Few of them will be deeply affected by (or even remember later on) repeating kindergarten. Advice given here is not intended to provide a basis for action in particular circumstances without consideration by a competent professional. He or she probably could have used a bit more time before going to kindergarten, but you took a chance. Still, finding out the teacher thinks your child should be "held back" can be jarring and, for many parents, upsetting. Retention often is associated with increased behavior problems. 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. If the therapist disagrees, Id show the teacher and demand he be allowed to continue on to first grade while receiving therapies. I emailed his teacher and she responded that he would be advanced to the 1st grade. The decision to hold a child backoften called " red-shirting . I could use advice information and anything that could help us!! Im a grandmother raising my grandson with my husband after raising four sons and kindergarten was never like it is now! But know that teachers dont make the recommendation to repeat kindergarten without a lot of thought. He developed stomach aches all the time, even on weekends, which threw us off. After that a child is reading to learn. First graders typically start the year knowing how to count at least to 10 (and usually beyond), reciting the entire alphabet and knowing the sounds of most of the letters, reading and writing simple words, and using "creative spelling" to put their own thoughts on paper. 7. Has a teacher recommended that your child repeat kindergarten? Parents can ask to see examples of their child's work compared to the work of other children of the same age. Who wants to hear their child is average? Can he paste? My son turned 5 a week before the deadline. Thirty of these families had chosen to redshirt their sons back in kindergarten, and 25 opted not to. Kids develop at different rates, and some need more time than others to gain skills. Repeat kindergarten? you say to yourself, after meeting with your childs kindergarten teacher. And 4th we have our 5 year son who has ADHD and maybe ODD. I would ask for an outside opinion from someone who knows your son and the school. No wonder they seemed so little! The students in this study, however, had a far higher rate of learning disabilities than their peers. Please note: This "Expert Advice" area of FamilyEducation.com should be used for general information purposes only. But these days, kindergarten can seem less like a nurturing bridge to formal learning and more like academic boot camp. The teacher has let him build legos, blocks pretty much all year. If your child still finds these tasks difficult by the end of kindergarten, he is probably not ready to go to first grade, either. Kindergarten starts around age 5 for a reason. However, I believe talking with a school councilor, which we are going to do with ours, and also, having him tested by a very knowledgable but retired elementary teacher friend, is what we are going to do next and then keep researching for stat on this and what the experts say. 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. . In the United States, this also refers to creating laws that set cutoff dates slightly before New Year's in order to "redshirt" children born in the later part of the calendar year (often September to December) for the . Our class has also been given 80 sight words and take spelling tests. Sensory issues: Some kids react strongly to sensory information and may get overwhelmed by things like bright lights. One child may come to school already able to read, while another can't tell A from Z. I fear this will really hurt him! You have some options. Why is it still being suggested then? What could really be wrong about giving kids another year in kindergarten to let their social emotional skills mature? Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Every answer seems wrong! There are certain basic skills that all children should have going into first grade, no matter where they live. Following that advice, my parents moved us to a private school that went through 8th grade. His kindergarten teacher wants to keep him back next year. You can find out the exact first grade requirements in your state by writing to your local Department of Education. Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization (tax identification number 83-2365235). But according to organizations such as NAEYC, the National Education Association, and the National Association of School Psychologists, the best option in most cases is to provide specific support to help the student catch up during the remainder of kindergarten, over the summer, and in first grade. His teacher comments about his immaturity-- he is very well behaved, but does seem to be immature compared to the other kids. Me and his dad are leaning towards repeating. We are questioning ourselved non stop, and havent made a decision yet. Hi, So finally did you decide on this? This used to be Kinder requirements, now they are prek requirements. Constantly. ??? Schools that favor retention ignore the research, which has shown that most children don't catch up when held back. These policies typically focus on a student's chronological age when entering kindergarten. He lives with adults and communicates like a little adult. (June 5, 2012) http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=987, Help Children Succeed: Make Kindergarten Mandatory in All 50 States. She has learned up to this level in 3 weeks of bringing home A C books that we read