Kindergarten Assessment? (day care, home, high school)

[mamaof2]

my son will be starting kindergarten in the fall (2008) and i am wondering if NC gives the children some sort of screening test before they can enter school? if there is, what do they need to know ?

[lamishra]

In Wake ,they do the assessments during the first week of KG. Basically, they only go to school for one day during the first week of school. They're assigned to a teacher for that day and that teacher does the assessments. The next week when they start full time, they'll get their teacher assignment for the rest of the year. I don't think there is anything they need to know. The assessments are just to figure out where everyone is and divide the classes up evenly.

[RDSLOTS]

Basically, the kindergarten assessment is to determine 'readiness,' and what the child may already know. Some little ones, because of efforts made by parents or because the child has been in a daycare setting or preschool, will already be able to color, cut with scissors, write his/her name -- little things like that. When I was a child, those skills constituted kindergarten, but today most children already have much of that mastered. Your child should know his home address and phone number, where a parent may be reached during the day, and have some social skills like sharing and taking turns, and having to wait for a response from an adult. Most kindergartens still have 'quiet' or nap time in the afternoons, so helping your little one learn to be still and quiet might come in handy -- even if he/she won't be actually sleeping. This is difficult for some five-year-olds because they don't nap at home.

[raleighjayne]

They don't have an assessment that your child must pass. I know one of the towns back in central IL did this. They asked the kids all kinds of questions and if they didn't pass they couldn't enter K. They don't do that here. They just get an idea of what your kid can do so they know what range of students they are dealing with.

[leighbhe]

my daughter started kindergarten this fall, and majority of the kids in her class could all write their name, knew all of their colors, could count to 20, and had been in some type of pre school, whether it was a part time one or day care.

The most important part of their year, to me, is that I can volunteer in the class so I am really getting a feel for what is going on in the classroom. They are learning the basics of reading, writing, math, but the thing that has surprised me the most (or maybe it is just my daughter, I don't know) is all of the social things that happen. There is a whole thing with friends, who is playing with whom, playdates, best friends, etc. I was surprised it happened at this age!

Anyhow, I agree with what everyone else said about the assessments. The teachers are just trying to figure out where everyone in the class falls in their ability level with reading, writing, reasoning, math, etc. The kids never knew they were being assessed!

Leigh

[teacher32]

I have a grandson in kindergarten. He is the youngest in his class and is having a difficult time with being as mature as the other students. His teacher is concerned with the end of year assessment. His academic skills are fine. Any thoughts about this?

[lamishra]

I don't know. I have a very good friend who teaches KG in WCPSS and she said that increase in "red shirting" is causing a shift in what was once considered normal KG behavior. Basically, there are so many people starting their sons a year late, that it makes it *seem* as if those boys who have age appropriate behavior are somehow socially behind, when in fact, they are the ones who are normal for their grade level. But the paranoia about having the "youngest boy in the class" prevails.
Not that that solves your issue, but if he is the youngest, he'll probably always be the youngest and the only way to rectify that is by him not the being the youngest (which means holding back a year) in order for him to compete with kids who are a year or more older than him. It sucks, especially if his academics are fine. I probably would not choose to do that, but I know lots of people of who do. My own brother has already made the decision to redshirt his son who is only two and half right now, so I think it becoming more and more of a regular practice.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by teacher32

I have a grandson in kindergarten. He is the youngest in his class and is having a difficult time with being as mature as the other students. His teacher is concerned with the end of year assessment. His academic skills are fine. Any thoughts about this?

If at the end of the year he is still not as mature as the rest of his classmates, hold him back. I've read that there's no damage done by making a child repeat at this age. I personally would take my chance with that instead of risking that he is socially immature relative to his peers for the next 12 years.

[boocake]

I don't think I would hold him back. The difference in maturity will decline as the child ages. There is a much larger difference between a child who is almost 7 versus a child who has just turned 6 as opposed to say, a child who is almost 10 versus one who just turned 9. And I will say, that a student get older, classmates are aware of age differences, and if one child is a year older than everyone else in the grade, they are marked as a child who "failed" a grade. This was even true in middle and high school, even if the child had been held back in kindergarten.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by boocake

I don't think I would hold him back. The difference in maturity will decline as the child ages. There is a much larger difference between a child who is almost 7 versus a child who has just turned 6 as opposed to say, a child who is almost 10 versus one who just turned 9. And I will say, that a student get older, classmates are aware of age differences, and if one child is a year older than everyone else in the grade, they are marked as a child who "failed" a grade. This was even true in middle and high school, even if the child had been held back in kindergarten.

If he's currently the youngest in his class, he won't be a year older than everyone else if he repeats kindergarten. Hopefully he has a good teacher that will be able to make a recommendation. Also, talk to the guidance counselor at the school. I would think the advice from those two sources would help make an informed decision.