Jr. Kindergarten

[wretchedotis]

Not sure where to post the following, so I settled on general chat

My son is four years old, and did not attend JK this year.
I was hoping to put him in to JK, but the ex had other plans and withheld consent. By law, he must attend next year.

So I'm curious if anyone can give me an idea of the curriculum in class for Jr. Kindergarten. As he is not attending, I'm considering enrolling him part-time at a Private Tutoring/schooling facility so that he might not be too far behind the other kids next year.

Anyone think this would be a good idea, or a waste of money?
I mean, I don't know what they're taught in JK, really much at all? Or is it more like Daycare in the sense that no real learning plan is followed through the year?

[standing on the sidelines]

to me it is a waste of money. JRK is not like grade one etc where they are actually learning something. I think it is more like getting the kids to socialize and in some sort of routine for school. Sure they may learn a few basic things but if you and your ex have been working with the child at home with their colours and numbers and abcs then it will be alright, no damage done by missing JRK.

[mominont]

We did english JK in our house last year..Here are some of the items we did. I cannot stress enough the importance of reading. While my almost 6 year old would love a DS - I will not buy one until she can read!!

- Visual recognition of the alphabet
- Visual recognition of numbers upto 10
- Learning the sounds the letters make
- Cutting and pasting
- Science project with help from parents and displaying in the gym
- Can spell and print name

Towards the end of the year the teacher gave us her opinion on recommending the english or french route. We've gone into early immersion so I can't give you and idea of what is taught in SK.

Our daycare has weekly topics so I wouldn't really put it in the "no real learning plan". For example our daycare lady recently read Charlottes Web to the kids and they had to make a picture of each chapter..

[billiechic]

I think you can do everything at home. Focus on the alphabet, letter sounds and recognition. You could look at patterns (letter, numbers, colours etc). And start counting objects. You can pick up a curriculum style workbook from any dollar store, they usually say an age on the front.oh, and make sure you spend some time doing arts and crafts.

I would really recommend having him attend some sort of day program, but I think you mentioned that he is in daycare. As long as he has a chance to be social, learn sharing, team and group activities then I think he won't miss out on anything.

My sister and I never went to JK, we both turned out perfectly fine (at least I think so)

[dadtotheend]

I think it's an imperative that children attend kindergarten from JK onward. I regularly volunteered in both my kids kindergarten classes and continue to do so today with my SK'er. JK is much more than it was when I went there.

They don't just learn reading. It so so much more than that. I know that some folks think home schooling is fine, and that is good for them. Personally I don't think that is anywhere comparable to the structured learning that is offered by a professional in a classroom setting.

The ECE programs in kindergarten are heads and shoulders above what most kids would get if they were home schooled. It's not daycare, that's for sure. Kids get ready for learning in kindergarten, on so many levels. Unless you have a background in education, I would strongly recommend sending your kids to kindergarten. Even if the parent had an educational background, the child is missing out on critical socialization exposure.

BTW, I don't think it's law that children attend school until grade 1.

[billiechic]

I too agree that school is best, but the ex withheld consent, so I think you are trying to do you best here.

Do you have consent for the child to attend next year (2010)? If not I would be applying now. The judge ordered my ex to consent with all medical and health needs for my child, despite the joint custody we were executing. Your child is being prevented from obtaining a quality education and IMHO that is borderline in neglect. Is there a reason why your ex did not consent?

[wretchedotis]

Her and I are in the midst of litigation concerning custody.
It is my opinion that she is engaged in a systematic attempt to degrage communication, raise conflict, and degreade communication between ourselves. I am the Applicant requesting 50/50, and her response was for her to have full custody. Currently we are practicing 50/50.

Resently, she has moved from the city where we resided, to about a 40 min. drive away. It is obvious in hindsight that she refused consent as she was planning the move. I was not told of the move until after it had occured.

I think its clear her non-consent was a tactic (along with the move) to strengthen her case.