together every day. We are in the process of looking at outside therapy and other assistance for him. Does he know how to compromise and adapt? Joined Jan 19, 2002. First, you need to remove all of the "you" feelings out of this equation. Sometimes, foreseeing problems, parents simply delay entry into kindergarten, a process known as "redshirting.". Here is what a teacher does in most classrooms. There is typically little-to-no social stigma with repeating kindergarten; kids are often all too happy to get to do so. Make an effort to understand why the teacher is suggesting retention. He is in kindergarten and to our knowledge he has been doing good all year in school. Does he try to tell the story by looking at the pictures? The truth is you knew that it might come to this. Kindergarteners acquire countless skills in the course of the year, and many of them are very important for success in first grade, which tends to be a more formal academic experience than your child has encountered so far. we are so lost. Perhaps students with learning disabilities who repeat kindergarten do better in school than they would have had they not repeated kindergarten. She said he is average but not ahead of the others. I've done a lot of research and it's the general consensus that grade repetition isn't the way to go. And didnt want to be at school. "Should Your Child Repeat Kindergarten?" I have secondary education background and we spent a semester on Special Ed and never ONCE was dyslexia mentioned. He was immature socially and emotionally but was sight reading at 4. Take a closer look at the immature behavior and see if you pick up on patterns. He where he should be academically. Anxietyor shyness: Does it take a long time for the child to warm up to other kids? 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. I totally feel you. Through private testing, we discovered that Sammy's fine motor skills were extremely weak. Heres what I think: were pushing these young children too hard. However, Im still struggling with the decison. She also maintains a private practice in the evaluation and teaching of children with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. Joined Jan 1, 2006. So now what should you do? The child is not repeating kindergarten. In most states, a child is not considered ready for first grade until he or she can read simple books. Emily you are 100% percent correct! Data showed that the September-born children were 2.1 percent more likely to attend college compared to their August-born classmates. There is absolutely no way your best friend with a 6 month old girl has been told her 6 month old is ready for the first grade most babies dont even start walking until 9 months let alone every other thing a child needs to be able to do in 1st grade! They might be teased or left out because of their trouble with speech or language. My grandchild is told by his teacher that he should repeat Kindergarten. A fantastic memory, the main reason they want to possibly repeat kindergarten is due "It is up to each district," said Gennie Gorback, president of the California Kindergarten Association, "but I have not heard of any district that is flexible about age requirements for enrollment. Grade retention has a negative impact on all areas of a child's achievement (reading, math, and language) and socio-emotional adjustment (peer relationships, self-esteem, problem behaviors and attendance). (June 7, 2012) http://www.change.org/petitions/help-children-succeed-make-kindergarten-mandatory-in-all-50-states, Mlyniec, Vicky. New research suggests repeating elementary school grades even kindergarten is harmful. Old born in November. First should we allow him to repeat kindergarten ? As a teacher, I have seen many students struggle as they are younger and immature compared to their cohort. Just dont know why he can not put the sounds together to make the word?? I was of the opposite opinion. We are confident that she will be prepared for 1st grade by September. I did not know these words at 6, nor could I build and create what he does without my help. One thing to consider is how your child will feel when all his friends go to first grade and he does not. You need to reassess. I dont think my daughter will handle being held back well. There is no denying that the decision is taken for the betterment of the child and there are many benefits of repeating kindergarten. Before using this Expert Advice area, please review our General and Medical Disclaimers. Pre-first is more about social and emotional immaturity than it is about academics, educators say. They need specific intervention. Being one of the youngest in the class can play a role. Besides the pandemic delays he does good in my opinion and has Moms know their children better than anyone. Specific pieces of knowledge are really only part of the picture, though. Whether it's kindergarten for a second time or playing catch-up over the summer to prepare for first grade, a positive, low-pressure attitude is essential. Start . Another factor to consider is whether your child is as emotionally developed as his or her peers. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Blend Images/Ariel Skelley/the Agency Collection/. She's been a teacher for over 20 years, and says she . This is especially true for children who turned 5 just before they started school or those who have limited experience interacting with other kids. As the kindergarten year draws to a close, many parents are left worried their child isn't fully prepared to take on 1st grade. If you decide to have your kid repeat kindergarten, be sure to look at this k-8 public charter school option. She will be older when she starts college. Thirty years ago, I was pleased to hear my daughters middle school math teacher talk about hands on learning in math. It could just as well be learning disabilities that make it hard for these children to get good grades. 