Kindergarten redshirting

[vcgirl925]

Honestly i wouldn't plan having a child just around cutoff dates. This coming from woman that won't have a 3rd baby unless it's a summer baby. But i've heard that girls do fine if they are one of the youngest in their class because girls are more mature in general. It's boys that do better being one of the oldest in their class. Fortunately my son misses the cutoff because he's a november baby and i believe the cutoff in NJ is mid october. So he'll be one of the older boys in his class, however he's pretty more mature for his age. My daughter will be middle of the road. She's a January baby so she will be right in the middle age wise.

 

[SpudNut]

Hey, I was both the youngest and the oldest in my class. There are issues with both situations.

Wondering how I could be both youngest and oldest. I was born in December so turned 6 a few months after starting kindergarten. We moved a few years later a couple of months before the end of the school year. I was in a special 3rd grade class for advanced learners. When we moved, the new school district put me in the 4th grade because they didn't have the same program. So, I started out always being the oldest, and ended up always the youngest.

By the way, I've never heard it called "redshirting."

 

[rt2dz]

"Red shirting" is a sports term. With the onslaught of parents holding back their kids, it has become quite common in educational circles to refer to holding back kids from starting kindergarten because it is the same thing--hold to give a leg up.

Unfortunately, imho, I think it is backfiring. All the kids being held back aren't being given a leg up, but those that go on time are being pushed down a rung. Too many are held back. And that is why kids seem more immature, even when they are actually on target--most of them around kids that are a year or more older. I think that is also why K is much more like 1st grade. I personally like the districts are not allowing red shirting and maybe offering developmental K or pre-first. I say start them at 5 and given them K back!!

 

[cmul04]

"

Unfortunately, imho, I think it is backfiring. All the kids being held back aren't being given a leg up, but those that go on time are being pushed down a rung. Too many are held back. And that is why kids seem more immature, even when they are actually on target--most of them around kids that are a year or more older. I think that is also why K is much more like 1st grade. I personally like the districts are not allowing red shirting and maybe offering developmental K or pre-first. I say start them at 5 and given them K back!!

Yes! Give the ones who go "on time" a fighting chance. It isn't fair to them that their peers are a year older. If there is actually a measurable reason, let them stay back. But all, I mean ALL, of the parents I know who have redshirted their kids do it because they want them to be bigger for sports. I will never understand why that's allowed, the rule is so vague, you can't even fight it.

Really, do you want your child to be the first one to have a driver's license? Everyone begging him/her to be the one to drive everywhere? Do we want them hanging out with kids who are less mature? Really?

As a retired teacher, the nightmare it poses for the teachers is unbelievable. The vast range of abilities and maturity dramatically impacts everyone's classroom experience and creates so much more work for the teacher. Is that really what we want?

I realize this isn't the popular answer here, but I just wanted to offer a few other things to consider.




As far as planning a baby to fall w/in a certain month for kindergarten planning... good luck with that. Just relax and see what happens. You have a long road of parenting to get through before you need to make any academic decisions. (Sleepless nights, diaper changes, introducing solid foods one at a time, sleeping through the night, crawing, walking, talking, potty training...boy I'm getting tired just thinking about it all! )

Just enjoy, you'll do just fine! Kindergarten will come soon enough, but for now, first things first.

 

[NHDisneyMom]

I'm in this position now. My son is entering K this Sept. and he will turn 5 on his second day of school. He is my second child and he is SO ready for school. He is very tall for his age, very out going and has all the skills that most incoming K children are expected to have. I was told over and over how boys mature slower and I should hold him. I'm glad I have not just listened to that advice, but rather spent the time talking to the people that can better evaluate his readiness. I talked to his pediatrician and he told me he felt my son was ready and to keep in mind that if he is bored in school because he is older and not challenged, he can have just as much trouble. I talked to his pre-school teachers and without hesitating they told me not to hold him, I met with his K teacher and she evaluated my son and told me he was more than ready and I met with a friend that has been working in special Ed. for elementary schools for over 30 years and she told me she absolutely would not hold him. He is a typical little boy - full of energy and mischief I will continue to evaluate him at the end of K to see if I still think he is ready for 1st grade, but based on everything up to this point, I think he is ready.

Every child is different! My DD is older for her class - due to where her birthday falls and I believe that was the best scenario for her. My DS is ready and I think I would do more harm to hold him.

You are the best advocate for your child. Regardless of when they are born, you know what their abilities are and if you question it, seek the help of those you trust and have the knowledge to guide you in the right direction. Be involved in your child's education. No matter what their age, there will be things that come easy and things they have to work to understand. The most successful have a good support system behind them and helps them conquer the things that challenge them.

Good luck starting your family and don't worry so much about the school issue.

 

[GraysMom]

I'm a teacher (currently SAHM until DS3 goes to Kdg) and have seen kids of different ages and abilities in my classroom-I taught K and First Grade. Honestly, you won't know until your child is closer to K age whether or not he/she is ready at 4/5/6. There are lots of pieces that factor into that decision.

Many districts offer (or require) K screenings the spring before your child is eligible to determine how ready your child is for school (and also to test for hearing). In our district, recommendations are done based on testing by teachers and interpreted by the guidance counselors, who discuss the findings with the parents. This helps give parents an objective opinion of their child by someone who has experience with what will be expected of the child. Of course the parents know their child and situation best, but sometimes (especially in the case of the oldest/first child) parents honestly think their child is ready when they really aren't aware of how many skills that used to be taught in 1st grade, are now taught in K, therefore making K a much more academic situation than it used to be.

Even with my teaching background and knowing that DS could currently pass the screening test I used to give, I'm still up in the air about when we'll be sending him.

We tried for 2 yrs before we concieved DS. We were just thrilled when it finally happened. One final thought, even if you concieve when you plan to, it doesn't mean your baby will be born when you planned. Preemies are born for lots of unforseen reasons. Best to just hope you concieve easily and have a healthy baby. Good luck.

 

[Aristomommy]

Really, do you want your child to be the first one to have a driver's license? Everyone begging him/her to be the one to drive everywhere? Do we want them hanging out with kids who are less mature? Really?

As a retired teacher, the nightmare it poses for the teachers is unbelievable. The vast range of abilities and maturity dramatically impacts everyone's classroom experience and creates so much more work for the teacher. Is that really what we want?

I wonder about the comment of range of abilities and maturity. No matter how the kids ages are spread, there still will be a range of abilities. You can have all 5s and a great range of IQs and maturity levels. I thought teachers differentiate the curriculum in the classroom and should be able to accelerate a student as needed? The NCLB has changed things though where it seems only the students needing extra help get more attention.

DDs class last year had a 3 year age span, DD being the youngest as she was grade skipped. As she turned 9 another child turned 11. Age didn't play a part in academics though, as the youngest and the oldest did fine academically and weren't the ones the teacher needed to worry about. Maybe there is more to it than chronological age?