Kindergarten Woes

Ok - so when I was in kindergarten (back in the olden days) we had half-day kindergarten.  You either went in the morning or in the afternoon.  Afternoon in my case as my mother didn't like getting up so early to meet the 8am start (no wonder I'm not a morning person...hmm...)

So we went for like 3 hours top, we played in centers and listened to stories, had naps and snacks and then were picked up. And for the most part I think those my age did great - most graduated, went to college have good jobs, etc.  And I haven't ever had someone marvel about how I managed to make something of myself having only attended half-day kindergarten - egad!

Fast forward 2030-something years...kindergarten is now all day. Not just all day, but all day with no snacks and no naps.  Let me repeat myself - 5-year olds, 8am to 3pm, no snacks (not counting lunch) and no naps. They have a very structured day planned out every day. Saxon math, Saxon reading, writing, PE, music, computers, art and squeeze in a 20 minute recess after lunch. By the end of the school year they have to know basic reading skills, be able to count to 100, basic addition, and pass various other 'goals'.

WOW!  I remember each week we got to go search for one of The Letter People hiding somewhere in the school on Monday and that was the letter we learned all week!  Remember Miss A who sneezed a lot? A-A-Choo!

Now, I understand that the requirements for schools have gotten outrageous with all the tests (I'm in Texas so TAKS testing is front & center), but man...can't we bring back The Letter People?

Just a bit frustrated...my strong-willed, high-spririted, 5-year old son, T-Man started kindergarten this year.  We knew he would have an adjustment...and even his pediatrician said at his 5-yr visit that he thought he would do great "as long as he gets a patient teacher"...hmmm...

So we are on our 11th day of school today.  To date, T-Man has received 1 stamp for good behavior all day. His folder has been blank on 2 occasions, and he has gotten marks for conduct (sometimes multiple marks) on the remaining days.  And as a coup de gras, today, the 11th day of school - he was sent to the Principal's office. (Although he argued vehemently that technically, since the Principal was in the cafeteria, he never actually got sent to the office!)

His main infractions are interrupting, talking when he is not supposed to and (my personal favorite) 'Failure to allow others to learn". Apparently today he got in trouble 3 times (the magic number) and when the teacher told him to put his head on the desk he told her no and was promptly trotted off to talk to the Principal.

Most of the traits that are keeping him in trouble are traits that I want him to have when he's in his teens and older.  He is opinionated, he can argue with a tree (let's just call that stubborn), he's also very curious and always wants to know why and how.  That includes when he is told to do something - why? is his first question - and because I said so just doesn't work!

So tomorrow dear hubby is going to stop in and talk to the teacher in the morning and I'm going to give the guidance counselor a call...I really want him to succeed and learn to love school...

At the moment he is hating every minute of it and an experience like this could be a detriment to his eventual love for education...

Anybody have any words of wisdom?  I'm currently reading James Dobson's "The Strong-Willed Child", are there any other must-reads?
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