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Old 11-12-2009, 11:05 AM
 
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I'd wait. We waited with my now 8 y.o. dd who is in second grade (Oct. b-day.) The school district we were in had a December cutoff. The one we moved to this year has an October cutoff. She was okay at the old school and she's fine at this school. (My dd is tall for age and extremely bright also.) Doesn't matter. Kids are pushed too hard these days. Middle school starts here in 5th grade - eeks! Anyway, there are tons of things to learn in school and no reason to create a struggle or make things more "challenging" - I think its most important that they enjoy school and feel successful at what they are doing at this age. JMHO Good luck with YOUR decision!
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Old 11-12-2009, 12:01 PM
 
Location: In the north country fair
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It always depends on the child. I am a September baby who was not held back, and I am grateful every day that I was not.
I would have her enter as a Kindergartener and see how she does. Perhaps you can speak with the potential Mont school and ask if they would consider putting her in a Kinder class for the first week or two of school to see how she does? If she seems to be in the right grade, she can stay there, but if it seems that she needs to move up, she will still be able to do so.
I definitely think that it would be better [for her self esteem and social relationships] to promote her rather than demote her (i.e. have her start at a lower level and then move her up rather than vice-versa).
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Old 11-12-2009, 01:16 PM
 
Location: Central Ohio
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Consider I've yet to meet a single a parent who had regrets over holding their kid back opting to send them later.

But I've met a number who have regretted sending them to early/to young.

Have you ever met a parent who lamented "Johnny is 16 and I wish I would have sent him to first grade a year earlier"? If not then there's your answer.

IMO it's better to have her be the oldest in the classroom and not the youngest.

Besides, you get to keep your baby one more year.
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Old 11-12-2009, 02:02 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maf763 View Post
You might as well go ahead and apply for the first grade at the other school and see how the process goes. You can always defer her admission for a year. That will buy you a little more time to see how she compares later in the year.
I like this suggestion the best. Children grow by leaps and bounds academically and socially. She may not be ready NOW for 1st grade but by next September she may be bored to tears in kindergarten. Maybe not! If it's possible to keep your options open until early summer that's what I would do.
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Old 11-12-2009, 05:00 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hml1976 View Post
I'm hoping for some advice from teachers (and anyone honestly) on what to do with our daughter next year.

A bit of background. E turned 5 Sept 15, our kindergarten cut off is Sept 1, so she is not technically in kindy. She is in a Montessori school that goes through kindergarten, she is working with the other 5yr olds, most of whom will be going to first grade next year.

E's teacher has offered to call the elementary Montessori school (which we are regardless planning to send E to) and ask that they admit E early into first grade.

E is reading but not chapter books or anything, kids books and sounds out about half the words she reads still. She is learning basic addition and knows numbers to 100. She only recently was able to remember our phone number and still gets confused between things like city and country, state and continent etc.

Her teacher and my mom (who is a teacher) feel that she's ready for 1st grade (or will be by Fall), but I can't help but feel like another year in Kindergarten couldn't hurt. I would rather have her work at the top of her class than struggle...kwim?

So what's your advice? Is it worth mentioning also that E is very tall? at the 95% for height, she is about the size of an average 7yr old right now.

Thanks for your help!

ETA: I'm asking these questions now because applications will be due in January
You have to remember still have 9 1/2 months until next year. Her skills will develop and she will be much further ahead of other ker's by next year. She's already reading, just learning the sound the letters make is half of kindergarten. I think she'll be fine.
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Old 11-12-2009, 06:47 PM
 
Location: Boerne area
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Think about the whole of her education, not just the next year or 2. How will she fit in in MS, HS, driving, etc. I know these are unanswerable questions for the most part, but it is important not just to think about the next year.

I agree with the uppost, I have yet to meet someone who regrets holding back vs. sending. There is an older thread about redshirting kindergarten kids, search for that one, it has various opinions on it.

My youngest could've gone to K a year earlier than he did - he made the cutoff by 7 days. I held him back, and he is right where he needs to be as an older K student this year. But each child is different.

good luck with whatever you decide.
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Old 11-12-2009, 07:02 PM
 
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Thanks all, I fear there may be no perfect answer here. Maturity wise I think she'd be fine in 1st next year, she's fine with the other 5yr olds this year, I think she may be too "old" for the kindergarten class next year. She's also very tall and looks much older than her age.

Academically though I'm not so sure, its hard to judge as its only November but I'm uneasy about it. And I do agree, you seldom hear of people who are unhappy that they held their child back.

I guess Kindergarten and a Half would be perfect...too bad it doesn't exist!
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Old 11-12-2009, 07:05 PM
 
Location: Whoville....
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Keep her with the kids she's working well with. If they're going to 1st grade, put her in 1st grade.

I ran into this with my daughter. She was devastated when her friends went to kindy and she couldn't. Her first day of Kindy was a disaster because she thought her friends were going to be there waiting for her. If I had a do over, I would have had her skip kindy and go right to 1st grade where her friends were waiting.
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Old 11-13-2009, 09:40 PM
 
Location: Liberal Coast
4,280 posts, read 6,067,105 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas View Post
From what you describe she doesn't sound like she's academically ready for 1st grade. I'm in an academically competitive area though. Based on her skills, she sounds like a child who is currently in PK4.

Can you apply but then change your mind later?
Just wanted to throw this out there. What she is describing is more difficult than what my niece's kindergarten class does. I think they're still counting to 20.
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Old 11-13-2009, 10:09 PM
 
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I would wait. My birthday is also in the middle of September, so I, too, just missed the deadline. I was academically doing fine and was socially ready, but my parents figured there was no need to rush. I also attended a Montessori school, for what it's worth. I'm glad they had me wait. I enjoyed being one of the oldest in my class; I'd choose that over being the youngest, especially during the teenage years. The nice thing about Montessori is that kids can work at their own pace; even if she ends up doing work advanced for her age it won't really matter because the grades are mixed and kids don't have to follow along in a curriculum dependent solely on age. There's no need to rush into more formal academic learning, so assuming she enjoys where she is now I'd keep her there and let her enjoy herself, assuming, that is, that her kindergarten is stimulating enough and provides enough freedom that she won't be bored.

Last edited by uptown_urbanist; 11-13-2009 at 10:49 PM..
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