My 4 yr old grandson has just 'graduated'

stickywicket
stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
edited 1. Jul 2014, 09:21 in Community Chit-chat archive
From Day Care to Kindergarten :wink: But he lives in California so he has had a little graduation ceremony with all the tots in identical blue gowns and mortar boards. Part of me thinks it's ridiculous but another part thinks it's no bad thing to emphasise the importance of education right from the start. And they do. He has already been taught to count well beyond 100, he can write the alphabet in both upper and lower case, read and write his name and other simple words and do basic addition and subtraction.

Does UK Day Care do that? Would it be better if they did? (I don't think they do. ]Should little ones just be allowed to play instead?
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
Steven Wright

Comments

  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Aww bless what a lovely picture that must have made, I think that young children's brains are like sponges and its the best time to learn them anything, forget what country it is think it might be Japan they learn them languages from the age or 2..play and learn is my motto make it fun..
    Love
    Barbara
  • Slosh
    Slosh Member Posts: 3,194
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    The same curriculum runs from ages 3-5 years in English nurseries and reception classes which goes up to introducing basic literacy and maths. This means children can be moved on if they are ready. My Grandson turned 4 at the start of May, about 5 months ago he told his parents he wanted to learn to read. I gave them some suggestions, I am a teacher, reinforced what they were doing that was right and he will now choose to sit and write, his alphabet, upper and lower case and write a number of words. At present it comes naturally to him and he sees it as "fun", not work which is as it should be as ypung children learn best through play. When I taught reception there would always be a few children who started off at a higher level because they had been pushed by their parents but then tended to make less progress than others over the year.
    Every child is different, some are ready for learning earlier than others, and to some it comes easier than others. The most important thing is for parents to talk to their children, and teach them simple songs and nursery rhymes. Too many collect their children from nursery or school and continue their mobile phone conversations.

    Sorry, this is a bit of a hobby horse of mine.
    But congratulations on having such a clever grandson and I'm sure he'll continue to do well.
    He did not say you will not be storm tossed, you will not be sore distressed, you will not be work weary. He said you will not be overcome.
    Julian of Norwich
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Slosh wrote:
    Too many collect their children from nursery or school and continue their mobile phone conversations.

    Oh Sosh, don't get me started! One of the saddest things I've seen was when waiting in the GP's surgery. In front of me was, I presume, a grandmother with a baby in a pushchair. A toddler came out of the surgery with, again presumably, her mother and ran delightedly towards the grandmother figure - who put an arm out, not to welcome, but to prevent an interruption to the inane phone-call she was making, loudly.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Slosh
    Slosh Member Posts: 3,194
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That is so sad. Can't ever imagine doing that to either of my Grandsons. Mobiles are useful, but I think too many people have their priorities wrong when it comes to taking calls, very few are so important that if needed you can't just say "I'll call you back."
    He did not say you will not be storm tossed, you will not be sore distressed, you will not be work weary. He said you will not be overcome.
    Julian of Norwich
  • Starburst
    Starburst Member Posts: 2,546
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was actually discussing this with someone the other day. It appears it is something that is done in the UK. I think it's really sweet. For me, it's less about valuing education (not that it's not important, of course) and it's celebrating the children growing up and moving on to the next step in their lives.

    Although, as Slosh said, early years education go from preschool to end of reception year (when they turn 5), many children go to day nurseries and have celebrations when they leave nursery and start school. At the nursery I worked out, some children left at the age of 3 and went to the preschool attached to their primary and some stayed until they started reception year. We always had a wonderful end of year party/show/sing-a-long which all the parents attended. It was always a really special day and it was well loved by all.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Congradulations to your grandson! :wink: DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • mig
    mig Member Posts: 7,154
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Congrats to your grandson ,he must have looked so cute. Mig
  • LignumVitae
    LignumVitae Member Posts: 1,972
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That's very cute and a better way of marking his achievement and transition than a prom.
    Hey little fighter, things will get brighter
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I don't think there is any harm in starting reading, writing and counting at an early age as long as it is done in a fun way.

    My eldest Son was hyperlexic (quite common with autistic children). He taught himself the alphabet at the age of 2 by watching Countdown and could write his complete name and spell words like spider, tiger, xeros at 3. Sadly these children do not always retain the ability and this was the case with my Son.


    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein