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Toddlers: 24 Months+
Am I not doing my job as his mom?
I am not sure if this is the board I should post this, so you might see it on another.
My son turned 3 on Sept. 18. He attends a catholic school. He started there in Aug of this year. Today I receive his report card and now it has me questioning myself as a mother, and a teacher. He received UNSATISFACTORY in writing his name in script, writing numbers, recognizing capital and lower case letters. And needs improvement on how to use scissors, drawing shapes and lines. After reading this I question myself, am I doing what I am suppose to be doing as his mom. I have taught him his ABC'S, numbers, colors, shapes. Trying to work with him on his speech. But I look at all these things they are saying he is not doing and I feel like I am failure. Have I failed him?
Other than venting, and trying to get this off my chest, my question to you guys is where does your 3 year old fall on the academic scale? I guess I would just like to compare, even though I know everyone does things at a different pace. Can someone help me feel better? I just want to cry.
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Re: Am I not doing my job as his mom?
First, NO you are NOT failing your DS as a mother. If, at three years old, he knows his ABC's, numbers to 10, colors, and he can identify basic shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, etc), then you are doing a STELLAR job. Especially if you are not a trained educator.
Second, there are a few points that I'd like to make here:
1. Writing is not an innate skill. It takes time to learn. He will, eventually, be able to write his numbers without problem. I assure you.
2. Recognizing the difference between capital and lower-case letters is ALSO not an innate skill. This will come. You'll probably start to notice this when he becomes an independent reader. Most children don't reach that milestone until four years of age, or even later in some cases.
3. According to everything that I've read, at three years old, children are only beginning to draw recognizable shapes. And if they want him drawing straight lines, maybe they need to reevaluate their curriculum, because drawing a straight line is nearly impossible without some kind of tool. Even for adults. Don't believe me? Try it.
4. As far as using scissors and writing his name in script...are you KIDDING me? At three years old, I don't believe that a child needs to know how to use scissors. And, for the record, neither my DH (who also went to Catholic pre-school/school until the 10th grade) nor I was expected to be able to write in script, AT ALL, until the 3RD GRADE.
If I were you, I would seriously reevaluate whether or not I wanted my child to be in a preschool program that sends home report cards to the parents of three year olds, anyway, but especially one that is expecting so much from a child so young. I agree with the PP, at this point, school is more about his social-emotional development than academic growth.
HTH
Wow !! what a terrible school. This sounds really militant especially for a 3 year old. What will they teach him next year...trigonometry? I would speak with the faculty about their expectations for children this age.
Yikes! You are not failing as a mother at all! I have a 3 year old as well, and I can tell you, he can not write his name, nor would I expect him to at this age. Preschool is to learn fundamental skills such as colors, counting, shapes, etc, not whether or not he can write in script.
I agree with the other pp as well. I would re-evaluate whether I would want to keep DS in this school. Pre-school is about a learning self esteem, and it obviously does not sound like he is getting positive reinforcement about himself!
i don't have a 3 yr old yet but just wanted to share that you are doing a FABULOUS JOB as a mommy and the school's expectations for a 3year old are ridiculous!
Total score: 6 pregnancies, 5 losses, 2 amazing blessings that I'm thankful for every single day.
Does script = cursive???? I have a teenage SS, so I know for a fact that cursive is not taught until 4th grade and he goes to a very very good school district. That's 9 years old.
Oh my! I think I'd have myself a chat with the teacher and if this is something they expected him to pass, I'd pull him. But it may just be goals in mind for the year, not hard core grades.
At his age, he learns through play, not by sitting and writing his name a million times. That's just insane. I would ask how much playtime they get... music,... physical activities vs writing/drawing/cutting stuff. That is important, don't get me wrong... but shouldn't be a focus.
My dd is 2 1/2 (3 in Jan), she knows her letters, recognizes all caps and most lower case. is just now really recognizing some numbers, can draw a circle and recognizes shapes and colors. She does not know how to write her name and I won't be pushing that one for a bit. Dd's preschool (in NYC) just expects her to use the potty by age 3... not write her name.
good luck! which school is he going to? My dh was from there (I'm from MS)
Scissors for a 3 year old? I barely let my husband use scissors...
I teach 3 year olds - in my class of 11 children - only one child can recognize a letter of the alpahbet besides the first letter of his/her name, none can write their name - but all of them are on track according to the screenings I do on them (Creative Curriculum Developmental Checklist, Deveraux Early Childhood Assessment, Ages and Stages?Questionnaire, Fluharty Speech Screening, vision and hearing).?
I assure you that you can find a daycare with a?curriculum?that is?developmentally?appropriate. Check out naeyc.org (families) to get an idea about what to look for in quality early childhood education.