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Old 10-03-2017, 01:52 AM
 
Location: Texas
44,256 posts, read 64,109,235 times
Reputation: 73914

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Yeah.
That's my son, too.
Reading level 2 and 3 books at 4.
Doing addition, subtraction, and multiplication, including word problems.
Rode a 2 wheel bike when 3.
Very even-keeled guy, gets along with everyone, never hurt a fly, not prone to tantrums.
Blah blah blah.

I inquired if he could start kindergarten at 4 since he'd turn 5 in November.
I was told no.

Because school really isn't just about academic ability. There is social and emotional stuff, too.

So he was the oldest kid...and he was the leader. The other kids totally look up to him and he's enjoying himself doing all the other work they have him do (spanish, art, pe, library stuff, cultural stuff, projects, blah blah).

He still reads and does math at home with us. And he takes piano and martial arts and soccer. He's happy, well-adjusted, and his teachers love him.
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Old 10-03-2017, 02:59 AM
 
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
10,931 posts, read 11,669,651 times
Reputation: 13170
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Skeffington View Post

What do you think we should do?
At least keep working with him, as you have.
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Old 10-03-2017, 04:34 AM
 
16,825 posts, read 17,646,586 times
Reputation: 20851
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Skeffington View Post
My grandson can read fluently (K level), and will not be 4 until next month. I've been working with him all summer, and he's been doing My Baby Can Read since a toddler. He can spell also. Worlds like "mountain", and his first and last names. Problem is, he misses the cutoff of Kindergarten for his school by six weeks and can not enter Kindergarten until he is almost six. That is in TWO years. By that time (with the way I am working with him) he'll probably be at second grade level. He can recite the alphabet FORWARD and BACKWARD.

What do you think we should do? His dad knows the school superintendent. Testing to get him in Kindergarten early is my opt, but they probably cannot do it. Or wait a year and skip Kindergarten to get into first grade? There is a local Montessori, but it is beyond their means financially. Daughter wants to home school him to keep him from "dumbing down", but I think he needs a classroom setting with other kids.

I spend a lot of time with him, and he does seem to enjoy learning (we make it fun). He LOVES reading, numbers, and letters, and spelling. He plays UNO. At three!!!

Should I cut back on my teaching and let him watch TV? Am I making him go too far too fast? His Mom read at age 4, and I took her to the library, but I didn't seem to push her.
Kindergarten is not going to be of much interest to a child who can read. My daughter was taught to read at the same age as yours by her preschool teachers. Kindergarten was boring for her, and with hindsight I wish I had red shirted her.

Just get him books, take him to the museum etc. but don't invest too much value into his reading early, it isn't much of a predictor anyway.
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Old 10-03-2017, 04:58 AM
Status: "Mistress of finance and foods." (set 24 days ago)
 
Location: Coastal Georgia
50,061 posts, read 63,405,659 times
Reputation: 92629
Your grandson will still be just as bright in 2 years. Don’t rush him. Spend this precious time with him exploring the world around him.
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Old 10-03-2017, 06:57 AM
 
Location: Saint John, IN
11,583 posts, read 6,678,956 times
Reputation: 14786
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coney View Post
More and more children can "read" at 2.5-4 years of age. I've seen 3.5 year old children intuitively see linguistic patterns and can sound out (decode) articles from our local paper, The New York Times. These children are literacy precocious, but not necessarily gifted. None of these children could truly comprehend what they read and even when they read a children's book, their inferential ability was limited to their age-related maturity. One common fallacy is that early readers will continue to be literary precocious. Not necessarily. It often levels off and they end up in the same place as other children who started to read at a later age. Some children are toilet trained at 2 and others at 4. Everyone eventually learns how to use the toilet properly.


I agree with the above! More and more children are learning to read at an earlier age. Mostly because they are going to a daycare/preschool early on, but of course parents are investing their time as well. Like others have said, it's not just about what they know it's a maturity level as well. Plus the fact that even though he can read and spell that doesn't mean he's comprehending what he's reading.


Most of our area is now full day kindergarten and IMHO I think going all day at 5 is too much. Let the kid be a kid! I'm not saying to stop teaching him, but don't worry about him starting school already. Just keep doing what you're doing! Trust me, there will be plenty of time for testing when your grand son gets to school and if he's gifted they'll let you know.
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Old 10-03-2017, 07:06 AM
 
Location: Texas
44,256 posts, read 64,109,235 times
Reputation: 73914
Yes, in order to make sure your kid knows what he's reading, I suggest you create multiple choice reading comprehension questions.

