WDYT A12?

gollywollypog · September 2013

My friend's little girl is a Kindergartener at a Magnet school. I found out yesterday they have to give oral presentations every Friday. They are graded on them. I think about that and I get anxiety. I have no trouble talking in front of people now, but as a kid I felt pretty traumatized by stuff like piano recitals, etc.

What are your thoughts on this? I feel like for the outgoing kids, the ones who have a natural tendancy to enjoy performing and entertaining, the extraverts, it's going to hone their skills and they'll profit from it. But for the shy kids, the ones for whom something like this can cause actual physical pain? I feel awful for them.

I don't see how a forced oral presentation in K can be a simplistically positive thing. Just curious on your thoughts. I was shocked. We homeschool, as most of you know, and I had actually never heard of this before so it's a new thnig to think about.

jodegaard · September 2013

I think oral presentations are used fairly commonly in other education cultures around the world. That being said, as a five year old, I would have hated that.

Tapthathank · September 2013

Wow. That seems really young! As a kid....and now as an adult I still get anxious about speaking in front of groups! But maybe it would have helped if a teacher had "forced" me to do it at a younger age.

I think it might be traumatizing to the extremely shy kids, but they might have to "get over it" if they have to do it every Friday. Maybe it will just become part of their routine and get easier and easier. Maybe that's the hope.

SJandVA · September 2013

Samantha just started K this year. She goes to a Catholic school. They said later in the year they will do a little assignment and present to the class. But they don't get graded on it. The teachers explained it as a way for the students to share what they did and get used to talking in front of people. But it sounds really laid back. The teachers are real caring and I don't see them forcing any of the students to say much if they aren't comfortable. I'm ok with this.
Your friends school sounds a little too much to me. I'm curious to see what the teachers on the board say.

austenfan919 · September 2013

CourtandNate said:

Although I have had pretty much the opposite of fear of talking in front of people, I think it may help aide those children from developing anxiety. If it is set as a commonplace early there is no reason to judge others nor to feel anxious later on. I'm sure the grading may not help the anxiety though...

This was my thought...if they start this early, maybe it will just be normal. I get nervous speaking to a group, but I don't know when it started. I don't remember being anxious about show and tell as a small kid.

The grading does sound harsh, but I think grading anything in kindergarten sounds harsh. Do kids really get grades that young now? Keeping track of progress, yes; giving letter grades or percents on things, that seems too much for 5 year olds.

rp-chicago-mom · September 2013

I think most kindergarten programs are developmentally inappropriate and this further proves my theory. Everyone wants us to catch up to other countries and we are going about it in the wrong way. If you want your kindergarteners to become more confident in speaking in front of people, I would suggest Vivian Paley storytelling. The children have time to tell stories to their teachers in free play. Then during group time, the teacher reads the stories verbatim how the children told them and other children get to act the stories out. It's more free form, closer to play, which does so much for literacy and confidence. I did that as my project when I was student teaching and by the end, the kids were writing their own stories on paper and dictating to each other. The whole class more or less learned to write and read from it.

latnprincess · September 2013

My ODS wouldn't have had a problem doing it. He's not shy at all, BUT I do think its a bit much for kindergarten. Come on now.

Megispreg · September 2013

I remember speaking to the class, but more like show and tell. That was fun, even as an introvert. I think this kind of thing could be beneficial. I agree that the grading part seems silly. I'm assuming it's not like a harsh critique, just that they completed the project?

RNbock2 · September 2013

gollywollypog said:

My friend's little girl is a Kindergartener at a Magnet school. I found out yesterday they have to give oral presentations every Friday. They are graded on them. I think about that and I get anxiety. I have no trouble talking in front of people now, but as a kid I felt pretty traumatized by stuff like piano recitals, etc.

What are your thoughts on this? I feel like for the outgoing kids, the ones who have a natural tendancy to enjoy performing and entertaining, the extraverts, it's going to hone their skills and they'll profit from it. But for the shy kids, the ones for whom something like this can cause actual physical pain? I feel awful for them.

I don't see how a forced oral presentation in K can be a simplistically positive thing. Just curious on your thoughts. I was shocked. We homeschool, as most of you know, and I had actually never heard of this before so it's a new thnig to think about.

Totally off topic. I am considering homeschool my kids. What curriculum are you using? I have so many other questions that I want to ask you! What age did you start? What was the reason that you homeschooled?

gollywollypog · September 2013

Megispreg said:

I remember speaking to the class, but more like show and tell. That was fun, even as an introvert. I think this kind of thing could be beneficial. I agree that the grading part seems silly. I'm assuming it's not like a harsh critique, just that they completed the project?

I'm wondering if it's more of a show and tell type concept. I don't know. That seems much nicer. I just know they have a checklist they are graded on, and that there is a three point grading system something like does not meet expectations, meets expectations, exceeds expectations. And that they have to come prepared, I'm not sure if they have to read off a prepared paper or if it's "memorized".

gollywollypog · September 2013

RNbock2 said:

gollywollypog said:

My friend's little girl is a Kindergartener at a Magnet school. I found out yesterday they have to give oral presentations every Friday. They are graded on them. I think about that and I get anxiety. I have no trouble talking in front of people now, but as a kid I felt pretty traumatized by stuff like piano recitals, etc.

