Monday, December 11, 2006

My 4 1/2 year-old's favorite things

Sports Teams:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Houston Oilers
NJ Devils
Rutgers University Scarlet Knights
NJ Nets
Music -
:Bands:
Arctic Monkeys
the Damned
the Clash
Monster Magnet
Mudhoney
Stereolab
:Genres:
Rock (punk, stoner, classic)
Drum and Bass (which he calls "crazy music")
Jazz
Foods:
Mac & Cheese
Pizza
Peanut Butter & Jelly
Tacos
Tater Tots
Friends:
Taj
Hollen
Beck
Ethan
Colman
Mallory
Sports:
Football
Basketball
Soccer
TV Shows:
Curious George
Peanuts / Charlie Brown
SpongeBob Square Pants
Wonder Pets
Backyardigans
Colors:
Blue
Pink
Green
Superheroes:
Spiderman
The Flash
Power Rangers
Zorro
Superman

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Kindergarten applications?

My oldest son will be going to kindergarten next year, and in our town we have a magnet school system so WE HAVE TO APPLY TO SEND OUR SON TO KINDERGARTEN!!! Seems a bit much to me. There are six schools to pick from all with different specialties or slants on education (one is next to the local University and uses the Univ. resources, college students as teaching assistants, and has courses designed by Univ. professors, another is a Montessari school, a gifted and talented school, a school of global studies, another is focusing on family and environmental studies, and lastly a science and technology school).

One of my many problems with this set up is how can we judge our 4 year olds learning style after one semester of full time preschool? Ever try asking a preschooler what their favorite things about school are, "Besides playtime, yes not including imagination station, your favorite things besides playing, no mac n' cheese is your favorite food not a subject at school ..."

My main concern in choosing a school is at this young age do I pick what he likes, what I like, what will prepare him for the world or what will prepare him for 6th grade? Some schools seem to have a non-competitive vibe "cooperation and collaboration, not competition, are emphasized," which is really great, but will that be preparing him to be crushed in an extremely competitive capitalist society, plus he'll be getting enough commie indoctrination at home, just like he'll be exposed to the arts at home, should he be going to the science and technology school?

It comes down to this, should we be choosing a school that reinforces our values and interests of being open minded, creative and socially conscious, or one that teaches him things that he won't be getting at home? I don't have a fucking clue ...



We're just coming out of two weeks of 104.5 fevers and missing Thanksgiving at all three grandparents homes, no more than three hours of straight sleep due to being awoken because of our congestion, runny noses and sore throats, and in the 22 month old's case, being miserable and not having the vocabulary to express how shitty you feel.