Summer School for Kindergarten?

Boy have times changed. Twenty plus years ago when I was in Kindergarten we were learning to write our name and use scissors. I remember clearly at the end of the year my teacher making me write all of my first name because I needed to know it to start 1st grade. I used to write M-O-N and then go up to the teacher to finish the I-C-A of my name. Didn't even learn to write my last name in Kindergarten. As far as I know my inability to write my first name though towards the end of Kindergarten was not going to cause me to have to go to summer school.

Yesterday we had parent/teacher conferences. Summer school was mentioned for Kaitlyn my Kindergartner. Not because she can't write her name because she can. She can write her first last and middle name even. But rather because she's not reading at grade level. She is trying so hard though. Her teacher says she's a pleasure to have in class and she's very enthusiastic about doing her work. I even spoke with her reading teacher who says she's the first one in there with books out and ready to learn. She has all the basics down of reading and she doesn't ask the teacher to tell her what a word is she tries to sound it out. So she's doing everything she's supposed to she's just teetering on that level of reading. And actually, if she were in Kindergarten last year she would be at grade level right now because they changed the reading levels. Summer school is not mandatory for Kindergarten so it's up to me if I put her in it or not. She'll be tested again in May to see if they are still thinking summer school for her though. She has made great improvements in everything throughout the year though and I think she's doing well. I'm kind of afraid that if she needs summer school she's going to hate it because she'll be missing out on the fun things we will be doing during that time while she's in summer school. I can't imagine having to send her to summer school at her age. Especially since she is working her hardest here and hasn't just been slacking off all year long.

Now Natalie on the other hand is excelling in all areas. She's above grade level in reading. An excellent writer and even poet apparently. The poetry talent I can tell you she did not get from her mother. Her math skills are great. She's getting her multiplication and division down.

Well, at least they are both hard workers. Even if this isn't coming as easily to Kaitlyn as it is to Natalie. We'll just have to work a little more with Kaitlyn. Strangely enough Kaitlyn is good at writing. So I think the reading should come. After all reading in writing are very closely linked.