NOTE: Shauna has no problem holding kids back a year for growth. Shauna does not necessarily believe that Kindergarten is the most beneficial year for that to be done for Chase.
I think that the basic concepts covered in Kindergarten are going to be quite boring for my boy next year. I am afraid that my obedient, well behaved child might fill his boredom with silliness & acting out. He may not, but time will only tell. The teachers & staff are recommending another year for Chase because they feel like he just isn't ready for First Grade. Our school has an amazing reading recovery program for first graders (that Mackenzie participated in this year) – I know that if he moves on to 1st grade, he is likely to be involved in that program and it did wonders for Mackenzie! I feel a little irresponsible wanting my child in that program but I can see Chase quickly getting right where he needs to be.
When I signed the letter that was written up for me requesting for Chase to re-do Kindergarten, I asked if I could re-evaluate the situation at the end of the summer. I don't think it is fair to measure his maturity 5 months before it is even time to start 1st grade. I do have that option so we will just see where he is in a few months.
I honestly feel like I am up against an educational regime on this though. I feel like if I decide to put him in 1st grade – I have this huge group of people looking down on my parenting skills. Which isn't really fair. I want to do what's best for my boy & I just have this gut feeling that this is not it. (NOTE: I absolutely adore Chase's teachers/administrators and know that they are trying to do what they think is best for him as well, we just differ in opinion.)
OK – well thanks for listening to my rant. Again, I am sure there are some adverse opinions on this. Feel free to put it out there but be nice.
Shauna rambles and rants over at Blah Blah Blog when she isn’t keeping your favorite website up and running!All of the end of the year activities are in play. Today, we are going to Chase's Kindergarten awards program & picnic! It is very exciting. Not as exciting as next year's Kindergarten awards program & picnic will be when we are actually celebrating his conclusion of Kindergarten.
Oh the joys of repeating Kindergarten.
Have I mentioned that I am not thrilled fully convinced that this is best for my boy? I don't think I have. I have mentioned it to some of my loved-ones but not to you, some of my dearest imaginary , invisible, Internet friends in the world! I am sure many of you will have a contrary opinion to mine but I am going to go ahead and put mine out there ¦because, well, its my blog.
Chase is very young. His birthday is July 24. He has struggled a bit through Kindergarten. BUT. He is a very sharp kid who has achieved a Satisfactory rating on his report card in almost every subject throughout the majority of the year. Over the past few months, he has blossomed in maturity & retention of reading/writing concepts in leaps and bounds.
NOTE: Shauna has no problem holding kids back a year for growth. Shauna does not necessarily believe that Kindergarten is the most beneficial year for that to be done for Chase.
I think that the basic concepts covered in Kindergarten are going to be quite boring for my boy next year. I am afraid that my obedient, well behaved child might fill his boredom with silliness & acting out. He may not, but time will only tell. The teachers & staff are recommending another year for Chase because they feel like he just isn't ready for First Grade. Our school has an amazing reading recovery program for first graders (that Mackenzie participated in this year) – I know that if he moves on to 1st grade, he is likely to be involved in that program and it did wonders for Mackenzie! I feel a little irresponsible wanting my child in that program but I can see Chase quickly getting right where he needs to be.
When I signed the letter that was written up for me requesting for Chase to re-do Kindergarten, I asked if I could re-evaluate the situation at the end of the summer. I don't think it is fair to measure his maturity 5 months before it is even time to start 1st grade. I do have that option so we will just see where he is in a few months.
I honestly feel like I am up against an educational regime on this though. I feel like if I decide to put him in 1st grade – I have this huge group of people looking down on my parenting skills. Which isn't really fair. I want to do what's best for my boy & I just have this gut feeling that this is not it. (NOTE: I absolutely adore Chase's teachers/administrators and know that they are trying to do what they think is best for him as well, we just differ in opinion.)
OK – well thanks for listening to my rant. Again, I am sure there are some adverse opinions on this. Feel free to put it out there but be nice.
Shauna rambles and rants over at Blah Blah Blog when she isn’t keeping your favorite website up and running!
NOTE: Shauna has no problem holding kids back a year for growth. Shauna does not necessarily believe that Kindergarten is the most beneficial year for that to be done for Chase.
I think that the basic concepts covered in Kindergarten are going to be quite boring for my boy next year. I am afraid that my obedient, well behaved child might fill his boredom with silliness & acting out. He may not, but time will only tell. The teachers & staff are recommending another year for Chase because they feel like he just isn't ready for First Grade. Our school has an amazing reading recovery program for first graders (that Mackenzie participated in this year) – I know that if he moves on to 1st grade, he is likely to be involved in that program and it did wonders for Mackenzie! I feel a little irresponsible wanting my child in that program but I can see Chase quickly getting right where he needs to be.
When I signed the letter that was written up for me requesting for Chase to re-do Kindergarten, I asked if I could re-evaluate the situation at the end of the summer. I don't think it is fair to measure his maturity 5 months before it is even time to start 1st grade. I do have that option so we will just see where he is in a few months.
I honestly feel like I am up against an educational regime on this though. I feel like if I decide to put him in 1st grade – I have this huge group of people looking down on my parenting skills. Which isn't really fair. I want to do what's best for my boy & I just have this gut feeling that this is not it. (NOTE: I absolutely adore Chase's teachers/administrators and know that they are trying to do what they think is best for him as well, we just differ in opinion.)
OK – well thanks for listening to my rant. Again, I am sure there are some adverse opinions on this. Feel free to put it out there but be nice.
Shauna rambles and rants over at Blah Blah Blog when she isn’t keeping your favorite website up and running!
Your posts have all been very helpful. My son is 5yrs old with a July 18th bday and will be completing his 1st year of kindergarten this May. His teacher just called us this weekend and discussed holding him back. She says socially he is great. He completes tasks, is the best behaved child she has, but she worries about him reading. He knows all of his letters and sounds. He is just not grasping blending words together. He is great at sight words and numbers. He can even tell time and count to 100. Its not even March yet I was just thinking we had more time. But my husband and I told her we just wanted whatever is best for him. He is the smallest child in the class and the youngest. I don’t want him to struggle for the rest of his 12 yrs of school. The only real big problem is that he is very upset that he isn’t going to 1st grade with his friends. His grandpa told him without my permission. He thought we had already discussed it. I just didn’t know how to tell him so I was waiting to ask the teacher her opinion first. So now my little man is in tears and there isn’t a thing I can do about it. How did all of you handle discussing it with your kids and other family members?