Thursday 5 June 2014

What is the right age for kids to be in school?

School has finally begun, at least in the Philippines, as the month of June sets in. How time flies so fast. Not only that children are back to rushing every morning for school, traffic and stuff but also for mothers like me to join in the bandwagon of back-to-school woes. I am not yet at that stage but next school year will be a life-changing set-up for us for like the next 19 years. Oh my! With the effect of K1-K12, it's gonna be a long journey for us kids! And a lot of saving to do, Honey! Let's do this...


Preparing as early as now, I have been researching as to what level should my soon-to-be 4 year old girl would first take. I've heard various stages of preparatory levels like play school, prep school, montessori and nursery. But what exactly each stage pertains to? Should my child undergo all that levels? This some kind of gave me a stress levels thinking that my girl must have been left behind. And that I should have submitted her to school as early as 2 years old. In the back of my mind, that is too early for her. I don't want her to be deprived of her free time by playing and discovering things outside the four corners of the wall. My kids pediatrician told me, age four is the right time for a kid to get into school so as the kid won't get tired of meeting the 'demands' of it if too early. I've heard from our neighbor that the school where her child is studying, there are actually kids enrolled as early as 1 year and 8 months. I don't know what level of preparatory level they were in. But I find it irrelevant and unnecessary. Schools are just benefiting from it, profit wise. Further research led me to this site that gave me a clearer view on what age should our child enter school and on what level.


According to the official gazette of DepEd (Department of Education) with the effect of K1-12 basic education system here in the Philippines, at age 3, a child can enter nursery (level 1). Four years olds should be at pre-kinder (level II) and five years olds at kindergarten level (level III). And at age 6, the child must be in Grade 1. I am wondering, is nursery a pre-requisite to enroll her to pre-kinder? What if I don't send her anymore to nursery school because she might be left behind, does it matter? OMG!! Any views from mothers of schooling kids? Help! Does age really matter today when sending kids to school? A friend told me that there are schools in Davao City that strictly implement the age requirement. Personally, I don't find it fair because a one year difference doesn't make a big difference really. Only that she'll be a year behind. Oh maybe there is! The yearly tuition fee hike. Hayyy! Here comes the school blues again... 


Anyhow, I'm proud that Mariella is able to identify things around her na. Only that she cannot speak yet fluently but I know she can understand. While my niece with the same age as her speaks clearly. I mean each child has different level of coping up with things and I believe whether at 3 or 4 years of age, he/she can enter nursery. I was told kasi in one of the schools I inquired for Mariella, if I will enroll her to nursery next year when she turns four, will that be okay. The girl told me she'll be left behind. But instead I'll enroll her straight to pre-kinder skipping nursery. Is that okay mommies? OMG again! I'm kind of anxious already


I want my kids to experience the complete school requirement because I was able to experience it. As far as I can remember, I entered nursery then pre-kinder in the same school. Then transferred kindergarten to a much bigger school. I hope Mariella will be accepted to nursery class by next year even if she's four years old by then. I hope schools will not only consider the age of the child for a certain level of education. But more so on the eligibility of their age to enter school. #schoolblues #schoolwoes #k1tok12 #anxiousmother

5 comments:

  1. I was a bit surprised, too, when I learned that junior nursery starts at 3. So when we found out about it, we immediately took my daughter who turned 3 last May to our prospect school for a trial class. I didn't want to push her into going to school, which is why we went in for a trial. But since she seems to enjoy the class (and has been asking me to bring her to school already kahit June 17 pa start), we enrolled her for junior nursery already.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I want to enroll my little one sana in school this school year. She is three now. But for me it's still early though it's still okay. I want also to have a trial class for her baka kasi manibago. Definitely I'll try putting her to trial class. Thanks mommy kim for your thoughts

      Delete
  2. Haaaay me too I get worried about schooling :-( Those schools for early toddlers (2 year olds or lower) are play schools. They can help a child learn how to socialize through playing and interacting with other kids. That's the whole point of it. That's why with my little Rainbow, at 2+ years old, I refuse to send her to playschool pa because she has cousins that she plays and interacts with. And from what I'm seeing, she interacts well. Even with other kids that we meet at the mall or at a restaurant. So I'm confident that she can socialize well. Not to mention those play schools are sooooo expensive! So parang sayang in my opinion :-( We'll also start planning / looking when Rain is 3+ na siguro :-) We'll see! :-) I'm terrified as you are :-( But we can do this!!! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oo nga Mommy Rina. Yun yung naging gauge ko why I didn't enroll yet my 3 year old. I don't have problems with her social interaction to other kids even adults. Feeling ko she will be doing fine even if I'll not enroll her yet even if she's 3 years old na. But I still hope nursery at 4 years old will still be okay. Thanks for a word from you mommy rins..

      Delete
  3. I share the same sentiments! My son just turned 3 last April and I'm planning to send him to play school or prep.. but the thing is by June of next year, he will be 4. I'm not so sure how that works too and I think I'm gonna need to research na starting now. I went through nursery when I was 3 and a half and my brother didn't even go through nursery, he went straight to K1. I'm not sure if it's still possible now.

    ReplyDelete

SnR finds

Hello! I'm like was lost and then resurrected all of a sudden. I have no plans of reviving my blog just yet but I'm just excited to...