Submitted by Linda Mackenzie (not verified) on August 9, 2007 - 16:57.
Social promotion does not work. It is the elephant in the living room no one will talk about. Imagine what it must be like to sit in a room daily and know that you don't know what is necessary to succeed there. You also know that every other child in the room knows this too. The only ones who don't seem to know are the adults in your life. What kind of message does that send? How can a child ask for help when the respected authority figures appear not to see the problem?
The true problem is society's perception of retention, not the process itself. If all the adults in the retention situation are supportive and positive, it transfers to the individual child being retained as well as classmates--especially if retention is done in the early years. Children will accept that some people need more practice than others. I have retained kindergarten students when necessary despite some administrators discomfort with this. My principal and my superintendent trust my judgment on this. So do the parents. I have followed up every retained child over the years. Some children go on to be highly successful, others struggle, but no parent who made the decision has ever felt that retaining in kindergarten was the wrong choice for their child. Several parents who decided to move their child on have said it was a mistake and some of them have repeated in the older grades (a harder transition. Each year I have former classroom parents call me to offer to talk to any parent whose child I am thinking of retaining. Parent-to-parent talks are important when considering retaining a child.
I also recommend having the child repeat in my classroom. Some parents worry that the child will be "bored" having the same curriculum from the same teacher. I counter that it is that same routine and expectations that will allow the child to feel confident to become a leader with the new less-experienced students. As a teacher, I can take that student on from where he/she is, because I know what he/she knows and needs to know. Most repeat kindergartners are delighted when they remember something familiar and enjoy helping others with the familiar routines. Most proudly tell others in time that they were "in this class last year, so I know..."
As I have often said, ask your child. What child would say no to an extra year of kindergarten with that all-important Choice Time? Even a kindergartner is aware when he/she can't do much of what the others can. Everyone understands that not all children have the same level of ability at the same point in time, but when a child is significantly lacking, that child usually knows. It is important to face the problem directly and support that appropriate development does not follow an age-specific timeline. No child is deficient, just developing at their own pace. Allow them the best environment for that development to take place. Don't overlay it with unnecessary societal stigma.
getting the needed help at the optimum time
Submitted by Linda Mackenzie (not verified) on August 9, 2007 - 16:57.
Social promotion does not work. It is the elephant in the living room no one will talk about. Imagine what it must be like to sit in a room daily and know that you don't know what is necessary to succeed there. You also know that every other child in the room knows this too. The only ones who don't seem to know are the adults in your life. What kind of message does that send? How can a child ask for help when the respected authority figures appear not to see the problem?
The true problem is society's perception of retention, not the process itself. If all the adults in the retention situation are supportive and positive, it transfers to the individual child being retained as well as classmates--especially if retention is done in the early years. Children will accept that some people need more practice than others. I have retained kindergarten students when necessary despite some administrators discomfort with this. My principal and my superintendent trust my judgment on this. So do the parents. I have followed up every retained child over the years. Some children go on to be highly successful, others struggle, but no parent who made the decision has ever felt that retaining in kindergarten was the wrong choice for their child. Several parents who decided to move their child on have said it was a mistake and some of them have repeated in the older grades (a harder transition. Each year I have former classroom parents call me to offer to talk to any parent whose child I am thinking of retaining. Parent-to-parent talks are important when considering retaining a child.
I also recommend having the child repeat in my classroom. Some parents worry that the child will be "bored" having the same curriculum from the same teacher. I counter that it is that same routine and expectations that will allow the child to feel confident to become a leader with the new less-experienced students. As a teacher, I can take that student on from where he/she is, because I know what he/she knows and needs to know. Most repeat kindergartners are delighted when they remember something familiar and enjoy helping others with the familiar routines. Most proudly tell others in time that they were "in this class last year, so I know..."
As I have often said, ask your child. What child would say no to an extra year of kindergarten with that all-important Choice Time? Even a kindergartner is aware when he/she can't do much of what the others can. Everyone understands that not all children have the same level of ability at the same point in time, but when a child is significantly lacking, that child usually knows. It is important to face the problem directly and support that appropriate development does not follow an age-specific timeline. No child is deficient, just developing at their own pace. Allow them the best environment for that development to take place. Don't overlay it with unnecessary societal stigma.