A mother with four children living in the United States. I am a Japanese, both born and raised in Japan, so raising children in the United States is a complete search. My husband is an American, but I’m not good at raising children, and if I ask something, there is only an excuse that “the time is different from when I was a child”, so I’m raising children while examining various things. Here is what I felt when I was raising a child in the United States.
CUTOFF-DATE, which varies from state to state
Kindergarten for elementary school 0th graders
In Japan, being a first grader in an elementary school is a big vent. In the US, entering a kindergarten is a big event. The kindergarten is almost on the same site as the elementary school, the principal is the same, and the cafeteria is shared. In simple terms, did you say you were a 0th grader?
When you enter kindergarten, you buy a backpack like an elementary school student, go to a school tour, and have an orientation like a simplified version of a Japanese entrance ceremony. It is a moment that is a sign of growth that is important for both children and parents.
Kindergarten age and cut-off date
In the United States, not every child is five years old to enter. Depending on the state, the date of “if you are 5 years old by the month, enter the kindergarten” is different. This date is called CUTOFF-DATE, the cut-off date.
For example, in Alabama, if you are five years old by September 1, you can enter kindergarten. This date is common in the United States. However, in Hawaii, July 1 is the cut-off date, and in Connecticut, if you are five years old by January 1, the following year, it’s okay.
Even in the same United States, half a year is different. American kindergartens and schools start at the end of August, so it doesn’t mean that you need to be five years old to enter. Even if you are 4 years old when you enter the park at the end of August, for example, in Connecticut, you should be 5 years old this year.
Choices to let your kids go to kindergarten
About time to enter kindergarten
This cut-off date is the minimum age required to enter a kindergarten. Therefore, you don’t have to enter kindergarten when you are five years old.
There are subtle differences depending on the state, but it is possible to delay admission for one or two years if parents and other guardians determine that it is still early for the child to enter kindergarten. You can also choose a home school where your parents will teach you at home.
Therefore, when I entered kindergarten, the children around me were all 5 years old, but I was 7 years old. Still, there is no particular problem, and this doesn’t cause bullying. Even if the body size is different, it is regarded as individuality in the first place.
Entry into the school year according to the ability of the person
The United States is a country with many immigrants, but children who migrated from other countries do not advance to grades according to age, but they can delay one year if necessary or repeat the same grade again It’s not unusual. Repeating the same school year is treated as a year-end or failure in Japan, so there is no good image. However, there is no such worry in the United States.
For example, many American high schools are four-year. When second-year high school students from Japan study in an American high school from August, in many cases, international students take an English test, and the grade is determined according to their English ability. You can be a 4th grader if you have a high level of English, but it is not uncommon for you to be assigned to a 1st or 2nd grade if you have a low level of English.
This is a unique American feature. Rather than growing at the last line according to age, it is thought that it is important to learn firmly and enter a grade that matches growth.
How to get to private schools
About time to enter kindergarten
This cut-off date is the minimum age required to enter a kindergarten. Therefore, you don’t have to enter kindergarten when you are five years old.
There are subtle differences depending on the state, but it is possible to delay admission for one or two years if parents and other guardians determine that it is still early for the child to enter kindergarten. You can also choose a home school where your parents will teach you at home.
Therefore, when I entered kindergarten, the children around me were all 5 years old, but I was 7 years old. Still, there is no particular problem, and this doesn’t cause bullying. Even if the body size is different, it is regarded as individuality in the first place.
Entry into the school year according to the ability of the person
The United States is a country with many immigrants, but children who migrated from other countries do not advance to grades according to age, but they can delay one year if necessary or repeat the same grade again It’s not unusual. Repeating the same school year is treated as a year-end or failure in Japan, so there is no good image. However, there is no such worry in the United States.
For example, many American high schools are four-year. When second-year high school students from Japan study in an American high school from August, in many cases, international students take an English test, and the grade is determined according to their English ability. You can be a 4th grader if you have a high level of English, but it is not uncommon for you to be assigned to a 1st or 2nd grade if you have a low level of English.
This is a unique American feature. Rather than growing at the last line according to age, it is thought that it is important to learn firmly and enter a grade that matches growth.
It’s okay to decide to stay longer at schools
In Japan, there is a negative image for a year-end student, but do you think that the idea of “children should enter the school year according to their abilities” in the United States is interesting? Of course, such children are not everywhere, but they are still fascinating for an educational system that seeks to improve individual children’s abilities.
Especially when a Japanese mom and dad send their children to an American school, there may be a lot of things they don’t understand and anxiety. In such cases, please feel free to consult the school. The school system changes year by year, so it is more reliable to obtain information directly from the school rather than relying on information from someone else.
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