Happy birthday Des! My dad is 65 today. The April Fools angle is so obvious this year that I won't bother commenting. My dad asked me on the phone today whether we had settled on a plan for Lola's education. This question may sound "foolish" to some (sorry, I had to do it), since Lola is approaching 2.4 years old, but in our family the standards for education are high. All four of Lola's grandparents were educators at some time in their lives. One grandparent has a Ph.D. Two of the women in the next generation have Ph.D.s (including me). My siblings and I were reading by the time we reached kindergarten, Lola's cousin Brooke has already acquired the same skills (she began reading--not just learning to read) at 4 and a half.
This blog is my ongoing meditation on good ideas for Lola's schooling. Everyone is welcome to comment and give suggestions.
Ruled Out for Pre-Kindergarten (4 years old): Montessori School (the enriched environment is most helpful for children who lack parents who are professional educators). Mom's thought: "I can do it myself, for 0 dollars a month."
Ruled Out for Pre-Kindergarten: Heritage School, the private school up the road. $6500 total for three hours a day, ten months of the year. Mom's thought: "I can do it myself, for 0 dollars a month, and spend more time with my daughter, AND still pay for some childcare to cover my working hours."
Possibility for Pre-Kindergarten: The Primrose School: combines Montessori-like enrichment with traditional subjects like phonics.
Probably Ruled Out for Pre-Kindergarten: State-Funded Pre-K: Lola will probably be significantly ahead by this point, and the results of boredom usually include bad behavior.
Possibility for Pre-Kindergarten: Local Presbyterian school, IF they allow testing for grade level. Lola would technically have to be admitted 3 months early in order to attend pre-school during her fourth year and not her fifth.
Please record your thoughts here--K
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6 comments:
do they have a waldorf style school near you or near work? Those are supposed to be great. we live right near one, and the kids seem happy. From what I've read, these schools combine imagination, academic skills, and creativity. these schools encourage children to pursue their natural curiosity. it starts as early as age 1.
Hmm, since LK will have such an academically enriching life at home, I wonder if going with a pre-K that offers more creative/practical life stuff vs. academic stuff would be better for her at this point. I have no doubt that reading and numbers will come soon enough for her.
Utimately, it sounds like you have some really nice options...don't think you can make a "bad" choice no matter what you choose.
I had to delete my last post because of an egregious writing error--when will I learn to proofread?
Anyway, I'll record my thoughts again, and more thoughtfully.
Thanks for the suggestions. We don't have a Waldorf school anywhere near us, though. Susan, you may be right about the use of a practical pre-school education. Rosslyn said (in a real-life conversation) that the way the pre-schools address bad behavior is crucial. The school must make an effort to prevent cruelty and cliquishness. Apparently, the latter has begun to appear in kindergarten circles because of the children's exposure to shows like High School Musical. We thirty-something women would never have seen this type of behavior when we were in kindergarten: children were still innocent. Sad times.
Hey -K
Can you recommend some books for teaching and toddler development? I have a one year old. Thanks!
Hi Knowles,
Other than the usual suspect "What to Expect: The Toddler Years," I have nothing to recommend as yet. I think that the second year is just about making sure you set reasonable boundaries so you don't end up with a three-and-a-half year-old tyrant. The boundaries tend to include basics like "Don't run into that wall!" Interestingly, two kids I know who did turn out to be tyrants also significantly bruised themselves during the second year.--Hmmm.
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