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Parenting
Would this concern you about preschool?
When DS entered preschool this fall, I asked the director if she thought he was placed in the wrong class because of some of the activities they were doing compared to the other class (His is 3 yo; the other is 3.5-4 yo.) and he would be 3.5 in October. She said that usually if their birthday is after January, they place them in this class.
Well, we met with his teacher last night for our first conference, and she said that he could very well move up to the other class based on how well he is doing. I hesitate to do this because he has just started to really make friends. And I do like his teacher. I don't know the teacher in the other class, and he still has another year of preschool before kindergarten. (He goes for 2.5 hours, three days/week.)
However, I was concerned because she said she is having a hard time with the class right now. Apparently, they have a waiting list for the younger class, so when they turn 3, they are moving them up to her class because she has room. She said they are at a completely different stage developmentally, and she is even changing diapers! She really feels it is holding the older children back because she could be doing more age appropriate teachings but she can't.
She does intend to split them for circle time beginning on Monday. And she says she could give us take-home work if we want it.
What do you think of this? Would you move him or wait it out? He started at the end of August. So it has been two months.
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Re: Would this concern you about preschool?
My first thought was just to leave him where he is (since he's making friends, etc.) When my DD was in a toddler program at daycare she was always one of the last to move up because of where her birthday fell with all the others and she really seemed to thrive on being the "big kid" in the class. It was not awkward at all.
However if the *teacher* is having a tough time and things seem to be getting overcrowded, I'd say move him now since it hasn't really been that long in the grand scheme.
First, I'd probably talk to the director and express frustration that they are planning to move younger, non-potty trained children into your DS's class. Unless this has always been their policy, I'd complain that moving kids that much younger changes the dynamic of the class dramatically and is not what you signed up for. Basically, I'd just point out that although it may seem to make financial sense for the school to be able to enroll more kids this way, it completely violates the age-appropriateness of the classroom and therefore makes the preschool experience much less than it ought to be.
If they are insistent on this plan, I'd move him up to the older class. I would likely try to help that transition by taking him to visit the other class, and seeing how he likes it first and then talking to him about the possibility of switching.
He'll make new friends and has most of the school year to be in the older class.
Go with the move.
First I would talk to the director to express your concerns and the teacher's concerns about she said with having a hard time challenging both the older and younger kids. (It sounds like she needs an assistant or additional training.) Next, I would talk with them about a transition plan up to the older classroom. A well-laid plan will allow your DS to have an easy transition.