Grace is repeating kindergarten....Update post 22...

[miche61]

We too held our son back in kindergarten. It was a tough choice. He was in private school at the time. I did blame myself and his first teacher... however I do know that he was not mature enough for school. He is now 9 and just finishing 2nd grade. I know that this is the class he needs to be in. Things still aren't easy for him, and probably never will come easily for him, but it was the best decision we made for him. The other good decision we made was moving him (and a sister) to public school. Private school was not consistent with the extra help they needed- Title, speech, and for them ESL. Yes, your child may be older than the others, but in the long run, it will help your daughter enjoy school more if she's on the same "playing field" as the other kids. Best of luck on your decision.

 

[AmazingGrace]

We had the ARD this afternoon. Grace's teacher showed me her test scores. She's in no way behind. She's actually ahead of at least half her class. All this talk from the teacher about how behind Grace is, and she's not behind at all. I talked to her, the counselor and the reading specialist, and Grace is right where she should be. She's recognizing words. She's writing coherent sentences and she's adapting perfectly. I asked her teacher why all the panicky notes and she just had no answer. Again, I'm like,

The counselor pulled me aside and said that there were definitely some personality issues going on with Grace and her teacher. I've said that all along. Her teacher has a totally different approach than Grace's teacher in Mississippi and Grace didn't respond well at all. In turn, the teacher seemed to have no sympathy for what Grace had been through. Grace just now is starting to be comfortable around her. The counselor assured me that Grace should move to the first grade and if there are any problems, they will be addressed immediately. The counselor also said that we'll all be amazed with the progress Grace can make with the right teacher, and that she's sorry that didn't happen this year.

So, I think we're going to let her move up and see what happens. I'm going to be up their butts though. I'm going to watching Grace's progress like a hawk. I hope that her next teacher welcomes classroom helpers because that's what I'm going to be doing this upcoming year.

I just feel so stupid. I based this decision on facts that weren't even accurate.

 

[liamandcaili]

I am glad your meeting went so well. It sounds like your daughter is doing fine, and I am sure her ability to adapt to new situations will serve her well later on in life. It's too bad the teacher made you feel so stressed. I hope Grace gets a terrific teacher for 1st grade!

 

[mum4jenn]

That is GOOD news!!!! I just hate to see kids being held back when they are basically doing well.

I bet next your your child will blossom like a flower!!

If you have any pull with the counselor see if she can have her placed with a teacher she feels would be a great fit for her. Good experiences in the early years are worth so much.

 

[famofsix]

Wow what a year for Grace and your family. I think you are making good decisions...I just have a couple suggestions...our district has something called Prefirst. It's a jump between K and 1st grade. The curricula is designed to not only ready them for first grade but to help children's confidence. We did this with one of our kids and it was a great decision. With another child we sent to K and this child had low skills going in. We figured the child would likely go to prefirst. Well, I wish I had waited a year because the district was pulling the child out of the classroom constantly (it was only 1/2 day K) and the child was really frustrated. We decided to homeschool this child and it has been so great. I know homeschool is not an option for everyone but for us it really has helped. Whatever you decide I believe it is better to give a child an advantage of another year of growth than 12 years of struggling to keep up.
Sorry I did not see your updated post, I am sorry the teacher made you go through all this stress! But, test scores while useful don't always paint the whole picture. Be sure sure Grace is confident in the classroom and mature enough not to be overwhelmed. That said, it seems like a different teacher would be a welcomed change and she will be fine!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

That's great! I'm all for kids being held back when they need to be, but it doesn't sound like that's the case here.

I bet that she can make a lot of strides this summer, too. Make sure you're reading to her, giving her a chance to write, etc. Obviously don't turn her summer into school, but kids learn so much when they don't even realize it.

Do you have more than one teacher per grade? If so, make sure you put in a request for the type of teacher that Grace would do best with next year. Our school does not honor requests for specific teachers, but they do look at the type of teacher a student will do best with and will consider what parents have to say.