Is he flexible? Ugh. When a teacher or other education expert recommends repeating kindergarten, it's seldom (if ever) about a single skill your child is behind on. I had 2 children held back and come to find out BOTH have dyslexia. There is a whole checklist of things your child should be able to do before going to kindergarten. He was at least even with everything she is doing. That way youll know for sure, from an expert, if your child has a learning disability of some sort, such as ADHD, which could make it hard to sit still, or dysgraphia, which can make it difficult to write. Some young children attain the age of reason, the ability . I just received a letter about a possible retention for my son, i do have a meeting scheduled with the school. In the end, it's impossible to predict how any individual will respond to staying back or moving on -- or even how much progress that child will make in the last months of school or over the summer. What am I supposed to do though? Any advice is greatly appreciated esp now. "Should Your Child Repeat Kindergarten?" You can go higher up to members of the local school board and explain how you feel. We found we had good results at home. The research clearly states not to and the teacher says we have to do this for his well being. History repeating itself- A country with Socialist leaders disbanded the military and Russia invades - is this repeating, Politics and Other Controversies, 0 replies Names of good private pre-kindergarten or kindergarten in Woodlands, Houston, 1 replies These test results were always provided in graph format. Im not a parent or teacher, just happened to stumble across this page while doing personal research and I would like to share my story. 4. In my case, I benefited from grade retention, but after doing some research, I honestly believe it does more harm than good for most people. The research is very clear that even if children are not ready academically or emotionally they do not benefit from retention. Repeating a grade at this age can indeed be beneficial. . Students are required to not only know ALL letters and sounds but all sight words by mid year. Im actually not liking it a bit! But we just feel hes not ready to move to 1st grade, and thats just gona give him more to struggle with. Is he good at sharing? 15 June 2012. He is the youngest in his class according to his teacher, end May Birthday. (Oh, and don't call it that!). As far as hes concerned he didnt finish kindergarten and he believes this is a short break due to Covid. Varda Meyers Epstein serves as editor in chief of Kars4Kids Parenting. In the past, repeating a grade was more popular and was typically suggested if a child was viewed as underachieving or unable to cope due to various factors such as social immaturity, long-term absences, long-term illnesses, behavioural or emotional challenges. Acting immature can be a sign that kids are struggling and need more support. She's been a teacher for over 20 years, and says she . It could be he will find it comforting and safe to stay with his kindergarten teacher for one more year. They needed less remediation, and they earned higher grades while enrolled. Free single copies of "The Elementary School Performance and Adjustment of Children Who Enter Kindergarten Late or Repeat Kindergarten," are available from the National Library of Education at . So now what should you do? Rose, my heart breaks for you and your grandson, as it does my grandson. It can be a better fit emotionally and age-wise. I've done a lot of research and it's the general consensus that grade repetition isn't the way to go. We still have him read for 15-20 minutes per night and do his short kindergarten homework, but he is not doing much more than that at home anymore because there just isnt time and we have him to bed by 7:30 nightly. Faced with this revelation, it can seem someone is questioning your child's mental acuity. He lives with adults and communicates like a little adult. I totally feel you. Redshirting is the practice of postponing entrance into kindergarten of age-eligible children in order to allow extra time for socioemotional, intellectual, or physical growth. Long story short, he did not do well in kindergarten. However, because kids often make sudden leaps in development later in the year, it can be hard to predict their performance in first grade. During first year, was one of the youngest in the class. And those possible downsides are significant, too. Will your child benefit from being held back? You need to reassess. The most productive way to approach the topic . Hes very good with numbers, has a very extensive vocabulary, can spell a lot of his 144 sight words that I taught him because the teachers were not able to help him through them for some reason. Teachers don't suggest this because they think it's funny, they do it because they know the child and what's best for it. After that a child is reading to learn. They feel repeating would be a good option so his social/behavior/impulse control and executive functioning to catch up. It seems realistic to suggest that repeating kindergarten may not be the reason for their poor school performance. Does he wait his turn? oh and for the record Ive taught in Florida and Michigan. Rose. If the teacher is concerned about the child's maturity or behavior, parents can ask for specific examples of behavior that cause concern. Your grandson sounds like mine : very smart, maybe just a bit slower in maturity, but just waiting to really take off a bit later but not lagging because of IQ or skill performance probability in a very short while. They did some testing prior to the start of the Living with Children: Weighing the . There are, however, problems that can arise when a child is "held back." Ideally, such programs allow children to develop at their own paces. Time to catch up developmentally. 