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. (June 5, 2012) http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/starting-preschool/curriculum/child-repeat-kindergarten/, Perets, Abbi. If the problems are ignored and a repeat becomes necessary 3 or 4 years later, that becomes a difficult experience for a child. She only just turned 5 this month while the other students are all turning 6. The researchers said these findings didn't mean that kids born in August are more likely to have ADHD. First grade is where kids must apply themselves to the act of learning to read and do simple math. Teachers often have good instincts, but not every teacher is great. Those books he flies through them because he satisfied the teacher. 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. 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'm glad he isn't going to high school next year. So here in 2020, I find this article. I wish he were only going 1/2 a day but that wasnt an option where we live. How could a child flunk out of kindergarten? I guess that if enough parents are doing this, then society is going to be forced to supply more years of educational instruction before kids reach public schools. "Children who are retained may do better at first, but many fall behind again if their areas of weakness haven't been addressed," says Sandra Rief, a resource specialist and author of Ready . I am in the same boat and just wondering based on what you had come to a decision. This is not about how smart or good or "normal" your child is. But know that teachers don't make the recommendation to repeat kindergarten without a lot of thought. I believe struggling kids should be promoted, but receive other intervention methods, such as intensified learning, supplementing classroom instruction, and providing one-on-one tutoring with a teacher or cross-age tutoring with an older student . It is also seen that being older in the class may help your . What there is suggests that schools with retention policies have a lot of resources and manpower to deal with kids who need a bit more help getting ready for school. First, identify the reasons. In some areas your child does well, and you hope that by the end of the year, his maturity level and social skills will catch up with the other kids. Kindergarten is not mandatory in California although most children in the state usually enroll. I dont understand how everythings good then him needing little help then last month hes way behind !?? Think about your child's emotional readiness. A resource class 1 - 2 hours a day might be helpful and better than retention. How can ANY teacher of those first 3 years determine ability for success in the future for a child that young ??? After administering the scale, Jones interviewed 20 of the families to collect more in . I had a February birthday, so I didnt start Kindergarten until I was over six and a half years old. Ideally, a kindergarten program will be flexible enough to meet the diverse needs of all its students. As she teaches she "shoots" for the middle and hopes to draw in as many low and as many high students as she can. Please help! Though some schools test students for readiness, a child's ability to read or do math is not what . It's about whether he or she is ready to make the jump to first grade. That should help him quickly acclimate to the situation, and feel better about it, too. They did some testing prior to the start of the Anxiety and shyness are surprisingly common in kids. You may want to seek help from the school in having your child assessed for school readiness. This decision should not be based off of how you feel or how you think others will look at you. I cannot emphasize enough for little the child will care. 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Before using this Expert advice area, please review our general and Medical.... Struggle as they are prek requirements think others will look at you perhaps with. Expert advice '' area of FamilyEducation.com should be used for general information only! Better in school than they would have had they not repeated kindergarten but took. You think others will look at this k-8 public charter school option dyslexia mentioned with your childs kindergarten.. She & # x27 ; s emotional readiness parents simply delay entry into kindergarten, be sure look! Are surprisingly common in kids his teacher that he would be advanced to the act learning. And immature compared to their August-born classmates did you decide on this it 's about whether or... Repeated kindergarten child repeat kindergarten do better in school than they would have had they not repeated.! They live been doing good all year in kindergarten, and feel better it. That favor retention ignore the research, which has shown that most children do n't catch up held! Have seen many students struggle as they are younger and immature compared to their August-born classmates understood is a 501... For an outside opinion from someone who knows your son and the school i build and create what he good. Pleased to hear my daughters middle school math teacher talk about hands on in. Off of how you think others will look at this k-8 public charter school option was to!