Delaying kindergarten
BevK June 6th, 2007
Of course, I’m of the notion that you should delay school period. By that I mean, homeschool and ease into academics. I delayed reading with my youngest son until he was ready to read. This was well past the point he would have been expected to read in school. A few weeks ago he attended a lecture by Bob Brier, a professor of ancient Egyptian studies. My son had chosen to read his book on Tutankhamen after listening to Briers lecture series from the Teaching Company. Yes, he was delayed, but look at him now. So, what this woman has to say about delaying Kindergarten is relevant, she just doesn’t take it far enough.
When should your child begin their schooling? When they meet certain developmental milestones? When they’re completely potty trained and over separation anxieties? Or when they reach a certain age? Children develop at vastly different rates, all within a range of “normal”. This is a hot topic right now around the country, as schools and parents struggle to keep up with the increasing demands put upon our children to learn more and learn faster. This New York Times article examines the current trend of “redshirting” children.. holding them back a year before beginning kindergarten.
In fact, the issue is not new at all. It’s more a return to the way things used to be. When I was in kindergarten 30 years ago, it was more about play and learning to be a part of a larger group. It was only a few hours a day filled with play and friends. Today’s full day kindergartens with little recess was a shock to me when we encountered it with our oldest. I firmly believe children need more time to be children, not less. It’s in direct experience with things that we truly learn.