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He cries often, and doesnt follow directions very well, but loves to look at picture books and make up funny rhymes. For more parenting tips and tricks, find us on Pinterest: Are you a writer, expert, or influencer? Studies have shown that by the time they enter middle school, kids who repeated kindergarten are more likely to get into trouble, dislike school, and feel bad about themselves. I'm a Mom and a Music Teacher: Here's How I Nurture My Children's Love for Music, Bullying Is Harmful to Kids' Mental HealthSchool Solutions to the Problem Often Fail Black Children, Takes care of personal needs (going to the bathroom, zipping jacket), Understands common directional words (below, between, above), Knows alphabet and capital and lowercase letters, Understands story concepts of beginning, middle, and end, Can write a simple sentence with invented spelling. These teachers, trying to put all kids in a peg as either Got it or Did not get it, are unconscionable ! We missed the registration for pre-k by a week. I taught gifted children in my career as a teacher who were held back in kindergarten by demanding and close minded teachers and parents. These teams usually made up of the teacher, an administrator, school-support personnel, and the parents can evaluate the situation, plan a course of action, and follow up on your child's progress. I might as well homeschool. . I think she meant years old not month old., my son is 6 year old the teacher told me he has to repeat kindergarten because he dont want to do his classwork and he does not follow directions what should i do plz help me. Your gut reaction may be to defend your child. The most productive way to approach the topic, then, is from a neutral place. Besides the pandemic delays he does good in my opinion and has Entering kindergarten children have already learned to appreciate the feel and look of books, and the sound of language. They need specific intervention. The skills learned in kindergarten laid a vital foundation for later learning. I was of the opposite opinion. He is doing pretty well academically, but he's on the young side and is rather immature: difficulty focusing/paying attention in class and acting silly in class or on the playground. Before that time, the tests measured the achievement of individual students, and good teachers used the data to plan lessons to reinforce weaker areas. So I can see this both ways. Talk to your child's teacher about whether repeating a grade would be helpful or hurtful at your child's age. Your child is young for the grade, however, and repeating might give him more even footing with the other children in kindergarten. Where are the numbers to let us know if screening is working? (June 5, 2012) http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=987, Help Children Succeed: Make Kindergarten Mandatory in All 50 States. At first he loved reading our books and felt very important that he could read, but since January that has become a fight to get him to read. I believe with a one on one tutor for the summer it will help him perform better in the first grade. My mom refused to have me held back, as there was nothing wrong with my intellect; in fact, I surpassed my peers in reading skills, as I began reading simple words at age 2 1/2- 3 years old and read story books aloud to my Kindergarten class. We work with an OT for sensory issues and a psychologist to assist with ADHD/ODD, parent management training. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Learning Site, The eLearning Site, and Internet4Classrooms. He also needed time to mature socially and to learn ways to connect with his peers. My older son is in kindergarten. Thanks. (June 7, 2012) http://www.change.org/petitions/help-children-succeed-make-kindergarten-mandatory-in-all-50-states, Mlyniec, Vicky. I'm glad he isn't going to high school next year. 6. Constantly. I have never had such a tough time with something. You may be right that the primary problem is an inexperienced teacher. This document details the education code in Texas and your rights as a parent: EDUCATION CODE If the therapist disagrees, Id show the teacher and demand he be allowed to continue on to first grade while receiving therapies. In your parents' day, kindergarten was a pretty laid-back affair. It's about whether he or she is ready to make the jump to first grade. Being one of the youngest in the class can play a role. Q: Even though he had an early-August birthday, we started our son in kindergarten this past fall at a private Christian school. Hi first time mom with a kindergarten 6 year This is especially true for children who turned 5 just before they started school or those who have limited experience interacting with other kids. My parents had me repeat 1st grade. Some kids just need more time to develop. You can hire an education lawyer. But know that teachers don't make the recommendation to repeat kindergarten without a lot of thought. FamilyEducation does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. So i dont believe in repeating kindergarten. Q: Even though he had an early August birthday, we started our son in kindergarten at a private Christian school. You may want to seek help from