Options for Kindergarten/Grade 1 for Sept Bday - Plano / Frisco

[numbersguy100]

Originally Posted by NP78

That has not been my experience. At least with the Montessori schools I am familiar with (Dealey, Mata, St. James), reading is taught in Primary and the kids are already reading at a pretty proficient level (1st grade or so) when they move up to Lower Elementary (equivalent of 1st grade).

Back to the thread, I have seen Montessori schools very willing to move a kid up from Primary to Lower Elementary ahead of their age schedule if they are ready, even in the public Montessori's where there are more administrative issues to resolve with that process.

We looked at all the public and private Montessori schools in Dallas proper, as well as another in Irving, and none mentioned delayed reading. In fact, most highlighted that many kids are accelerated learners and will be reading early. I don't question PP's exerience (maybe the delayed reading is something popular in Austin), but I don't think OP should worry that Montessori would leave her kid behind.

However you'd definitely need to ask about the school's comfort a moving a kid up "early". Our son is an October birthday and we started him in preK before he was 3, so we asked all the places we looked how they felt about him being moved up to 1st before age 6. We still don't know if we'll use the option, but we wanted to have it if he seems ready. A few places said definitely not, some said maybe if he's really really ready (felt like they didn't want to rule it out but it wasn't something they encouraged), and some places said definitely yes we can assess how he's doing and if he's ready it's up to us.

[scoop19701001]

Dallas International School has a cutoff of 12/31 instead of 9/1. It is the only school in north Texas I have found that does this. I will warn you that if you read the Texas rules, they can STILL place your child in kindergarten again if they are not six by 9/1 regardless of them attending a private kindergarten (you have already addressed this with them testing out of kindergarten but just wanted to throw it out there. Google Kindergarten acceleration and plano and Frisco; there's a video out there that actually shows out of like 50 kids who tested, 2 made the first cutoff and only one actually got passed on to first grade. So it's not easy but can be done. I would definitely try and get them into a school based on where you are going back to. I didn't enroll in DIS this year and now we are definitely faced with some massive testing and placement in order to get her back on track in a grade she should be in vs. what a state legislator decided. Rather randomly.

[keribeth818]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

Primrose teaches to the 2nd grade level for their curriculum. My daughter did this and was bored to tears in regular Kinder thru 3rd grades. She started 4th grade this year. I hope she turns her brain on. If you go the Primrose route, you probably will not need the private tutor to ensure she is on track.

Montessori is a very different curriculum so you'll need to research it before putting her there. They don't even like to teach reading until 1st grade. They think the brain is not ready for that earlier, so you might actually think she's being held back if you're trying to get her ahead.

By the way, my daughter did test out of public Kinder and 1st into 2nd grade, but my husband was completely against her skipping any grades as she's a November birthday and did not want her that much younger than her peers when high school came around.

This is not true at all. Montessoris vary so differently you can't take an experience at one and assume it is the same for all. I have experience in two different schools. Both of my boys started reading skills very early. One reading independently at 4, the other at 5. For the OP, given the ages, and that you likely wouldnt finish the lower elementary cycle, it might not be the perfect solution, but one that would likely get you around the age cut off.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by keribeth818

This is not true at all. Montessoris vary so differently you can't take an experience at one and assume it is the same for all. I have experience in two different schools. Both of my boys started reading skills very early. One reading independently at 4, the other at 5. For the OP, given the ages, and that you likely wouldnt finish the lower elementary cycle, it might not be the perfect solution, but one that would likely get you around the age cut off.

By way of agreeing with you........our son attended a Montessori pre-school and 1st. He was reading well beyond age level and his math was more advanced than that throughout. I'd like to find the lady who was his key teacher and thank her but she seems to have vanished. She taught our kid Singapore Math for most of four years - he's been exceptionally advanced in anything math related since.

[keribeth818]

Originally Posted by EDS_

By way of agreeing with you........our son attended a Montessori pre-school and 1st. He was reading well beyond age level and his math was more advanced than that throughout. I'd like to find the lady who was his key teacher and thank her but she seems to have vanished. She taught our kid Singapore Math for most of four years - he's been exceptionally advanced in anything math related since.

I love how Montessori teaches math. They truly understand the concepts at an early age. I'm sure there will be some curriculum gaps when we switch to the traditional model in 4th grade, but the foundations in reading and math I am hoping last a lifetime. Always good to hear from a parent with grown children that have gone through the process. Thanks!