by D. J. Poe

Created on: August 11, 2008   Last Updated: August 12, 2008

When my son was eligible for kindergarten, he was assessed to need developmental kindergarten. His teacher did not think of him as mature enough for conventional kindergarten. "Boys mature slower than girls, she said". I tend to agree with this, having one of each. After much consideration, I decided that it was a good idea, even though it would be equivalent to holding him back a grade, and frankly, I was ignorant as to what developmental kindergarten was.

It turned out to be closely related to conventional kindergarten, with more focus on the child's participation and obedience. It was more "one on one" and evidently an attempt at developing the child's reaction and cooperation with discipline; encouraging non-corporal techniques such as "time out". If the teacher had gone as far as he/she could or would, they would not hesitate to call the parent and involve them in the disciplinary process. This was usually a kind way to say, "You need to pick up this brat and put your dominant hand briskly against his bottom while explaining this would not be necessary if you would cooperate with the teacher".

It was essentially a nightmare...the teacher would call me at my personal business (thank Heaven I could leave because I owned the business) to administer corporal punishment because, "she couldn't do anything with him". What about a time out? Didn't work.
I would drive to the school, pick him up, try to determine what infidelity a 5-year-old did that a 35 year-old teacher couldn't handle. If she explained to me that he was disruptive, I would take him in my car, go for a ride and talk to him and, if necessary, give him a spat on the bottom. It was the most ridiculous waste of time I have ever endured in schooling my children. To hear her talk, he was Satan's son.
I raised this boy from age 1 to age 12 by myself, and never had a problem out of him with the exception of that year. Essentially, the pros would be developmental kindergarten and the cons would be the teacher of developmental kindergarten. I suppose I needed a bit of discipline myself, because she and I did not see eye to eye.

Don't get me wrong; I knew my son could be difficultstubborn even. I just did not feel it was my place to be called from work to discipline my son. I looked in the classroom. The Tasmanian Devil had not been there and destroyed the furnishings. There were no other children cowering in the corners pointing at my son screaming that the end of time was near. All I would see was a grown teacher, able to date and have babies, drive and do almost all grownup things. She would be standing there with her hands on her hips, pouting, no less. My son with his beautiful innocent blue eyes and blonde hair would be by her sideabsolutely no resemblance to Theodore Robert Bundy. His short blonde hair stuck up like a little bird and he looked at me like, " I have no idea, Dad; but, I know you gotta do something ". I did. I took him with me and we discussed how he must cooperate and mind the teacher. My goodness, he was five! If they had armed guards at the door when I arrived, I would take him for a ride and give him a little spat.

In my experience, I would say go ahead and put your child in conventional kindergarten. He or she will be taught the very same thing; they just won't have a criminal record.

Learn more about this author, D. J. Poe.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.