Do I interfere? C'mon teachers and knowing others!

[treedelivery]

DD is bright[ish - nothing unusual I don't suppose] and has a fab memory and attention span. She is 4 and starts a 'traditional type' primary in Sept. By that I mean limited free play and more desks and task orientated type learning - which I understand appears to be about to go out of favour. I actually imagine my dd will enjoy this as she loves order, rules, paying attentiona and towing the line. I'm blessed with the child that never had a tantrum - just needed an explanation.

So - she shows a real interest in learning to write and learn letters and read, add, subtract and think about fractions.

I feel that I should steer away from 'informing' her - and just expand on her problem solving skills and logic, looking at patterns, problems and solutions in nature and maps and pavements and whatever!

I sat in on a reception phonics lesson - they spent ages tracing a snake and saying SSsssss. Which is great, but she has this nailed to be honest.

Should I so what many do, and start her on this type of learning now. Workbooks, jolly phonics and all that jazz? I'm worried that if I do, she'll turn up at school, get bored senseless and turn off - only to wake up when the class has moved onto something she doesn't know. By then she might have no learning skills she needs for classroom learning and might falter! I imagine her attention span and willingness to learn would fade.
Am I best leaving it to the school to teach her this stuff their way at their speed - or should I follow her lead and get her reading and doing number skills, as she seems desperate to know and just loves 'studying'?
[She's found out about adding and subtracting on her fingers and seems to be telling the time too].
Music and numbers seem to me to be related and so I wondered about starting the piano or something? [Anyone I knew who was good at maths always had an instrument]I want to chanel this concentration she has but....

This is niggling me a bit so your opinions would be lurvly.

I personally have followed the leads of both my children. (I am not a teacher).

I bought loads of those books for DS and he whizzed through them and I was constantly doing 'questionaires' for him.
He never got turned off and whilst not 'gifted' is very bright and whilst would deny it now (he is 10), loves learning. I don't read stories to him, we go through quiz books and reference books.

I would never deliberately upset his schooling, I do think I still know my child best and just like I manage his overall diet, I keep an eye on feeding his brain also.

My DD is a different kettle of fish and absorbs information differently, so I approach it another way with her.

I don't suppose that is helpful, but just my opinion.

It's good to hear opinions!

None of us would upset the schooling of course, I agree with your statement there 100%
It is so hard as there are 33 individuals in a class so how CAN a teacher and assistants possibly know each one as we know our own? It's a mystery to me!

Encouraging to hear your DS never got bored or turned off - good school I guess!

I like his school and we have a very open relationship with them which makes things easy....he can be challenging.

Your DD sounds lovely

and school is not just about learning - it is about socialising with others, sharing, learning to listen, respecting others opinions, having arguments/disagreements with friends, solving the problem and making friends again! It is about taking your turn, choosing new friends, judging characters, playing outside, coping with crowds and noise - not just learning to read and write. I suppose I am saying it is the start of being part of the bigger society outside your immediate family.
Do all the writing/reading etc. with her if she wants to, but don't interfere with her school life too much. It will be such a huge part of her life while she is there, and she will no doubt gain the confidence she needs to sail through.

Ds had a reading age of around 6 when he started school and was still very happy to trace around the Jolly Phonics letters. In fact he was happy to do anything his beloved teacher suggested.

Once he became the oldest (children start on their 5th birthday and get moved up to the next class when it hits 18 children) he had the routines nailed and was a leader. He did a lot of reading to other children and with my teacher hat on (music not new entrants) I know you can learn more by explaining something you can already do than by always doing something challenging.

He did go into the next room to do reading and maths.

I am a teacher and agree with what RoseoftheOrient has said.

In addition, teachers have a responsibility to ensure all children are working at a suitable pace and are sufficiently challenged by their work. This goes hand in hand with the social/emotional aspects of school life in the Rose's post.

