MINUMUM AGE LEAVES KIDS SOME WIGGLE ROOM

Parents and educators have differing opinions about how to determine when a child is ready to enter kindergarten.

The state doesn't weigh in on the matter, except by mandating a minimum age of 5 before the Aug. 1 cut off date. And school attendance does not become mandatory until children reach the age of 7.

Some parents, like Hubert Ray, believe the minimum age mandate is a good indicator of readiness in most cases. Ray's son, Anfernee, turned 5 last month and will enter kindergarten this year.

"I think he's ready," said Ray. "He's the youngest of five children, and they all went as soon as they were eligible."

But some parents said readiness is measured by more than just age, and there may be 5-year olds who would benefit from an extra year out of school.

"You have to know other kids to know how to compare your child," said Kathy Porter, whose son, Reese, will enter kindergarten in the fall as a 6-year old. "I think some kids, especially boys, need the extra time to be able to sit for periods of time and concentrate."

Porter, a certified teacher who worked as a teacher's aide for eight years in kindergarten classrooms, said she believes Reese has a better grasp of pre-reading skills like letter recognition and letter sounds than he did last year. His emotional and social maturity also are improved, which will help him academically after he enters school.

"Socially, younger kids struggle in school," Porter said. "It depends a lot on the parents. If they use the situation that they're working and can't afford the child care as a reason to send them to kindergarten early, I don't really think that's a good enough reason."

Carolyn Eastwood of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Missouri School Improvement Program, said mandating a minimum age requirement helps schools predict enrollment and a general level of skills children will possess upon entering kindergarten. She said few parents statewide opt to hold children completely out of school until they reach the mandatory attendance age.

"Obviously it's an option for parents, but very few statewide take advantage of that option," she said.

Clippard Elementary School kindergarten teacher Jill Janet said a child will not be harmed academically from being held out of kindergarten an extra year.

"I always assure parents that holding them back a year will not hurt the child, because children in kindergarten all mature at different paces," said Janet. "We don't want them to grow up too fast, yet we want children to feel proud of themselves."

Janet said some immaturity is common for all kindergartners. They are going to wiggle after sitting for longer periods, and they will tend to focus on the negatives in their day. Training children in classroom etiquette, along with academic and social skills, is a major part of the kindergarten teacher's job, she said.

"What 5-year old is not immature? There are things parents can do at home to teach them how to be responsible at home, to teach them how to follow directions in the home," said Janet. "The main thing for parents to know is always keep a positive attitude about school in the home."