How a Kinder Thinks (continued)
Level 6: Evaluation. The child judges what she's been taught and thinks over the ramifications. For example, weighs the pros and cons of a seven day week and decides if it's an appropriate amount for a unit of time or if she wished it were more or less.
By giving your kindergartener a new concept that's not beyond his mental limitations, you can watch him progress through the levels of learning. You can help him progress faster by asking a question that requires evaluation, such as how he'd feel if a week was eight days. For example, would he like to add a day on to his school week, or get another day off at the weekend? Which does he think is more likely and why? These sorts of questions encourage a kindergartener to think about time in a more challenging way, and to incorporate everything he remembers about time in order to make a judgment.
Most kindergarteners will be comfortable in the areas of knowledge, comprehension, and application, but just beginning to incorporate levels 4-6. That's perfectly normal. All of the guidelines in the world are only that... guidelines. Each child develops at her own perfect pace. So keep the expectations in mind but take them with a grain of salt. With your help, your kid will get there.
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Comments from readers
Does he feel betrayed by mom?
How can mom help him adjust?
my heart breaks reading your story. I used to teach Kindergarten before I had children of my own. I would be a very different teacher now indeed. However, PE is hardly a subject in school. It is one of the things that gets cut when funds to school get tight. The 1/2 mile run was probably to do with an initiative to get obese children moving and healthier for school. There is a lot of pressure now to get kids fit while in school since the epidemic of obesity is out of control. My daughter began Kindergarten this year also. ON the first day of school, she came back with a fever. That fever turned into pneumonia and she missed several days, also we had hurricane days missed too. She's had 8 out of 12 instructional days. After that terrible first week and missing nearly half of the second, she returned for 3 days. Then Labor Day weekend added a 3 day weekend. This past week was her first full week. She asked me everyday if she had to go. Each day is getting better, and I write to tell you that I promise it will. I used to watch kids crying at the door and hugging their mothers like they would never see them again. I just wanted to get them in order and learning while I was a teacher. Now of course I see their sensitive sides as mine reaches out for me. I tell her that I trust the school and what is going on in the classroom. this fills her with confidence too. If you allow her to hear that you don't trust the teacher or what goes on in the school while you are not there, she will be filled with anxiety, worry and doubt she can do it on her own.
Give her time to make a friend in Kindergarten. You will lose her in the way you had her before, but you will know that she will be happier. Best of luck and I know by Thanksgiving, you'll be putting her first day story into a scrapbook. I bet she turns out to be runner when she grows up.