What are your thoughts on this? I feel like for the outgoing kids, the ones who have a natural tendancy to enjoy performing and entertaining, the extraverts, it's going to hone their skills and they'll profit from it. But for the shy kids, the ones for whom something like this can cause actual physical pain? I feel awful for them.

I don't see how a forced oral presentation in K can be a simplistically positive thing. Just curious on your thoughts. I was shocked. We homeschool, as most of you know, and I had actually never heard of this before so it's a new thnig to think about.
Totally off topic. I am considering homeschool my kids. What curriculum are you using? I have so many other questions that I want to ask you! What age did you start? What was the reason that you homeschooled?

I use My Fathers World and supplement with Singapore Math, Explode the Code and several other electives on and off throughout the school year.

I started when J was entering K. He went to two years of preschool. A went to one year of preschool and I kept her home her second year, she started K this year and J is in 2nd grade.

We waffled about what we wanted to do until J was almost done with preK and we were faced with making a choice. I didn't want to have to work full time to afford private school for the kids and miss out on A's time at home as a little one. I didn't feel our public school was the right choice for us. My H and I both felt God leading us to the decision to HS one weekend, in separate incidences. So we both felt at peace with it after that and committed to it.

Feel free to ask me anything you want! It's tough at times, but for sure the right choice for our family.

austenfan919 · September 2013

gollywollypog said:

Megispreg said:

I remember speaking to the class, but more like show and tell. That was fun, even as an introvert. I think this kind of thing could be beneficial. I agree that the grading part seems silly. I'm assuming it's not like a harsh critique, just that they completed the project?

I'm wondering if it's more of a show and tell type concept. I don't know. That seems much nicer. I just know they have a checklist they are graded on, and that there is a three point grading system something like does not meet expectations, meets expectations, exceeds expectations. And that they have to come prepared, I'm not sure if they have to read off a prepared paper or if it's "memorized".

I just asked my sister, who teaches kindergarten, and she said they don't give any sort of grades to kindergarteners at her school. The kids' assignments get stickers for what they do right. The teachers give the kids assessments through the year, but the kids don't get the results and there are no letter grades.

That grading system you described doesn't sound as bad as giving them letter grades, but it still seems more than a 5 year old needs. Esp. having to prepare it ahead of time.

ETA: clarified wording

amaite · September 2013

The grading is what bothers me about it.

I think it is ridiculous how some schools are grading such young children. My friend showed me the summer reading list she received when she enrolled her daughter in kindergarten, and besides the list of books the parents were to read with them, there was a list of projects to choose from for those parents/children (who hadn't even started kindergarten) who wanted to earn extra credit toward the first marking period. I was blown away.

AggieDaner · September 2013

I'd say that's about par for the course for a magnet program, and as long as the class sizes are fairly small I can see how it could be really beneficial. It also depends a lot on how the teachers approach the students who are afraid and that sort of thing.

Cbarajas08 · September 2013

The US, with the exception of a few states, has adopted the common core standards which include listening and speaking components. My assumption is that the teacher is basing the presentations on these standards. I think weekly presentations are a bit much not to mention the time it would take away from instruction. As far as grades, we do give our Kindergarteners grades.

SJandVA · September 2013

Cbarajas08 said:
The US, with the exception of a few states, has adopted the common core standards which include listening and speaking components. My assumption is that the teacher is basing the presentations on these standards. I think weekly presentations are a bit much not to mention the time it would take away from instruction. As far as grades, we do give our Kindergarteners grades.

This is interesting. I don't really know much about common core standards I've heard it mentioned in the news. Virginia is one of the states that doesn't use it though.

rp-chicago-mom · September 2013

The US, with the exception of a few states, has adopted the common core standards which include listening and speaking components. My assumption is that the teacher is basing the presentations on these standards. I think weekly presentations are a bit much not to mention the time it would take away from instruction. As far as grades, we do give our Kindergarteners grades.
This is interesting. I don't really know much about common core standards I've heard it mentioned in the news. Virginia is one of the states that doesn't use it though.

That's great VA doesn't have them. I am not a fan.

rMe6411 · September 2013

I think it is the grading that bothers me about it. Otherwise, I think it is great. I think the earlier they start the better they will be in speaking and listening. That's a skill most US students need to be more proficient in. Florida is implementing the common core standards this year too in primary grades so I can see why that teacher would be taking that maybe as an non-traditional assessment on a certain standard. The thing is that kids that young CAN do more than we think. Challenging them is never a bad thing. But it is just that, a challenge, so it shouldn't be graded.

DoctorsWifey · September 2013

I think starting public speaking at a young age will be very beneficial. I'm not a fan of public speaking, I disliked it in school and don't really care for it to this day. However, I plan to get my daughter comfortable with public speaking starting at a young age. I don't see how it could be harmful at all, the younger the better I believe.

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