Preschool question for you all!

[helene1108]

Cole and Bella are now in preschool 3x a week, full days. Come August, they'll be transferring to the pre-K class (hopefully they'll be ready for kindergarten for the 2009-2010 school year). The preschool raised their tuition (effective September 1) by 10% and then also dropped down their sibling discount from 25% to 10%. That's a huge amount to us!! I talked to the director and the only thing she says she can really do is waive the re-reg fee, so we'll save $140.00. For the pre-K program she suggested that kids come either 3 full days or 5 half days in order to get the most out of the program in order to be ready for kindergarten. But there's no way our budget can accomodate the tuition increase for either option and I was considering dropping them down to 3 half days or 2 full days in September, which is more affordable for us.

At the same time, I want Cole and Bella to be ready for kindergarten and I don't want to slight them of getting the full benefits of being in pre-k. I know it's recommended now that children attend pre-K in order to be completely ready for kindergarten.

Anyway, I was just curious what you all are doing for your 3-4 yr olds, as kindergarten approaches? Are you enrolling them in pre-k, increasing the amount of time they spend in pre-k or are you gonna homeschool them to get them ready?

[Larkynsmommy]

It is going to hurt financially, but I am enrolling the twins this fall in pre-school. I haven't asked if they offer discounts? Doubt it, my babysitter doesn't.

[hutile]

I didn't send my oldest to preschool or Kindergarten.. (Our teacher options for K, where my dh worked sucked and we didn't get along - so she didn't go!)
She did just fine. Even made Honor Roll this trimester!

Kinder is just kinder. Schools should not push the kids to start school even earlier. Let them stay home and be kids for a little while longer.

There are a number of things you as parents can do at home to help prepare your kids for K.. why pay someone else to do it?

[ourtwinmom]

ours will do 3 half days but I would be just as happy with 2 half days, which is what they do now. IMO they don't NEED to go full time - I think she is trying to "sell" her program.

If you are worried, most Elementary schools put out lists of things they would like to kids to be able to do - like use scissors, starting to write, etc.

like pp said you can work on some of these things at home.

I like to use the other days for field trips to the zoo, park, museum - lots to see and learn! Or just hang out and let them have free play to be creative with no boundaries.

[helene1108]

I feel much better after reading your responses!! I was feeling the same way....they'll be off to school in no time and it would be nice to have them home for a little bit longer!! I like the idea of getting a list from the local elem school to see what is expected for them to know for kindergarten and then I can start preparing them on the days they aren't in preschool.

I really should start doing more field trips with them on the days they're home...maybe as the weather gets warmer I will!

[nateandmel]

OKay maybe I'm dumb, but what is the difference between preschool and preK?
I have been looking at preschools today. I am hoping to get them into a preschool 3 mornings a week in the fall. I was waiting since we are moving to a new town next month, but then I realized that preschools are filling up! Tomorrow I am going down (we are moving 45 minutes away) and checking one out that if in our price range (they only offer a 5% twin discount though!).

[hutile]

Congrats on your decision...
Speaking from experience (I taught preschool for years and have a degree in Early Childhood Education)
If your teacher says anything about your child NOT attending a preschool then they just need to learn to keep their mouth shut. Children who attend preschool do NOT start Kinder MORE READY than those who have not had the Pre-school experience.
I do admit their are SOME kids who NEED IT, those whose parents do not know how/or want to work with them at home. Some kids NNED more structure than is provided at home. But really it's just the basics.
You can get a list from the preschools on things that they are going to learn and do those things at home. Same thing from the schools, they can also provide a list.

I know alot of schools try to hold the Kinders back and extra year in kinder if they think they "need" it, but most of the time all it does is boost there test scores later. It makes those students in the 3rd-4th grade a whole year older and mature for the standardized tests...giving the schools higher test scores.

Most parents doen't realize that just because the teacher/school recommends you to hold the child back YOU DON"T HAVE TOO! They are your child, it's up to you!
When it was recommened to retain one of our's in the 2nd grade we told the teacher just to do her job, we would work at home and leave her alone.
By the end of the next grade she was testing at advanced and profiencent.
Save your money and take the kids on a vacation.

Ok, I went off on a tangent! SORRY!

[brighteyedboys]

My boys will be attending preschool 3 days a week from 9-2 through our church. They also did not offer ANY discounts for me either, aside from waiving one fee. Which saved $200 initially. I think it is great if you can afford it. My guys went when we lived in Indiana when they were about 14 months to almost 2 yrs tiwce a week from 9-1 and it made a HUGE difference in the way they interacted not only with me but with each other....

I haven't had the opportunity to put them in school since Nov 06 due to it was just too much of a financial strain. So, I am thankful things have turned around and it is now in the budget, (I sqeeeeeeezed it in ) BUT it is in there.

Good luck to all of you in your decision for school. I am looking forward to hearing stories in September about "first days" !!:proud:

[busyFLmom]

Florida has a Volunteer Pre-K program....they call it VPK. Kids can start the year before Kindergarden and its free to parents (our good ol' tax dollars at work). Its every day from 9am to noon and you get to pick which school they attend (from the ones who participate).

My boys are in an ESE program for speech and language delays. They started last August when they were 3 and will continue until they start Kindergarden. They attend thru our local public school....they have 3 classes. The boys get picked up by bus Mon-Fri at 7:20a and dropped off at 1:30p. Again...no cost to me since it is thru an Early intervention program. Their Pre-K program also participates in the VPK...so that the delayed children have mentors. But the waiting list is REALLY L O N G!!

[Ma Kettle]

Congrats on your decision...
Speaking from experience (I taught preschool for years and have a degree in Early Childhood Education)
If your teacher says anything about your child NOT attending a preschool then they just need to learn to keep their mouth shut. Children who attend preschool do NOT start Kinder MORE READY than those who have not had the Pre-school experience.
I do admit their are SOME kids who NEED IT, those whose parents do not know how/or want to work with them at home. Some kids NNED more structure than is provided at home. But really it's just the basics.
You can get a list from the preschools on things that they are going to learn and do those things at home. Same thing from the schools, they can also provide a list.

I know alot of schools try to hold the Kinders back and extra year in kinder if they think they "need" it, but most of the time all it does is boost there test scores later. It makes those students in the 3rd-4th grade a whole year older and mature for the standardized tests...giving the schools higher test scores.

Most parents doen't realize that just because the teacher/school recommends you to hold the child back YOU DON"T HAVE TOO! They are your child, it's up to you!
When it was recommened to retain one of our's in the 2nd grade we told the teacher just to do her job, we would work at home and leave her alone.
By the end of the next grade she was testing at advanced and profiencent.
Save your money and take the kids on a vacation.

Ok, I went off on a tangent! SORRY!

:goodpost: :ditto: to absolutely all of it.

The kids who NEED pre-school are the ones who need practice in social situations or have needs above and beyond average due to delays or family issues. Behavior and whatnot that the parents need help with.

Pre-school can be fun but is not needed. She's trying to boost sales.

I homeschool all of mine now. When I was teaching kindergarten I have to say you could not tell which students attended pre-school and who did not academically. Behaviorally... the preschool kids tended to be more comfortable the first week. But after the first week they were mostly all comfy.