the school in having your child assessed for school readiness. Second do you have any suggestions on how to teach him to blend sounds into words? Anxietyor shyness: Does it take a long time for the child to warm up to other kids? This makes it difficult to get a sample group of very young students with diagnosed learning disabilities we can study. Shes also going to attend a reading program over the Summer. I could use advice information and anything that could help us!! My son turned 5 a week before the deadline. Exactly! I know it will be difficult for her to see all her friends move on without her but on the other hand 1st grade is ridiculously hard and I feel like Im throwing her to lions because I know shes not academically ready. In our case, we're considering whether to have our son repeat first grade. The study of 784 Texas school children followed from first grade until graduating or dropping out of school led by Dr. Jan N. Hughes, Professor Emeritus in educational psychology, found that even though grade retention in the elementary grades does not harm students in terms of their academic achievement or educational motivation at the transition to high school, it increases the odds that they will drop out of school before obtaining a high school diploma by 2.67 times. As a rule, school professionals strongly avoid this practice of . Heres what I think: were pushing these young children too hard. You have some options. What could be bad about spending more time on these skills before going to first grade? We are questioning ourselved non stop, and havent made a decision yet. And didnt want to be at school. Here are more reasons kids may seem younger than other kids their age: Hyperactivity: Does the child seem to be driven by a motor, like the Energizer Bunny? If she has time she works with those having trouble. Learning differences: Is the child having trouble with reading, writing, or math? My grandson is very bright, but I have found that his report cards have everything on it as emerging. The real question of course is: should you do it? But now he should be able to keep up with his friends in the work theyre doing in kindergarten. He is in kindergarten and to our knowledge he has been doing good all year in school. But are concerned he will act out if he is bored. She doesn't know her letters, their sounds, or her numbers. She is such an amazing little person. My kindergarteners are required to be able to read a level C book to move on to first grade. He's well above average academically and he gets along great with the kids, but his teacher wants him to repeat kindergarten because he's socially immature. This is a misconception, and one that can be detrimental to the decision-making process. And while its bad, no point crying over spilled milk. New research suggests repeating elementary school grades even kindergarten is harmful. It was mostly a year for "play-based learning," and the idea of a child being "held back" to repeat the grade might have seemed a little silly. Suddenly, scores on those tests were the only thing that mattered. May 30, 2013 #1 . My frustration is with the teacher and her seeming intent in holding my little guy back for whatever reason by not supplying the tools necessary to help him be successful in kindergarten. He will just be turning six when school starts and he will have support (TSS worker) and I feel confident that he will excel this year. We attended class parties and could quickly realize the difference in maturity, knowledge and socializing shortcomings. Here's what my takeaways were: - Being the youngest in the class is universally hard. His teacher has to repeat everything to him. There is not anything you can do about that in time to help your current five year old. In her defense they JUST started really reading. He was always in trouble in kindergarten, had difficulty making and keeping friends, never did homework or classwork, could not focus, did poorly on tests. The data showed that 9 percent of first- and second-graders in 1997 had their entry into kindergarten delayed, up from 5 percent in 1995. The research suggests I am placing n obstacle in his way by doing this. I know I am extremely late to this article, but both my twin brother and I repeated Kindergarten during the 1993-1994 school year. The Australian Curriculum is fairly static, which means that by repeating a year, a child will have an opportunity to revise past learnings, fill in the gaps and retain the information. We also dont want him to hurt his self esteem. My daughter is behind and her teacher wants to retain her. "In addition to evaluating a child's social and emotional readiness for first grade, teachers now must consider specific grade-level standards instituted by the state or the school district," says Marilou Hyson, Ph.D., associate executive director for professional development at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), in Washington, D.C. As a result, more children are in danger of not passing muster. Get in touch! Why had his teacher not told us earlier that he was having issues so we could have worked more with him on blending or got him more help? What if I want my child to repeat kindergarten but the school wont allow it because of the mo child left behind? These questions concerned me, but I knew that repeating kindergarten was the right thing for my son. Requirements for first grade readiness vary from state to state. Im so conflicted. End of February 2018 i am in my sons class room speakin with his teacher bout his academics and as she informs me he