help me decide - preschool vs MDO for Marion

kat.in.the.hat

Next fall we have the option of keeping Marion in MDO or moving her up to preschool, all at the same church school.

If she did MDO, she'd stay three days a week.  She's currently the second oldest child in her class and she'll move up a class (switch to being the youngest) over the summer session.  She'll likely stay in the next class up through the summer & fall semesters.

If she did preschool, she'd go two days a week (Tues & Thurs.)  She'll be the youngest in her class (she won't turn three until mid-Sept).  Preschool differs from MDO in that it's more structured, they follow a thematic curriculum,  but they still have daily crafts, recess and nap time.

Our long term education plans are full time homeschool, or part time homeschooling/classical education at a school.  If she does preschool, we'd homeschool (and I use that term very, very loosely) on Wednesdays just to give her structure three days a week.

I asked her teachers today what they thought, and they both said that she was intelligent enough to do the preschool work.  However, they said she has a difficult time with adjustments and they thought it would be hard for her to be in a class without her friends and be the youngest of the class.  They said her maturity might not be up for it.

What's really difficult is that we have to register her for one or the other now, and we can't switch once we make a decision.  And six months is a long time in a toddler's maturity level, so it's entirely possible that she'll be ready (maturity wise) by September.  I'm just worried that we're pushing her too much, but the flip side is that if she stays in MDO, she'll be bored to tears by the end of the school year (when she's closer to four.  We can't switch programs during the school year.)

Thoughts?

MrsMGR

Joe started preschool at a little over 2.5 yrs old. Most of the kids in his class are his age. He has done fine with the curriculum. From what I have read here and on FB, Marion is extremely intelligent and should do fine in preschool. I think MDO when she has the opportunity for preschool would be doing her a disservice in the longrun.

savannah11

 I guess it's a matter of what you want out of MDO/preschool.  Do you want a more structured learning environment for Marion, or do you just want socialization?  Does Marion thrive on and enjoy a structured environment or prefer to do more play?  At what point do you plan to start homeschool lessons?   Would you be open to doing preschool at home and using MDO for play?

 We've chosen not to put O in a dedicated preschool at all and I don't think I'm doing him a disservice in anyway.  His daycare subscribes to a homeschool preschool curriculum and they do a 1 hour lesson every day.  The rest of the day is dedicated to play.  O learns plenty in that one hour.  He's not behind intellectually or bored.  But he's also a boy and boys tend to learn differently. 

ayersfam20

DD is a very very smart kid so she was always moved up in her preschool classes to be with the older group. 

This was never a problem until Kindergarten and now 1st grade.  She can do the work no problem, but socially she is at a different place at just turned 6 then the 7 and 7 1/2 year olds in her class and grade. 

If I had to do it over again I say it's better to be the oldest and be socially comfortable than be the youngest always feeling like you're playing catch up.

mom2ll

We are sticking with MDO until at least 4, I don't think I'm doing them a disservice.  They learn a lot at MDO, and at home.  It's my personal opinion that they have plenty of time for schoo,l and right now they should be focusing on being little kids. They both love the social interation, singing songs, painting and learn by watching the other kids. 

kat.in.the.hat

savannah11:

 I guess it's a matter of what you want out of MDO/preschool.  Do you want a more structured learning environment for Marion, or do you just want socialization?  Does Marion thrive on and enjoy a structured environment or prefer to do more play?  At what point do you plan to start homeschool lessons?   Would you be open to doing preschool at home and using MDO for play?

I think if I knew what I wanted, I'd have an easier time with the decision.  Going off of advice I've received from my homeschooling mama friends, I want preschool to be where she learns to read and write.  But I don't think that's an expectation to have from my three year old, so waiting a year for preschool won't put us behind on that goal.

I'm going to have to start homeschooling when she turns five since preschool/MDO end at the end of age four.  We'll start kindergarten curriculum then.

Eliza would be in MDO three days a week, so I'd have that Wednesday to focus just on Marion.  Or, I'd have three wonderful blessed days all to myself.

It would be a lot easier if I could put her in preschool in January, that would be the perfect solution.

M&M614

Since you wouldn't be starting full-on homeschooling lessons for another couple years, I would not stress too much over having the homeschool lessons with her.  I've started this year, but that's mainly because I've wanted to get ourselves in a good place for starting Kindergarten in September.  So definitely don't that be a stressor.

If it were me, I would do MDO for another year and start preschool/reading next year.  I'm with bpaullo in that my kids have their whole life for school, she doesn't need to go when she's just almost three.  That's our schooling philosophy.  Sure, they'll learn stuff earlier, but not much more than you could teach her on the 2 days she's at home (homeschooling happens outside the books too!).

 Hope that helps.  Good luck with your decision.  It's definitely a hard one.  We've been "lucky" that we haven't had to make the decision because MDO/preschool just hasn't been an option for us.

horn_jm@hotmail.com

I would stick with MDO, unless you want her to start Kindergarten early (when she is almost 5 rather than almost 6).

CallMeKel

I think based on all the info you've provided, I'd stick with MDO for one more year. Why rush it and chance things?

darva

We ran into this same dilemma with Kaitlyn... We chose to stay with MDO.  I do not think it adversely affected her at all.   She LOVED the 3/4 class and wasn't bored.  It was what I wanted it to be ... A fun learning environment. I think at 3, this is more important than full out learning... Like the others said, she'll have a whole lifetime of school ahead of her, no rush to get started now.

Now, after she was 4 we did move her to St. Rose to go into an official "pre-k."  She has several kids that were in her MDO classes in her class now... And none of them are behind the kids that were in 'preschool" classes, in anyway.  At 4, she's now reading and writing (although... the writing still needs a lot of work! LOL).  

 

thumpofmyheart

bpaullo:

We are sticking with MDO until at least 4, I don't think I'm doing them a disservice.  They learn a lot at MDO, and at home.  It's my personal opinion that they have plenty of time for schoo,l and right now they should be focusing on being little kids. They both love the social interation, singing songs, painting and learn by watching the other kids. 

This exactly!! M will have plenty of years of "structured" education to come

kat.in.the.hat

we decided to stick with 3 day a week MDO and just found out today that Eliza has a spot open for one day a week as well.

hooray!

txbootsy

I would do MDO.

My son is staying with my mom and we are doing pre-school at 4.

We will do library days, AWANA, and VBS starting at 2 for learning and socialization