Holding Back a 2nd Grader

[nativetxn]

My younger sister had vision problems and made it to the fourth grade before the teachers admitted that there was a real problem.

She had surgery on her eye and my mother made the decision to have her repeat the 4th grade. It would have been much easier for her if she had repeated second grade, I think.

I'm sorry that you are having to deal with this but for your child's best interests, it might be better if they hold her back now instead of later. {{{HUGS}}} sweetie, I know you are feeling frustrated.

Katholyn

 

[disykat]

I am generally against retention and wouldn't do it unless the child was behind academically, socially, and in physical maturity. As others have said - consider this very carefully. The school is obligated to serve your child in an age appropriate setting. I am a teacher as well.

 

[FreshTressa]

Well, it is only April, you have a few months to get her caught up. Have you thought about tutoring?

Can you or someone else work on a homeschool program with her over the summer for some one on one learning?

 

[Disney1fan2002]

A question for those of you who agree with her being held back.

The OP stated she is ahead in math and science. So, if she is held back in second grade, she is also repeating the subjects she has already mastered. Don't you think this will impede her further?

I don't think I would sign either. if it is just her reading she is behind in, can't she get remedial help within the school? An IEP? My sister had a reading tutor throughout her school years, including high school, and she was never held back a grade. To this day, she is almost 35 years old, she struggles with reading. (it takes her forever to read an e-mail, UGH). Some people will always struggle with reading, just like there are people who will always struggle with math. Does that mean she will continually be held back? She needs extra help, and I think the school should be providing it, along with maybe summer tutoring (family would have to look for this) but if it is one or two subjects she is struggling with, and she is at or above par everywhere else, then I don't think she should have to rep[eat the entire 2nd grade.

Doesn't FLA have half grades? My niece did not go onto 1st grade from Kindergarten when they lived down there. She was in a program that was halfway between K and 1st grade.

 

[Aimee K]

Thank you all for your kind words and advice. School os out the last week of May here, so we're having to make this decision pretty quickly. We knew it was coming, weren't completely blindsided. We had been told that she would have a grade level test to see where she was performing and have much she had progressed since taking the test in November. She did make some gains, but only about three months worth.

I do see where allowing her the time to fully grasp the concepts she needs is in her best interest. It's just so hard as parents to feel like we're the ones failing her. We actually did homeschool her for her first year of school. We had to really motivate her to want to work on any language arts. It was during that summer that we realized she needed glasses. We moved and enrolled her in public school, and worked with the school to get her reading at grade level. She was doing well, but we had another move. Back to the Florida public school system. We have continued to work with her. Homeschooling again is an option we are weighing carefully. I talked with Sylvan today. I will look in to tutoring. I called her doc to get an LD testing referral. I'm not rigid in my opposition to her retention, I just feel like it's more about policy, tests and funding than about what's best for my daughter. In her class of 21 students, at least 5 are being flagged for retention. It just isn't sitting right with me.

We are a reading family. There is literally a book shelf in every room. DDs are read to and read every day. We make weekly trips to the library. DH and I love reading, and we've tried to instill that in our girls. DD8 even enjoys reading, it just takes her longer.

Thank you again for listening and caring

Aimee K

 

[Aimee K]

A question for those of you who agree with her being held back.

The OP stated she is ahead in math and science. So, if she is held back in second grade, she is also repeating the subjects she has already mastered. Don't you think this will impede her further?

I posed this question to her teacher, who said, "She can sit in on the third grade math and science classes"

Well then, why can't she be in third grade and sit in on second grade reading classes? I know, I know. Reading is basic. She needs that foundation.

Aimee K

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

5 out of 21 kids being tagged is a huge red flag for me. I would consider the homeschooling thing, if it's possible. Plus outside tutoring--I know that puts a lot square on you. I just get the vibe that the school is more concerned with test scores or funding rather than the education and future of your precious little person.

I know you're running out of time. Another thought would be to move her ahead with the caveat that you would retain her the following year. That gives you a year to get the test results and tutoring and so forth, to see if they make a big difference. I'm not opposed to retaining a child, but I think the whole "sit in third for math and science" thing is pure BS. I suspect she needs a different style of teaching to meet her needs. She's not a "dumb" kid, but something's not working for her. You can't make a good decision on how to change things until you really know what's wrong.

Good luck to you and your family. It's so hard to get smacked in the head with such a life-altering choice.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Even if it means waiting until after school is out to make the decision, I would have the LD testing first (not just LD, but a whole work-up).

As to your DD being on or above grade level for math and science, that's good, however, the older she gets the more a person needs strong reading and writing skills for science. By middle school our schools have even incorporated writing into the math curriculum, something that I think is ridiculous (let the kids who have a tougher time with writing have one subject that they can possibly excel at).

That concerns me that they are hoping to retain 25% of her 2nd grade class. I've never heard of such a high percentage being held back. I only know of one case of a child being held back in my children's classes, and then the parents transferred their child to a private school and held him back (I don't know if the public school suggested retaining him or the parents felt he should be retained when going into the private school). It just is not common place to do around here, but I'm not a teacher and do not know the real percentages.

What does your DD think about all this?

T&B

 

[momof2inPA]

By middle school our schools have even incorporated writing into the math curriculum, something that I think is ridiculous (let the kids who have a tougher time with writing have one subject that they can possibly excel at).

I agree. This is a pet peeve of mine.

OP- Best of luck with your decision. It sounds like a tough one.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I agree. This is a pet peeve of mine.

OP- Best of luck with your decision. It sounds like a tough one.

I was hoping this was just a Maryland thing. My 14yo son used to complain about the math journal that they had to keep and the daily writing that they had to do in it. He struggled more in writing and it just made math that much harder for him. The funny thing now, though, is that he's a HS freshman and is doing better in English class than in math (or should I say he is in honors English, but a regular geometry class).

If these boards are any indication of what the schools are really like, I can't say that I've heard good things about the school system in Florida.

T&B