has reading problems along with speech problems and now all of a sudden needs little more assistance so i explained that i want him to be in a reading/speech class to help keep him on track(my oldest son goes for speech and ready every week) and if she can send home words and reading material he needs more help with to go over each day at home, waiting and calling and writing comments in his planner on where the work is he needs little more improvement with is at doesnt show up home until the last month of school where then same day i get work of his i get a call from his teacher.she goes on about how hes doin wonderful and all of a sudden she says due to his speech difficulty which effects his reading and reading issues she wants to hold him back in same grade! I am not sending him to first grade. She said he will not make it in first grade. Our son repeated pre-k due to his maturity level. Your child may not mind this as much as you think. If you decide to have your child repeat the year, it's better to switch teachers or even schools. Kindergarten is not mandatory in California although most children in the state usually enroll. Hes great at math though. Repeating a grade increases the risk. Helped build confidence. C books are recommended, but not required. I did not know these words at 6, nor could I build and create what he does without my help. My preschool teacher should have been aware of that. To sum up, his fine motor skills are good, his pre-reading skills are good, but he may not yet be mature enough for kindergarten. I feel that not only with his issues but that Covid gave us a perfect chance to mulligan the previous year. He cannot follow directions consistently enough and other kids are not being nice to him because he is more immature. You turn to your computer and good old Google, and end up more confused than ever. - My son will be the last to learn how to drive. If starting school is postponed for boys with birthdays after, say, June 1, "immature" boys suddenly become those with birthdays after March 1. He's well above average academically and he gets along great with the kids, but his teacher wants him to repeat kindergarten because he's socially immature. Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If the speech therapist agrees with the teacher, youll know what to do. She has been a regular education classroom teacher, a consultant teacher/resource teacher, an educational evaluator/diagnostician, and has also taught graduate students at the university level. Now school is over and although his teacher told me throughout the semester that he will most likely be repeating kindergarten, the school promoted him to fist grade. Sensory issues: Some kids react strongly to sensory information and may get overwhelmed by things like bright lights. Sammy, for instance, could discuss ancient Troy but couldn't draw a stick figure. Red, yellow, green, blue with red being the worst. Emotional. Hi, So finally did you decide on this? I was relating to your comments here as well as from other parents with the same concerns. She is the one who pointed me to the research that says retention is not a good choice. There can be an age difference of a year (or more) in class. Clearly we weren't alone in our worrying. It doesnt sound right to me. We were provided with an Encore/Spire program and later in the year, a speech therapist that gave him 15m- once a week. Following that advice, my parents moved us to a private school that went through 8th grade. If they arent reading, it isnt even a question that they remain in kindergarten. I am being sent home a retention letter Tuesday. Few of them will be deeply affected by (or even remember later on) repeating kindergarten. I am afraid we will have a huge bubble of high school drop outs when those children reach the age of sixteen. Thirty of these families had chosen to redshirt their sons back in kindergarten, and 25 opted not to. Parents can ask to see examples of their child's work compared to the work of other children of the same age. Question: Even though he had an early August birthday, we started our son in kindergarten at a private Christian school. Marzola is an adjunct assistant professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and Hunter College of the City University of New York. Weve read to him every day for long periods of time since he was 2 months old. But generally, if the school wants your child to go ahead, thats what will happen. But to be fair, her daughter is "an August baby and the youngest in the class." But when a child often acts immaturely compared to other kids the same age, you may wonder whats going on. Family Education is part of the Sandbox Learning family of educational reference sites for parents, teachers, and students. Does he try to tell the story by looking at the pictures? No wonder they seemed so little! This used to be Kinder requirements, now they are prek requirements. The kids are expected to write sentences and use inventive spelling (spell phonetically) for words that they havent learned yet. I'm looking for advice/experience in having a child repeat a grade. A positive and open talk about the plan can do a lot to help alleviate the stress of being "held back." If they arent doing the homework then they arent learning. Others may show immature behavior in certain settings or at certain times. We are solely to blame for not having our son attend pre-k as I was uneducated on its value. School!. "When is it a good idea to repeat kindergarten?" 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