Not Your Mama's Kindergarten

After a semester of Peppermint Patty being in kindergarten I can tell you a lot has changed since you and I (supposing you were born before 1990ish) went to school.  First, I went to half day kindergarten.  I arrived, put up my stuff (I think I had stuff but don't really remember), got my crayon box, and tried to sit at the girls table.  I am sure Mrs. Bell did interactive things, we sat on carpet squares, and were interactive but I really have no clue because I honestly can't remember.  I think my biggest achievement was writing my name, saying my ABC's, and tying my shoes.  We had recess, PE, music, art, library, and probably something else.  Before lunch I was picked up by La Petite, went and ate lunch, and then took a 2 hour nap.  I am not sure we actually "learned" something but then again, I have already said I can't really remember.  It was a LONG time ago.

Today PP is at kindergarten all day.  She is learning way more than tying her shoes, skipping, and just saying her ABC's.  This week they are learning punctuation.  Really?  My child, who can't write a sentence without a tremendous amount of help, is learning about punctuation.  By the end of the year I have been told they will be reading basic sentences, know how to read simple sight words, and be able to write a paragraph.  Really?  A paragraph?  WOW!  I don't think I wrote a paragraph until at least 2nd grade and I probably remember that because it was with Mrs. Branson, second semester, about President Lincoln or Washington (not sure why I remember that...but whatever).

In some ways I am happy they are doing more than tying your shoe, skipping, having 3 recesses, taking naps, and coloring a few pages.  I am glad they are pushing PP to learn more than I did in kindergarten, first, and probably some second grade combined.  But really?  Really?

I guess she is ready.....but don't know if I am.  Going to go tie my shoes and skip now.....and maybe later I will call Mrs. Ball (the best HS English teacher I know) and see if she can teach me how to write a paragraph correctly.