Sam's growing up. He's three months to young too make the kindergarten cut for this year and I'm fine with that; he'll have a lot of time to be old and not much time to be little so I'm not in a rush. His birthday is in December so next week, when he moves into the classroom of the oldest kids at his daycare, he'll be the second oldest kid in the center. The center is also making a change where they'll be combining the two oldest groups into one larger group (age 3-5) that they'll then break into smaller groups of four to five kids for various activities.
I have to admit I'm somewhat concerned about this change for Sam. The teachers say that they'll be trying to bring him into more of a leadership role (ah, why does the idea of a four year old leader make me giggle?) because of his age and abilities. They also believe that the smaller groups will allow him to spend more time doing the things he likes to do with kids with similar interests and that it will allow the teachers to provide a more academic focus for those kids with the aptitude and interest. They've told us that Sam is very bright and has the ability to concentrate on tasks for long periods of time and that he already has the skills he needs to enter kindergarten.
I'm concerned that he'll be bored next year; that the teachers attention will need to be on the younger kids and that the more independent kids will just mark time through the year. He's loved going to school this year and has even asked if he can go every day instead of just the three days he goes. I want him to continue to be enthusiastic about learning and about seeing his friends, I don't want school to turn into something he dreads.
Is it a good thing to be one of the oldest and most mature (oh, and also one of the tallest) kids in the class? Will he really develop leadership skills?
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2 comments:
My sister held her boys back a year, even the ones old enough to make the cut. We also know a boy who changed schools, and at the new school, his parents enrolled him in 3rd grade again - he repeated, but none of the kids knew. Particularly with boys, I've never known anyone who regretted a later start in school. It's always had a positive result.
Since we were in the same situation with Abbie, given her December birthday, she is one of the oldest in her class. She was really pretty mad that she missed the cutoff, and had to wait another year. I don't think Sam will be bothered by being one of the oldest or tallest. Leadership skills? LOL...well, time will tell right?
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