Comments on: Competition Starts Early http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/playgroups-and-play-dates/competition-starts-early/ Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:34:13 +0000 hourly 1 By: Mommy Manners http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/playgroups-and-play-dates/competition-starts-early/comment-page-1/#comment-254 Mommy Manners Tue, 18 May 2010 12:51:24 +0000 http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/?p=579#comment-254 Cindy raises excellent points. The issue is not about helping a child that is struggling. The real issue is helping children who are ahead get even more ahead so that the gap is wider. It is getting to the point where everyone is tutoring, whether their child struggles or not, so if you don't tutor, you are suddenly doing your child a disservice. Again, I am not speaking to those who clearly need help catching up, but to the rest of the class who in kindergarten is already moving the bar higher through external pressures. Cindy raises excellent points. The issue is not about helping a child that is struggling. The real issue is helping children who are ahead get even more ahead so that the gap is wider. It is getting to the point where everyone is tutoring, whether their child struggles or not, so if you don’t tutor, you are suddenly doing your child a disservice. Again, I am not speaking to those who clearly need help catching up, but to the rest of the class who in kindergarten is already moving the bar higher through external pressures.

]]> By: Susan http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/playgroups-and-play-dates/competition-starts-early/comment-page-1/#comment-253 Susan Tue, 18 May 2010 11:47:34 +0000 http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/?p=579#comment-253 Mommy Manners someone commented on the blog that the teacher recommended tutoring for their kindergartner so they're doing it. it breaks my heart -- i can't believe the pressure we are putting on these kindergartners and ourselves with tutoring. The above was posted on F/B in response to a post I made here. If all kindergarteners are expected to be at a certain reading level by the end of the year by the school (and this is statewide), whether you agree with the standard or not, and your child was behind, would you not help them? Or would you do nothing because you don't believe in learning that much in kindergarten? Would you let them be even farther behind in 1st Grade? This person who posted the above F/B comment probably didn't have children who struggled. How is 45 minutes a week of extra help a bad thing if that child is the only one in the class who can't keep up? I don't feel pressured. I'm happy there are resources available for my child to keep up with the other kids. There's no reason to make her struggle next year by not getting her a little extra help this year. Mommy Manners
someone commented on the blog that the teacher recommended tutoring for their kindergartner so they’re doing it. it breaks my heart — i can’t believe the pressure we are putting on these kindergartners and ourselves with tutoring.

The above was posted on F/B in response to a post I made here. If all kindergarteners are expected to be at a certain reading level by the end of the year by the school (and this is statewide), whether you agree with the standard or not, and your child was behind, would you not help them? Or would you do nothing because you don’t believe in learning that much in kindergarten? Would you let them be even farther behind in 1st Grade? This person who posted the above F/B comment probably didn’t have children who struggled. How is 45 minutes a week of extra help a bad thing if that child is the only one in the class who can’t keep up? I don’t feel pressured. I’m happy there are resources available for my child to keep up with the other kids. There’s no reason to make her struggle next year by not getting her a little extra help this year.

]]> By: Cindy http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/playgroups-and-play-dates/competition-starts-early/comment-page-1/#comment-251 Cindy Mon, 17 May 2010 20:20:39 +0000 http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/?p=579#comment-251 tutors are around for like an hr or two most of the time and I don't think that that amount of time can possibly ruin all the fun of a childhood. lets pretend your child was struggling in Kindergarten with learning to read or math Kids not parents but KIDS know who the "dumb" ones are I was in the special math class in 1st- 5th grade and was bullied because of it If my parents would have had the resources to get me a little help early on My whole life could be different I don't have a bad life I'm very happy exactly how things are but my childhood would actually have a lot happier memories if I had gotten a tutor before first grade or well any time but before Kids started picking on me for being in the slower math class it still effects my life today I was never confident in math I would have my bachelors degree right now if I wouldn't have lost so many credits to failing math courses. I'm sorry to say it and it is not meant to cause you guilt but yes it really can effect the rest of your life if you are behind in school even in the beginning- baby is waking no time to make this read like an educated person wrote it sorry folks tutors are around for like an hr or two most of the time and I don’t think that that amount of time can possibly ruin all the fun of a childhood. lets pretend your child was struggling in Kindergarten with learning to read or math Kids not parents but KIDS know who the “dumb” ones are I was in the special math class in 1st- 5th grade and was bullied because of it If my parents would have had the resources to get me a little help early on My whole life could be different I don’t have a bad life I’m very happy exactly how things are but my childhood would actually have a lot happier memories if I had gotten a tutor before first grade or well any time but before Kids started picking on me for being in the slower math class it still effects my life today I was never confident in math I would have my bachelors degree right now if I wouldn’t have lost so many credits to failing math courses. I’m sorry to say it and it is not meant to cause you guilt but yes it really can effect the rest of your life if you are behind in school even in the beginning- baby is waking no time to make this read like an educated person wrote it sorry folks

]]> By: Mommy Manners http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/playgroups-and-play-dates/competition-starts-early/comment-page-1/#comment-249 Mommy Manners Mon, 17 May 2010 19:51:01 +0000 http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/?p=579#comment-249 There is absolutely nothing wrong in getting your child help. It just makes me sad that kindergarten has become so competitive that families already feel like their children are behind. Other families are worried that their children won't be able to compete, so they jump on the tutoring bandwagon and pretty soon everyone, even those who are not behind are being tutored. I certainly did not mean to offend anyone who is using a tutor. I'm just a little shocked that it has become so widespread in elementary school. There is absolutely nothing wrong in getting your child help. It just makes me sad that kindergarten has become so competitive that families already feel like their children are behind. Other families are worried that their children won’t be able to compete, so they jump on the tutoring bandwagon and pretty soon everyone, even those who are not behind are being tutored. I certainly did not mean to offend anyone who is using a tutor. I’m just a little shocked that it has become so widespread in elementary school.

]]> By: Susan http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/playgroups-and-play-dates/competition-starts-early/comment-page-1/#comment-248 Susan Mon, 17 May 2010 15:48:45 +0000 http://www.mymommymanners.com/blog/?p=579#comment-248 Our kindergarten daughter has a tutor for reading because she is behind the other students. This was recommended by her teacher. It's to keep her up to speed and not to have her fall behind even more. It has nothing to do with being competitive. I have haven't in either of my children's kindergarten classes run into parents who have tutors for "academic competitiveness". Is there something wrong with getting your child help if they can't keep up? Our kindergarten daughter has a tutor for reading because she is behind the other students. This was recommended by her teacher. It’s to keep her up to speed and not to have her fall behind even more. It has nothing to do with being competitive. I have haven’t in either of my children’s kindergarten classes run into parents who have tutors for “academic competitiveness”. Is there something wrong with getting your child help if they can’t keep up?

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