Tell me what you really think.
I'm teetering on the brink of a decision to teach or not to teach first grade next year. I need to find out from the administrator how long at a stretch he expects those tykes to sit still. His answer will help determine whether I take the job or not.
I am one of those boys who got to start school early. My birthday is late November. Thusly, I was the youngest in my class. I cannot tell you when I started reading or recognizing letters. I vaguely remember doing penmanship exercises of drawing circles, endlessly.
By the time I reached Jr High (no we didn't have middle school) I hated school, and had no desire to be there. I was acutely aware that the law required I be in school until I was sixteen. My dad's law was that I would graduate from high school. I mostly carried C's and D's through Jr High and High School. I did have a number of F's that generally got me punished at home, but the punishment was not enough to motivate me toward being involved in school. I hated book reports, I hated diagramming sentences, I hated taking tests. I hated being locked up in a classroom all day long. Come to think of it, I hated school back in kindergarten, and I would request to go to the bathroom, and leave the school, of course at that age, I would just go home, and the battle would rage.
My dad forced me to attend summer school between jr and sr year HS, and again after sr year so I could get a diploma. Did I say I hated school?
After getting my diploma I joined the Marine Corps, and started reading books to kill time between bus rides. I also got pretty good at doing cross words. After ten years in the Corps, I was invited to participate in a new junior college that had opened in the area. For some reason I got excited about learning, and was earning A's even though my classes were after hours. I passed the GED exams for physical science, math, english w/essay and social science with flying colors. It took me fourteen years to receive my BS, but I did it. I am a true beleiver in learning, but I question the gummint skools, and never once forced my children to learn. I also would not allow them to start school early. My son grad HS w/honors, and college. My daughter is currently in her third year of college, taking fourteen credit hours this summer. Yeah, I am mighty proud of my kids.
I would even take it further than middle school and even beyond boys. I took chemistry in high school and could NOT get it. I couldn't. I wanted to. I tried, I stayed for extra help. I was embarrassed that the teacher would explain the ideas to me over and over and I just could not make it click. I took chemistry again in college (glutton for punishment and I desperatly wanted to be a nurse). Click. Same information, explained the same way. All of a sudden, my brain would accept it though.
I also believe that later (older) is better when it comes to when to start school both for the reasons you wrote about and the social aspects as well. And that is only PARTLY because I like my babes home with me for as long as possible 
Mamacita, I too have seen kids"labeled" as one thing or another by a teacher, only to blossom under the tutelage of another. You are SO right!
I hope you don't mind if I print this post out and mail it to a few teachers and specialists at my kids' former school. This is my son's story and the very reason we are homeschooling after this year -- so he can develop at his natural speed without ridiculous repercussions that have already caused him harm.
I wish there were more people like you in education.
I worked at a high school where 27% of the students had IEP's. Of course, we figured that many of them were simply because the students could read, although you aren't suppose to be able to get an IEP for something like that. I had several boys who came into their own in HIGH SCHOOL. I remember one boy in particular who, as a junior, developed an affinity for Jules Verne--not kidding--and enjoyed reading anything in that genre. I think some it was finding something he wanted to read, but of course, things just started to click and he was ABLE to read better. As the luck of the draw would have it, I had him for three years, so the change wasn't exactly overnight, but it was evident in the course of a couple of years. In retrospect, the light bulb that went off for him was much like the one I saw with my 6-year-old when he started recognizing that everything around him could be read.
And speaking of my 6-year-old...he starting reading in the last third of his kindergarten year, and I am very proud of him. I guess I should also be thankful that he is enthusiastic, but I don't think reading or school will be hard for him. What is hard for him is controlling his wiggles (although he is a lot calmer than I thought he could be in school), so I hope he has teachers who understand how to deal with that.
the bells are ringing over here with that one. son one got it in kindergarten- thrilled beyond belief. he was stubborn enough to do it because he wanted to- no pushing. son 2 got it slowly (compared to 1), but no push there either. son 3 came to us from eastern europe at the age of 6, speaking 'hello' and 'thank you.' he'll be in 8th grade in the fall and is gaining ground at a glacier-like pace. i have to remind myself- no pushing, but i do believe he'll get there. all different, every one.
The thing that drives me the craziest about NCLB is that it assumes - wrongly - that all children learn at the same rate. (It also points out my belief that anyone who wants to write legislation about education needs to work as a substitute teacher for a while, but I digress.) Boys and girls do learn differently, at different stages, and even within their own gender learn at different rates.
As for physical activity, I believe that we'd probably have half, if not more, of the problems we have with behavior and diagnoses of ADHD and ADD if the kids got enough exercise, ate better (cut the sugar) and got enough sleep. I think we still need recess in Middle School if for no other reason than to blow off some energy so they can sit still and learn.
AMEN and GOD BLESS YOU.
My son is almost 5 1/2. And does he ever have The Wigglies. I waited until this summer to try to teach him to read for that very reason--and now he's ready, but thankfully the books are SHORT.
I'm so grateful he had a very loving and experienced PK teacher who understood that little boys have energy and that my son was normal--even if he wasn't always an angel
I am nervous for him. His older sister (12) has breezed through school with no problems and straight A's. While I know he's smart, I hope teachers see him for who he is (a very energetic and sometimes high needs boy)--and that he continues to love school and learning.
What we expect our kids to do isn't very realistic for their personalities, learning styles or stage of development. And I could NEVER sit still for 90 minutes, even though I love to read!
In my school career, Mamacita, I was the flip side of what you described -- the diagnosed Kid Genius, always being pushed to the point of Total Straight A+ Perfection OR ELSE!
And I experienced the flip side of being a Kid Genius -- in everything else other than my IQ score and grades, I was a late bloomer to the point of retardation. At 51, the rest of my personality is where it should have been at 20.
Wesley Crusher & Jimmy Neutron are the FANTASY of the Kid Genius.
The reality is more akin to Dallas Egbert III.
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