My Pre-K Graduate

In a few short weeks, Jake will graduate from Pre-K!  Of course, Jake says he is "congraduating," though. ;)

Let me tell y'all, Florida is hard core about some Kindergarten readiness.  It might be this way in other states, but I just didn't get this impression when we were in Alabama!  I didn't even get this impression when we moved here and Jake was going to a Christian preschool.  Needless to say, I was a little blindsided by Jake's first Kindergarten Assessment.

Here in Florida, the kids are supposed to be able to count to 100, be able to match the corresponding uppercase and lowercase letters, and write their first and last name without a model prior to starting Kindergarten.  Ok, that doesn't sound like much.  However, when I met with Jake's Pre-K teacher (at the old school) in October, she was like "Jake doesn't know all of his letter sounds and he doesn't recognize his numbers to 100."  Apparently, you're supposed to know those things prior to starting Pre-K!  OMG, I was freaking out!  It's taken us the last 6 months or so, but Jake has rocked it and learned everything he's supposed to, plus some.  He's also learned over 50 sight words, simple addition and subtraction, how to write all of his letters in uppercase and lower case, and he can even write some words.  He has come SUCH a long way in a short time!  I can't tell y'all how proud I am of him!

Jake LOVES to write notes; he is constantly asking me how to spell stuff so he can write it down.  On the other hand, he is not interested in all at reading (but loves to be read to).  Despite knowing so many sight words, he HATES when I ask him to pick them out in a book while we're reading. 

Jake's teachers (at his new school) say he is a fast learner and really enjoys learning; they say he loves to participate in circle time.  His teachers also say how sociable he is, which blows my mind.  I just knew Jake was going to be an introvert, but apparently, that isn't the case at school. 

Like I said, I'm so proud of my big boy.  We have really pushed him this year to play "catch up" and he has just blown me away at how well he's done.  Congratulations on your "Congraduation," Jake!  Haha!