents are not thinking about is that school is also supposed to be fun too. Kids are supposed to be kids. My oldest, when tested for Pre K, tested at a 2nd grade level. He started kindergarten at 4.5 was in all of the advanced classes through elementary and middle school on the honor roll every semester. He just graduated high school with a 1.5 GPA, but he scored a 29 on his ACT. A stone wall hit once he hit high school. He was immature, socially awkward and physically outsized. He was unable to play any sport because he was not physically or mentally as strong as the other boys. He did not hang out with the kids in his class because he was immature. He currently hangs out with kids that are juniors in high school. High School was not fun for him, he did not have anything in common with the kids in his grade and all because he was “gifted” as a child and started school early.
- —Guest Confused Dad
I wished I could Early entry...
- We are "unoffically" homeschooling, with official homeschooling programs leveled at K and 1st grade my daughters gotten through the math K program meant for a year in almost 3 months she is 3.5, is almost done with all the science, social studies and writing better than half the kids. We're gonna have to homeschoold because they won't test her in. but if shes is almost complete at 3.5 and starting up on fist grade stuff already...how bored is she gonna be at 6 because her late birthday means they will make her wait a year later than 5. This is ridiculous to me. Since she could clearly do it by 4.5...I think kids should be tested into K. despite what there ages are. Most people due to her size, smarts etc. assume shes 5 already. and always gasp " are you kidding me she's only 3?"
- —Guest Wishing I could Early Entry
Early Kindergarten Entrance
- My son missed the cutoff in our county by 27 days. Our state requires an option for children who are "highly-abled" to test in. He took his test in April, and we waited for three months for his letter. He was accepted and will start school in a little more than a month. It was a long process, but I'm really glad that we did it. He's reading at a first/second-grade level and doing multiplication/fractions. I think that parents who think their children are ready should have them tested. We are our children's first teachers, and we know when they're ready. My best friend has a son who is two weeks older than mine, but still missed the cutoff by our state's guidelines. She opted not to have him tested, but it's because she knows he's not ready. Every child is different, but there's no reason to hold a child back if they are ready and eager to go.
- —Guest backusjenn
really listen to what is best for them
- While every parent thinks their child is gifted to some degree, it is difficult to determine true giftedness. Many things need to be taken into account and weighed equally. These things could include but not limited to maturity, social development with peers, can they work well with others or are they individualist, are they team players, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary development, and basic understanding of a given passage. Its great when kids can read on a high level, but what tends to lack is the grade level understanding of what was read. If chidlren enter kindergarten and are truly gifted, skipping a grade is possible and may be more age appropriate. But, should be determined by gifted personell that has worked with the child (of course with parent input). Accelerated education is coming and children can graduate at 15 wheather they are ready or not. Sometimes what we ask for is not what a child needs. What are their best interest?
- —Guest guest teacher
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
Arbitrary cutoff date
- I hate this argument that the oldest child is always the leader. I went to Kindergarten early, at age 4, and later skipped 2nd grade. Best thing that could have ever happened to me. Even being 2 grades ahead, I qualified for the Talented and Gifted program, took honors and AP courses in high school and received several scholarships for college. I have 2 daughters who both have late birthdays - 1 in October and 1 in December. Thankfully, I found a private school that allowed my 4 year old to be tested for K. From the very 1st month, she was put with the advanced group because she was already reading at a 1st grade level. She did have some emotional maturity issues but by working together with her teacher, there are ZERO issues now. In fact, she often corrects her classmates for inappropriate behavior.
- —Guest Mom Advocate for the Gifted
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
Gifted or Aspy?
- It seems that many of the supposed gifted traits read like a list of traits of Aspergers syndrome (and high-functioning autistic savants). I'm not saying that those kids aren't academically gifted (many are), but I think the assertion that gifted children often have, e.g., poor handwriting (and the attendant, and laughable, folk explanation for why) and other aspy traits is a bit short-sighted, don't you think? Children can be gifted and not be socially awkward. Oh, and by the bye, fine-motor coordination correlates with language ability, and the ability to sequence tasks. So if a kid has poor fine-motor coordiation, it would suggest he or she is *not* linguistically gifted. This is also in line with Asperger's children -- who overwhelmingly gravitate toward the sciences, math and engineering. (I do know what I'm talking about, btw, since I have aspy and autistic cousins, as well as many years of grad training in linguistics and psychology.)
- —Guest dad101
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