Via email, one of our members asked for advice concerning a Kindergarten issue. She was wondering whether or not to separate her twins. Here is some feedback she received.
Our twins are now in first grade. They had a dependence on each other and did not do well when seperated at preschool, even for a short period. We kept them together for Kindegarten, the first time one went home sick was traumatic for the one left behind, but a huge growth experience for both. The teacher said there is no issue having them together. As they are growing, they are still just as close, but the interdependence on each other is waning, without the trama of seperation. I agree with other posts, it varies by twins, ask them and then be flexible enough to change the situation in the first week of school if necessary.
We kept our twins together for Kindergarten and First Grade (boy/girl twins). At that point, I asked them what they'd prefer, and they said to be separated. They have been separated since. That approach worked well for us. I made an appointment and talked with the principal (spring) to request they be together; normally our school splits them. I then put it in writing when they wanted to be separated. One thing I would have done differently was to request that both had one good friend in their classroom the first year they were split. I (incorrectly) assumed they would do that. The beginning of that year was a little rough for my daughter; I think it would have been easier if she had a good friend in her class.
Each year I would ask my sons' teachers if they saw any reason my sons should not be in the same class. (Our school only had one class for each grade) One teacher, that only had them once a week, did not even know they were twins (fraternal). Ask the boys as you go along and the teachers for feedback. Things could change as they grow.
I say keep the twins together if there are no rivalry issues or other reasons to separate. As soon as Kindergarten, kids are bringing home work and projects. It's much easier to keep up with one teacher and lesson plan versus two. School is a learning curve for both the parent and the twins. Make things easy on everyone the first year and re-evaluate as needed. Definitely talk to your school district though as each district differs on how much control the parent has in decisions such as classroom placement.
Showing posts with label Preschools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Preschools. Show all posts
Monday, February 1, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
PreSchools
Preschools...this has to be one of the hardest first decisions. It's the decision that made me feel like a REAL mom. The responsibility was on me to find the very best place to start the education of my twins. No pressure, right?
Well, the decisions get harder as the days go by but as I'm finding out, there are many great preschools out there and it's hard to make a "bad" decision. We are blessed to have many great options here in Columbus and surrounding suburbs.
What to look for in a preschool:
1. Religious based or secular based: Are you looking for a private school that is going to offer a religious base for your child? Many churches offer wonder schooling that also has a Bible class or some type of prayer time. Not all schools that are located within churches are have a Christian basis though so you'll have to ask some questions. For secular based schools, look to community centers, athletic clubs and day care centers.
2. Days/Times: This one is important. Of course the most important purpose of preschool is for your child to be prepared both socially and intellectually for Kindergarten but there are perks for the mom too. It may be the first time you get to the grocery store BY YOURSELF since the twins were born. Oh the luxuries, right? Well, you want to make sure you have enough time to drop the twins off, get to the grocery, drop off groceries at home, and get back to pick up the twins. Not an easy feat! I prefer schools that offer 3 to 3.5 hour programs for this very reason.
3. Location: For 2 years I chose to drive to a different suburb for a good preschool. In the end it was worth it but not in all cases. Consider the location of the school and what surrounds it. Is there a grocery close by? Or maybe you can use that time to hit the athletic club. Consider these as the "best" school may not always be worth a 20 minute drive.
3. Friends: It's always nice to pick a school where your child will know a few children. Even more preferable is to place your child(ren) in a class with kids with whom they will attend elementary school. More mom perks: You'll have a friend to get coffee with on the off chance you don't have a million errands to run. =)
4. Referrals: If you don't know anyone who is currently using your preschool of choice, ask for referrals. Do some research and find out how the school is licensed and how many kids to expect in each class.
There are so many other important issues and this is not an exhaustive list. If you have advice for fellow members (or questions!) feel free to leave a comment below.
Well, the decisions get harder as the days go by but as I'm finding out, there are many great preschools out there and it's hard to make a "bad" decision. We are blessed to have many great options here in Columbus and surrounding suburbs.
What to look for in a preschool:
1. Religious based or secular based: Are you looking for a private school that is going to offer a religious base for your child? Many churches offer wonder schooling that also has a Bible class or some type of prayer time. Not all schools that are located within churches are have a Christian basis though so you'll have to ask some questions. For secular based schools, look to community centers, athletic clubs and day care centers.
2. Days/Times: This one is important. Of course the most important purpose of preschool is for your child to be prepared both socially and intellectually for Kindergarten but there are perks for the mom too. It may be the first time you get to the grocery store BY YOURSELF since the twins were born. Oh the luxuries, right? Well, you want to make sure you have enough time to drop the twins off, get to the grocery, drop off groceries at home, and get back to pick up the twins. Not an easy feat! I prefer schools that offer 3 to 3.5 hour programs for this very reason.
3. Location: For 2 years I chose to drive to a different suburb for a good preschool. In the end it was worth it but not in all cases. Consider the location of the school and what surrounds it. Is there a grocery close by? Or maybe you can use that time to hit the athletic club. Consider these as the "best" school may not always be worth a 20 minute drive.
3. Friends: It's always nice to pick a school where your child will know a few children. Even more preferable is to place your child(ren) in a class with kids with whom they will attend elementary school. More mom perks: You'll have a friend to get coffee with on the off chance you don't have a million errands to run. =)
4. Referrals: If you don't know anyone who is currently using your preschool of choice, ask for referrals. Do some research and find out how the school is licensed and how many kids to expect in each class.
There are so many other important issues and this is not an exhaustive list. If you have advice for fellow members (or questions!) feel free to leave a comment below.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
To Split or Not to Split
Many of us see Kindergarten on the horizon. I found an interesting opinion on this one on the How do you do it? blog. Click here to read the entire posting all all the comments.
An excerpt is below:
“Unless there is a compelling reason to separate them, the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs ( NOMOTC) and other experts advocate keeping them together, especially in early elementary years. ”
The NOMOTC website has a great article, some of which we have listed below. For the entire article, click on this link.
“Dr. Nancy Segal, author and advocate of keeping multiples together says, “In our culture we appreciate uniqueness, and people wrongly equate twin closeness with a lack of individuality.” She continues, “There’s research that suggests that when friends are in the same class, they’re more exploratory, they cling to the teacher less. So, if we are worried about individuality, why do we let best friends go to school together?” In a University of Wisconsin and the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College in London research study, 878 pairs of twins from ages 5 to 7 found that twins separated early were observed to be more anxious and emotionally distressed than those who remained in the same class. This was especially true for identical twins.”
We're wondering what your experiences have been like. Please post experiences and opinions in the comments below so others may benefit. Thanks!
An excerpt is below:
“Unless there is a compelling reason to separate them, the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs ( NOMOTC) and other experts advocate keeping them together, especially in early elementary years. ”
The NOMOTC website has a great article, some of which we have listed below. For the entire article, click on this link.
“Dr. Nancy Segal, author and advocate of keeping multiples together says, “In our culture we appreciate uniqueness, and people wrongly equate twin closeness with a lack of individuality.” She continues, “There’s research that suggests that when friends are in the same class, they’re more exploratory, they cling to the teacher less. So, if we are worried about individuality, why do we let best friends go to school together?” In a University of Wisconsin and the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College in London research study, 878 pairs of twins from ages 5 to 7 found that twins separated early were observed to be more anxious and emotionally distressed than those who remained in the same class. This was especially true for identical twins.”
We're wondering what your experiences have been like. Please post experiences and opinions in the comments below so others may benefit. Thanks!
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