"We" have started reading. It happened a few weeks ago. At least, I got my first taste a few weeks ago when Banana went through two easy reader books. When I told her teacher the next morning, she winked at me and said, "She's been reading for me for weeks. She just turned the corner for you." The kindergarten teacher has a delicious bit of New York snark in her.
Today, we picked up her first chapter books for her to read on her own—a Magic Pony Carousel book and the first Magic Tree House book. I skipped over the Junie B. Jones books for now because they seem a little too idiomatic. I also didn't like the fact that the first one in the series had "stupid" in the title.
In any case, she did remarkably well diving into them. There are some words—"what," for example—that defy easy phonetic reading, and she gets a little frustrated with those. She's also having trouble with the combined vowel sounds, and I'm half-tempted to plop her in front of The Electric Company for a few hours. For my part, I'm looking forward to the moment when the balance of reading by memorization and phoneticization* balances out.
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Starting Kindergarten
This afternoon, Banana went to her kindergarten orientation. Parents were sequestered off to the school auditorium for an introduction to other teachers and an extended welcome from the principal. It was an odd dynamic – realizing that even though Banana was in pre-K at the school last year, this really was the transition to being a Big Kid.
Parents do not come in the room unless they are observing or volunteering. The kids have assigned places at the tables and folders for their work rather than just for the fun fingerpaint artwork. (In fact, I don't think kindergarteners fingerpaint any more.) There is fun stuff around, but this is definitely not playtime. There is no play kitchen area. There are no toys. There are no nap mats because kids at this age no longer require downtime, apparently.
In other words, this is no longer the kindergarten we grew up with. This is not half days. This is not naptime. This is not graham crackers and milk. This is real school. They will begin to learn math. They will learn to read. They will continue to build on the Spanish, art, and music skills they've developed in pre-K – for those who went to pre-K.
I wasn't prepared for realizing how much of a transition point this will be. My little girl will be doing homework and be challenged to grow up in ways I've seen in friends' kids grow up in the last year or so. It is both exciting and daunting.
Parents do not come in the room unless they are observing or volunteering. The kids have assigned places at the tables and folders for their work rather than just for the fun fingerpaint artwork. (In fact, I don't think kindergarteners fingerpaint any more.) There is fun stuff around, but this is definitely not playtime. There is no play kitchen area. There are no toys. There are no nap mats because kids at this age no longer require downtime, apparently.
In other words, this is no longer the kindergarten we grew up with. This is not half days. This is not naptime. This is not graham crackers and milk. This is real school. They will begin to learn math. They will learn to read. They will continue to build on the Spanish, art, and music skills they've developed in pre-K – for those who went to pre-K.
I wasn't prepared for realizing how much of a transition point this will be. My little girl will be doing homework and be challenged to grow up in ways I've seen in friends' kids grow up in the last year or so. It is both exciting and daunting.
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