It's weird, but my son actually enjoys that.
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Old 10-03-2017, 07:12 AM
 
1,078 posts, read 929,918 times
Reputation: 2867
Don’t worry about it. If he is having fun, let him. He should be fine in a mainstream classroom from what you’ve indicated, and if he needs to be pulled out and homeschooled at some point go for it. Absolutely do not accelerate him by grade at this point or any point before about third. His social development is likely not on par with his reading; and that can be highly traumatic long term.
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Old 10-03-2017, 07:40 AM
 
Location: 'greater' Buffalo, NY
5,342 posts, read 3,834,079 times
Reputation: 7266
I could read at age 2. In kindergarten and first grade, I was in a reading group of one--my first grade teacher had me read the book Maniac Magee, which was 4th or 5th grade reading level according to my memory, but is listed on scholastic.com as appropriate for grades 6-8. Regardless, I loved that book. In second grade, I think my formerly one-man reading group merged with that of my higher achieving peers, as I don't remember being off on my own in 2nd grade. By that point the gap would have been closed somewhat and every kid would've at least been capable of getting through one of those 32-page picture books I recall from my childhood. Then I changed schools, skipped 3rd grade, and was back to something approaching Maniac Magee-level reading. Based purely on personal experience (beware the limited value of the anecdote!), I'd warn strongly against grade-skipping or starting him off younger than the rest. It can be a massive psychological burden to be seen as 'the smart kid'--I was seen as that in my K-2 years to some extent, but because I got along well with the other kids, it ultimately wasn't a social hindrance or a source of bullying or what have you--in fact, I was popular. At the new school, I was definitely singled out based on the fact that I'd skipped a grade, and it took me a couple years to figure out how to handle it. I'm not sure that the problem was ever solved completely. No amount of feigned indifference or efforts to get a laugh can change a perception that's so rigid. My younger brother is in a couple senses (memory, intuitive grasp of advanced math) smarter than I, and yet he was actually held back a year due to developmental issues. His K-12 experience was incredibly 'normal'--much moreso than I would've predicted for him, and much moreso than what I myself experienced. And I can conclude that he's been better off for it.

But, ultimately, regardless of course of action, a lot of it is based on the luck of who he happens to draw as his classmates. That's the most underrated aspect of school life--the social environment, not the curriculum or quality of teachers, and really, no amount of planning or assessing school district/private school ratings etc. can address the issue of the makeup of the 'incoming kindergarten class'

Last edited by Matt Marcinkiewicz; 10-03-2017 at 07:52 AM..
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Old 10-03-2017, 08:29 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,611 posts, read 57,588,206 times
Reputation: 46039
You like to teach? Kids like to learn?

Don't ruin the poor kid by sticking him with a bunch of peers. Homeschool them and develop their ability to communicate and relate cross generationally and cross culturally.

There are huge social and academic and relational benefits to home schooling.

Just imagine 4-6 week field trips immersed in history and geography. How bout living overseas with them amongst other cultures? Worked well for ours! Might work for yours.
The parents might JUMP at the opportunity. Mine sure would have!

Thank goodness for grandparents or I would have never made it to age 16 (when I was able to leave home)
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Old 10-03-2017, 08:41 AM
 
Location: STL area
2,125 posts, read 1,378,208 times
Reputation: 3994
A lot of kids can read well before K. It really doesn't indicate anything unless they are many many years ahead. Now, if he's also doing higher level math and understanding concepts way beyond his years, you may have something going on, but reading at a K level at almost 4 when taught to do so is not indicative of anything. And it's the easiest thing for teachers to individualize as he starts school.

My kids went to Montessori, all reading before K (but I didn't spend any time pushing it). All still reading well above grade level (yet my older 2 have an expressive language LD). But my main reason for wanting them in that environment is that they were also ahead in math, top 1-2% per testing for their LD. It worked out well in all respects...well worth the cost.

I mean, honestly, it's wonderful to work with him and let him develop academic interests. It's just that, if they live in any sort of educated area/great school district/area where parents tend to value education...he's not going to be outside of the norm in any way just because he can read. Half my kids' classes in K were reading Magic Treehouse and not Bob. And the ones that were reading Bob books in K? They read the exact same books as those advanced kindy kids by 3rd/4th grade anyway.
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