Skipping 13-16

[Boymom]

I have been trying to teach dcb #'s every single day. I try teaching him with songs, cute videos, flash cards, magnets, etc etc etc. I cannot get him to stop skipping 13-16 and his mom has been making comments and has been hinting around about preschool. He also doesn't know his alphabet even though we work on that too every day.

I don't know what else to do! Another boy is almost counting to 100 now!

I just feel like a failure and I feel like it looks like I don't teach them anything because he still can't count to 20 even though he's been here for a year!!! He's 3 1/2 and of course has almost zero attention span. He learned his colors and shapes very quickly when he first started here.

Any advice?

[Rockgirl]

That's completely normal! The teens are difficult for some kids--he will get it. They all learn at different paces--I wouldn't put pressure on him. My 3.5 yr olds are playing most of the day--they still learn.

[Boymom]

That's completely normal! The teens are difficult for some kids--he will get it. They all learn at different paces--I wouldn't put pressure on him. My 3.5 yr olds are playing most of the day--they still learn.

Thank you! That makes me feel better. I guess I just feel that the parents want him to learn so much, but I don't think they do anything (they have mentioned before that they don't really work with him). Next time they ask me, I'm going to ask what they are doing. I shouldn't be the only one trying!

[happymom]

My son is 4 and skips 15 every time he counts. We practice tracing and writing the numbers and he understands when it's on paper.

I wouldn't put any pressure on it, just let him learn at his pace. He'll get it.

[Mike]

I also agree that it's nothing to worry about.

[Unregistered]

Yes, very common! Totally common in lots of kids. I wouldn't worry and I wouldn't push him. Make learning fun and interactive and don't overdue it!

Let parents know what you're working on and how you are presenting it.

He's only been on the planet 3 1/2 years....there's so many more important things kids should be doing in the early years. Even if a child can count quite far what does it really mean to him and how does he have a use for it?

When I taught kindergarten the kids that were very far ahead typically had kids catch up to them by second/third grade.

You can't just cram and cram! I found that kids would start reading quite quickly but forget certain shapes they knew in pre-k or they couldn't learn to tie their shoes, or remember their birthday when they had known it, yet when I taught pre-k they all learned to tie their shoes in about a week!

It was like the hard drive filled up and something had to go.

Tell parents you are exposing them to many things and some things are just that.... exposure and mastery comes the next year.

Goodness, there's a hundred developmentally appropriate things threes can be exploring and learning about.

[Unregistered]

Also, I have a math manipulative shelf with store bought and homemade math games. We have "math" time while I make lunch. There are matching games, counting bears, file folders, sequencing games, some actual number activities-such as matching the dots to the correct number, sorting activities, geo boards, kids deck of cards, etc. etc. we explore this shelf together in the beginning of the year so they learn what the activities are, how to put them away and get a new activity, etc. I rotate and add games and activities each month.

Sorting items by color, shape, making color patterns such as red, blue. Red, blue or big, little, big, little. There are lots of easy ways to create a math shelf.

If the independent shelf wouldn't work with your group do it as a group activity where you supervise.

I used to do math games after lunch and before nap. That worked too. Depends on your ages. Just google preschool math games and manipulatives.


Hands-on exploration of math concepts builds the foundation for higher level math concepts.

When I taught K I had a math manipulatives shelf. After our formal math lesson they went over and explored the math games/manipulatives. They loved it!

[Boymom]

Thank you all!!! That helps me very much! :-)

[Heidi]

Yes, very common! Totally common in lots of kids. I wouldn't worry and I wouldn't push him. Make learning fun and interactive and don't overdue it!

Let parents know what you're working on and how you are presenting it.

He's only been on the planet 3 1/2 years....there's so many more important things kids should be doing in the early years. Even if a child can count quite far what does it really mean to him and how does he have a use for it?

When I taught kindergarten the kids that were very far ahead typically had kids catch up to them by second/third grade.

You can't just cram and cram! I found that kids would start reading quite quickly but forget certain shapes they knew in pre-k or they couldn't learn to tie their shoes, or remember their birthday when they had known it, yet when I taught pre-k they all learned to tie their shoes in about a week!

It was like the hard drive filled up and something had to go.

Tell parents you are exposing them to many things and some things are just that.... exposure and mastery comes the next year.

Goodness, there's a hundred developmentally appropriate things threes can be exploring and learning about.

Perfectly developmentally normal!