Preparing for Kindergarten

So Joshua graduated from preschool yesterday and I am so excited for him and for what's to come. I've often said how frustrating I've found his preschool and how much I was looking forward to when he started kindergarten. He's been at a federally/state funded program since before we finalized and I have considered multiple times changing his program. It's a Highscope program, and although it may be good, I couldn't really say since I know nothing about it, or I should say I only know what I've looked up myself. It seems to be a bit like a montessori, which to my mind basically means that the kids can pick what they want to do and focus on what they want. I've never understood these programs because life isn't like that, and my experience with adults who have been schooled in this type of program has been...difficult to say the least. And I just feel like he's such a smart boy and I want him to learn all he can and all he needs and I was just never sure of what he was doing at school and I'm just that parent who wants to know and to be involved as much as possible and appropriate, but this program didn't allow for any of that and I found it frustrating.

Now though, Joshua is moving on. He graduated yesterday, and today had his kindergarten testing and I learned that he seems to have learned enough to move on. He identified all his letters, except K, I think, which he initially said X. He self corrected on a couple of letters. He identified his numbers 1-10, and counted up to 20 with no problem. He identified his colors, and shapes, although he kept calling the circle and 'O', and only seemed to stumble when he was supposed to identify the different word out of "little, little, kitten, little" and "come, came, come, come" and one other I don't remember. The teacher asked his which one was different and he looked and looked and then asked, "different starts with d, right?" Poor baby, he was looking for the word, 'different' versus which word was not the same as the others. And then there was the 4 pictures where he had to say what was happening in each picture. He was pretty basic with his statements and the teacher said that he needed to work on 'speaking in full sentences'. Which is funny given how much he speaks and how well he generally does.

I'm excited to see how much he learning expands and how excited he is at his new skills. I'm also really excited to be more involved and help out in the classroom. Now something I have to think about it that the one kindergarten teacher who is returning is pregnant and will be out the first two months of school, the other teacher is a new teacher, but I think only new to the school not the district. I think I would rather him be with the same teacher all year round than have a new teacher two months into the year, right? Oy vey, so much to think about.

But we're excited for it all and we'll see what's what starting August 29th!!! Yay!! :)