Our son is perhaps ahead of the curve in all these subjects you have all spoken of for JK. He doesn't read or print yet, but can count to 50, pronounce and recognize the alphabet. Both his Mom and I spend time with him in leaning exercises for shapes, colours, numbers, and letters.

So by the sounds of it, he should be fine.

I work, and put him in Daycare on my weeks. Mom is on welfare and keeps him home. So I think the socialization aspect is covered too, at least on my weeks.

Thanks for the input everyone. Its good to hear he's on the right track even though he's not attending JK this year.

[sufferer]

Hi

My son is attending JKG though its not much but I will see it as a base to senior kG.Buy him Some DVD's.Word factory,number factory etc.He will be a parrot within 6 months.Before my son even went to school he was fully updated due to these dvd's.He can even print the alphabets.Shapes,colours etc also can be easily learnt from their fav cartoons.

[billiechic]

watching tv is not the same as active learning. I would hardly equate DVDs with structured teaching.

[dadtotheend]

How is it that just because one parent refuses to consent to sending the child to kindergarten, that parent gets to prevail???

In Ontario, 89% of children attend JK and 98% go to SK. I know this because I drummed up these stats when my ex refused to send our eldest child to SK on Monday mornings in SK three years ago. Why is it that the parent who thinks the child shouldn't go to kindergarten gets to trump what virtually every other parent in the province is doing??? Hello???

If there is a disagreement b/w the parents, the child should go, like 89%/98% of his peers.

[dadtotheend]

watching tv is not the same as active learning. I would hardly equate DVDs with structured teaching.

Absolutely. No comparison. Kindergarten is da bomb for kids. It's awesome. Why wouldn't you?

[sufferer]

watching tv is not the same as active learning. I would hardly equate DVDs with structured teaching.

Ofcourse not.But here the situation is that the child is not attending the school.So this is just a substitute.Subtitutes are never better than the original.

[Mess]

Some of the more important things a child is learning in jk/sk is to socialize with a larger group of kids for long periods, and to be able to work independantly, or in groups, without constant one-on-one attention.

Home schooling can be totally effective, but if the child is going to move up to a school in grade 1, he won't get constant one-on-one attention like he gets at home. Several teachers at my children's schools have made the same comment at different times to me, that when home schooled children come into the class, they are often quite bright and knowledgable, but they can't work without the teacher constantly "holding their hand". They also have trouble with group work and teams.

Getting kids exposed to this in jk/sk lets them develop that part of their brains and personalities, while they are at a stage where the brain centres are growing. I mean this in a way similar to learning language, as toddlers we can learn languages increadibly fast because those parts of our brains are growning and active at that age. By age 9 or 10 we learn language at a much slower rate. Socialization, co-operatation, independance alternating with teamwork, these are skills that are necessary in life and the earlier we pick them up, the smoother the rest of our lives are.

[billiechic]

Ofcourse not.But here the situation is that the child is not attending the school.So this is just a substitute.Subtitutes are never better than the original.

The substitute for not attending school is active teaching, engagement by the parent, not watching tv. I do agree that tv has it's place, and you can learn from it, but there is very little thought processes and interaction involved. Yes you can learn things by watching or listening to them over and over (rote learning), but it is not the same as learning by doing or discussing. Kids need BOTH types of learning.

If you aren't actively involved and teaching your kids then they should be attending school, not watching tv. JMHO.

[wretchedotis]

How is it that just because one parent refuses to consent to sending the child to kindergarten, that parent gets to prevail???

In Ontario, 89% of children attend JK and 98% go to SK. I know this because I drummed up these stats when my ex refused to send our eldest child to SK on Monday mornings in SK three years ago. Why is it that the parent who thinks the child shouldn't go to kindergarten gets to trump what virtually every other parent in the province is doing??? Hello???

If there is a disagreement b/w the parents, the child should go, like 89%/98% of his peers.

Dude, you're preaching to the choir here.
I'm the Dad, she's the Mom. Enough said.