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And I doubt his accomplishments had anything to do with him being the oldest. He probably would have done just as well had he gone a year earlier. Success has very little to do with age, but almost everything to do with drive and talent.
+100 You should give your son credit for his accomplishments. I think he would feel kind of insulted if you attributed all his achievements to something as artificial as his age, rather than his own natural intelligence and work ethic. His age may have helped a little in the beginning, but now that he's 22, I highly doubt that his current accomplishments have anything to do what something that happened when he was 4.
I think that book is a slap in the face TBH. My daughter is in 7th grade and just turned 13. We had to start her as the oldest because she missed the cutoff. She has excelled in everything except math, has won many awards, and is now attending a top private school. But according to Gladwell, her accomplishments are solely because she's the oldest, and not because she's smart and hardworking, and therefore, has nothing to be proud of. It's because of this that Gladwell is not my favorite author.
I did this for my almost 6 year old that just started Kindergarten this year. We have a September 30 cutoff and his birthday is 3 days before that. We just felt he was not ready last year. All the educators that we talked to suggested to wait another year before K. He's the shortest kid, shy/timid and socially immature.
He stayed in his regular daycare the extra year. He was going to move up to the PreK class in daycare, but because the class was full, they moved him up to the small private K class. So in this class there were only 9 students: 5 K students + 4 PreK students. I was initially worried about the move - but it was a great year for him - he learned a lot in the small class in a familiar setting.
This year he started Kindergarten in the public school and so far he is doing well.
The only issue I have with "red-shirting" is when the majority of the class SHOULD be in the next grade up, and the parents of these kids make sure/complain very loudly that their kids need to be taught to a "higher grade level" b/c they are "so smart".
And the school (independent private in this case) caters to these parents - because they ARE the majority.
Makes the grade/age-appropriate kids feel less than. They get separated from the majority of their class (small class/grade - 18 kids) to work on grade/age-appropriate material.
They struggle with homework, etc.
Thankfully this garbage stops in 4th grade. But pre-K through 3rd was hell for my kid. And he SHOULD have been one of the oldest in his class/grade with his January birthday. He was one of the youngest.
He turned 5 years old when he was in pre-K 4...and the majority of his class (who he just started 4th grade with last week) either entered as the age of 6 or were turning 6 years old shortly after.
Red-shirting for athletics? In the elementary years? Just stupid & very short-shighted, IMO.
... pre-K through 3rd was hell for my kid. And he SHOULD have been one of the oldest in his class/grade with his January birthday. He was one of the youngest.
Isn't that amazing? When we were in school, the kids with Dec/January birthdays were the oldest. Even 20 years ago, my sister was worried about my nephew with a summer birthday being the youngest in his class. Kids with summer birthdays used to be in the middle aged group in the classroom.
I'm not sure about that math. I hold back my son a year (September birthday - 3 days before the cut off) and he will be 18 when he graduates high school.
I think that's referring to students who were redshirted and then have to repeat a grade.
The only issue I have with "red-shirting" is when the majority of the class SHOULD be in the next grade up, and the parents of these kids make sure/complain very loudly that their kids need to be taught to a "higher grade level" b/c they are "so smart".
.
Yes, and they complain that the "slow" (younger) kids are holding back their "geniuses".
The fact is, older kids have an advantage over younger ones in the classroom. Not only academically, but athletically and socially. The redshirting parents won't admit this.
The fact is, older kids have an advantage over younger ones in the classroom. Not only academically, but athletically and socially. The redshirting parents won't admit this.
If this is true, then why does anyone start their kids in K at age 5? If they wait until 6, they'll learn faster, do better in sports, and be more socially adept. This is what every parent wants. It's easier on the kids, and easier on the teachers too. What then is the advantage to anyone of starting at 5? I'm really curious about this. Maybe K should start at age 6, and then in every grade all the kids will be a little older, bigger, stronger, etc.
The fact is, older kids have an advantage over younger ones in the classroom. Not only academically, but athletically and socially. The redshirting parents won't admit this.
That advantage dies away over time though, and is completely non-existent by college.
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