Do what you feel is right for your DD. It annoys me when I hear parents say things like "You'll learn that when you go to school" following a question posed by the child. If the child asks, then tell them. Learning happens everywhere and your approach definitely acknowledges this. You keep doing what you're doing and monitor what happens in the classroom. Speak to the teacher if you have any concerns.

BTW - I would wholeheartedly encourage the learning of a musical instrument. It can help with developing the mathematical side of the brain while also encouraging creativity. Go for it!

I forgot to mention that ds learnt the cello for a year before starting school. It was brilliant that he got to start when he had so much time to practise. It also countered some of the boredom that he was suffering from as he was ready for school at 4 and couldn't start until 5. Also it was unlikely that anything he learnt would need to be unlearnt at school.

You can expand her interests in all sorts of ways without actually doing jolly phonics and work books. Read to her, talk to her about interesting things, discuss the world with her, encourage her to make things up, teach her to cook or anything else that encourages basic science-skills. Musical instrument is great.

Phonics are such a minute part of the immense learning that any human being needs to do, let alone a bright one.

I think you're over thinking this - a lot!

If you feel like doing some of the stuff with her and she feels like learning it, go for it.

When she gets to school, she'll be assessed, along with all the other children and her teacher will set work for her accordingly.

The do group children according to ability and in our school, they will mix years for some subjects, so for example, the brighter kids will do some maths with the tail end of the year above etc.

and ditto what cory said!

So generally carry on as we are doing - and jury out on starting the same sort of learning programmes as the school does.

A teacher [primary] told me the best thing I could do was have her reading by starting school so thats where wondering started.

Doodle2U - I don't feel I'm over thinking and am certainly not worried, have questioning brain and so do like to investigate 'stuff'. I'm curious about how children learn, feel I'd like to support her schooling without being a sergent major parent, but at same time taking her lead and not telling her 'you'll learn that at school' as Raalix says.

It's a very exciting time. I look forward to seeing her socialising and finding her place in the world - she loves the pre school hierachy, taking turns and TOTALLY loves being an older one. Keeps draging newbies to the loo when they don't want to go! Be very good for her to not be one of bigger kids for a while.

Yes - OK, I see where you're coming from.

I agree with the teacher about reading. Reading seems to open all the doors on all other subjects as well.

One of my proudest & most gratifying moments was when DS came out of school on World Book day and told me he'd done no work all day because he'd read a Horry Henry book, cover to cover, under his desk, in the loo and during both breaks and lunch! He's very rarely without a book now and he devours both fiction and non-fiction.

DD, on the other hand......

I've always let me ds lead the way. I wouldn't worry about what she knows or doesn't know when she starts school. My ds (4.2 when he started school) could read and write when he started in reception this term. So could some of the other children but some couldn't even hold a pen and didn't know their letters/numbers etc. Teachers are used to teaching children of different abilities, especially so in reception, so I wouldn't worry about what you do with her between now and starting school.

My ds has started learning the piano at school and is desperate to learn the electric guitar too (too young for that fortunately). I am amazed at how well he is doing and what his piano teacher expects him to do for homework.

I agree with everything everyone's said about broadening her skills.

However, if she's ready and keen to learn to read, a few minutes every day teaching her isn't going to stop her learning all the other things children need and want to. DS2 was much as you describe your DD and I taught him to read in 10 minutes a day from about 3.5. We used to 'do reading' at lunchtime after nursery and before TV - he liked it. If a child's ready, it isn't an onerous process and you may find they pretty much teach themselves.

Hi, my dd started reading at nursery when she was 3.5, she started school in september and was the only one in her class (class of 12) who could read, we read stage 2 of the oxford reading tree at home last summer, i bought the home pack as dd enjoyed reading them at nursery. She knew letters from age 2 but we didn't teach her phonics (she's doing them at school), dd's school has only just started maths which dd loves.

I dont see any harm in teaching them to read if they want too but dont push it if they show no interest.

Im thinking about getting dd a guitar for her 5th birthday if she's not too small for one.