Why having your kid skip a grade is a bad idea. (preschool, grades)

[Lillie767]

Originally Posted by nancylaxey

+1

As a college counselor once said to me, students who try to graduate faster often end up taking longer, as their haste causes them to to do poorly in several classes causing them to have to retake said classes.

I disagree with your college counselor. As I stated, I was graduated from college with a BA at age 19. Never failed or repeated a course. And I didn't major in basket weaving. I majored in STEM.

[SharonMB]

Totally depends on the kid. I skipped a grade, graduated at 17, and did fine in college and in life. There were a bunch of 17 year olds because in my state at that time, the cutoff was January 1. That meant nearly half the class was 17 at graduation.

Even though he's graduating at 23, who cares? Does it really matter, in the grand scheme of things, whether he gets his first real job at 21 or 23 or 25? No, it doesn't. Don't waste your time regretting something that happened when he was four, and don't waste his time harping on him graduating a year "late." It makes zero difference.

[psikeyhackr]

Maybe the title should be:


Why having your kid skip a grade might not be a good idea.


The little varmints are too variable.

[MinivanDriver]

I think the real culprit is the factory model of education where kids are supposed to march in lockstep, learning the same thing at the same time without regard for intelligence or motivation. So, yeah, a bright and accelerated kid has trouble adjusting because grades aren't based on mastery, but rather on how many days you spend moldering at a desk.

[Transmition]

A good school with have some kind of advanced track program for gifted students. My kids get to do college credits in their regular high school, which means they get to have the full high school experience of hanging out with random people. School is more than just the educational aspect, the socialization is always so overlooked. People concentrate too much on getting their kids the qualifications and seem to ignore that a different pace with more character building might be better.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by MinivanDriver

I think the real culprit is the factory model of education where kids are supposed to march in lockstep, learning the same thing at the same time without regard for intelligence or motivation. So, yeah, a bright and accelerated kid has trouble adjusting because grades aren't based on mastery, but rather on how many days you spend moldering at a desk.

I agree with this.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Transmition

...School is more than just the educational aspect, the socialization is always so overlooked. People concentrate too much on getting their kids the qualifications and seem to ignore that a different pace with more character building might be better.

different pace with more character building might be better.
yes, ... like exposing your kids to many different:

1. cultures, - travel... very cheap and easy to travel as a local (worldwide) Stay with families, live their life for a few months.
2. social realms, - Volunteer in your local soup kitchen every week
3. age groups, - join mixed age community edu and services; volunteer a few times / week with elderly
4. skillsets, - meet / eat / discuss with many professionals and skilled friends
5. activities - agriculture, growing crops and animals, participating as volunteers in various organizations with adults (public radio was a great volunteer gig for our kids, pre HS), garden and sewing clubs, community services
6. Experiences - start their own business age 8+
7. responsibilities - start their retirement accts, age 10+

These are a WHOLE lot easier outside the classroom.

'Retire'(?) early (While kids are home)
Go back to work when they leave (If you must)

Probably (by then) you too, will have found a much higher QoL than being a wage slave. Adult equivalent of an 'age segregated "socialized"(?) classroom clone.

[psikeyhackr]

Originally Posted by Transmition

A good school with have some kind of advanced track program for gifted students.

And what percentage of schools qualify as good?


That is why a K-12 National Recommend Reading List would be useful because so many schools will never be fixed. Many that will be may be too late for your kid.

[otowi]

It is going to depend on the kid, but if they're running ahead, let it be for a reason - because they're going toward something they're ready for. If there is plenty of opportunity for them to be happy and excel and pursue interests and grow without acceleration, then it is worth considering that maybe they shouldn't. For example, if it is someone interested in sports, acceleration may result in lower performance compared to what could be achieved staying on age due to being smaller, less-developed, etc. (depending on the sport).

[Mrs. Skeffington]

Originally Posted by Ceece

In my moms day there were 2 levels to each grade and there were two promotions a year. She was moved ahead twice, half a year each time, in her elementary years and graduated HS right around the time she turned 17.

This was the case with my grandsons. Oldest grandson started Kindergarten before his 5th birthday, and skipped second grade. He turned 8 in November and just completed 4th grade; however, he is taking 7th grade math. His math instructor feels he'll be ready for algebra next year. He is a total STEM geek, "Young Sheldon" to a T. He enjoys music and plays the piano, but isn't at all athletic and has no interest in sports. He's got an aptitude for spotting patterns and is good at chess and card games...when he's 21, I'll take him with me to the casino.

Youngest is 5, and is in first grade (finished Kindergarten in January). He's the athletic one. They both attend a private school for gifted kids where skipping grades is common. They'll be able to take college accredited courses while still in the upper grades. DD's plan is for them to have as much college completed as possible before they're out of her supervision.