Off Disney -Anyone ever have a child that skipped a grade?

[JMLBrats]

Or did you or someone you know skip a grade? I'm asking because our almost 6 year old who just started first grade is very advanced in many ways and we're afraid that he will get bored with school if he's not challenged enough academically. He reads at 4th grade level, he's probably at about 2nd grade level in math plus he's just kind of mature in his level of understanding things, and he gets along with all children-younger or older. He was also put into an excel program last year in Kindergarden which was great, but this year the excel teacher is saying that they may not have time for him since the excel programs are suppossed to be for 3rd grade and up. So I've heard that moving a child up a grade can have very negative consequences, but I've never heard examples of that. Does anyone have any stories they can share? The work he's doing right now is so basic for him. Any thoughts on this. By the way, my daughter is just about the opposite of him so I'm not one of those mother's that thinks "my kids are so advanced..blah blah blah". He just is and always has been and we just want what's best for him in life-our main concern is that he will get bored and kind of lose interest.

 

[mommyintn]

I would just wait and see how it goes. How is maturity wise? Is he about the same as other kids in 1st grade? My ds school does advanced reading so kids read on the level that's good for them and they take a/r tests to see how they comprehended the book etc. There were 4 or 5 kids reading on a 4th grade level (in 1st grade) and they are not being moved up a grade. Remember that the beginning of the year is a lot of review so I would just hang in there and see how it shakes out. You know him best, if you feel he's too bored after a few months talk to the teacher about giving him something extra to do or a special project to work on.

 

[run4me]

Our son skipped K and went in to 1st Grade. The school discouraged this but we felt it was the best for him. He is now second year of collage. He is doing great. Grade wise he was in the top 5% of his class. He is doing great now with a 3.85 GPA.

DS was small for his age (now he is not) before the move up. He was a quiet kid who had friends but maybe not as many if he was with his age group. He did the sports with his class, joined Boy Scouts, etc., and did fine. He did made a statement this summer that he is still one of the youngest at school. I think this bothered him some but I would still do the same. He stilled got bored in class if he was ahead of others but it would have been worse if he had stayed back.

 

[Grandmax3]

A lot of times it is not that you skipped a grade but the teacher the child gets in the advanced grade. My daughter was very bored in school so I agreed to advance her from the 4th to the 6th grade. The teacher she got held it against her and made her life miserable. Atho I became on a first name basis with the principal there was not much they could do as we were overseas and this was the only school. When the teachers makes problems, the kids follow and tease unmercifully.

 

[pigget74]

I would give it a little more time. I would want to make sure that he was not bored. Can the school give him a placement test? I see kids in the 8th grade who where bumped up a grade when they were younger and they are most of the time very immature for the group that they are with.

 

[puffkin]

I was very advanced in school at that age (way beyond the others especially in reading and math). Maturity wise I too probably would have been fine skipping a grade (and I have always been above average in height, so size wasn't an issue).

However, our school was very against allowing that. Luckily they had an excellent gifted program that really helped fill the gaps for me, ours started in 1st grade. My parents left me go in my regular grade. Even though I was always at the top of my class academically, by middle school plenty of kids pretty much caught up to me. I trully believe that everyone learns at a different pace, and there are so many factors that affect a child's academics.

IMHO, I would probably just let your son stay in his current grade and try to find ways to enrich his education on your own and with the help of the school until he can get in the Excellerated program. In the long run it will probably benefit him more than skipping a grade. Maybe he could do a special project or sit in on another class or have extra computer time or something like that. I just think there are so many unknowns to take into consideration way down the line, such as what happens if the other kids eventually catch up (could be crushing to the ego), size issues, sports, being the youngest to drive, the youngest in college, etc.

This is just my opinion though, and only you can decide what is right for YOUR child.

 

[JMLBrats]

I would just wait and see how it goes. How is maturity wise? Is he about the same as other kids in 1st grade? My ds school does advanced reading so kids read on the level that's good for them and they take a/r tests to see how they comprehended the book etc. There were 4 or 5 kids reading on a 4th grade level (in 1st grade) and they are not being moved up a grade. Remember that the beginning of the year is a lot of review so I would just hang in there and see how it shakes out. You know him best, if you feel he's too bored after a few months talk to the teacher about giving him something extra to do or a special project to work on.

He is definetly more mature in many respects than most kids his age, however, I just spoke to the Excel teacher again and she said she will try to get him into her schedule as often as possible. She said to give it a good couple of weeks before thinking about anything like skipping although she's not against that if it's the right thing for the student. But, I don't want him to have "review" for the first few months-I should hope they will do more than that for him. Yesterday he came home with a worksheet that he could easily have done at 3 years old (and actually I'm sure he did similar ones at that age ) We'll see...

 

[crisi]

I was the youngest kid in my class and we didn't advance our two "gifted and late summer kids." In my experience, bouncing up doesn't make the intellectual stuff more challeging - he'll pick up algebra just as fast when he is exposed to it. Move him up a grade and next year he'll be just as bored. But it does make the social stuff more challenging - being the shortest, last to hit puberty, last to drive, in college - last to be able to go dancing or to a bar - that was tough.

I'd look to extracurricular enrichment. Make sure he has a lot to read. Give him access to Science, Math and Literature above his grade level. Let him study History or Music. Give him something to excel in that isn't in his classroom. And don't expect too much from his teachers, who need to teach down the middle. They'll support you, but keeping him challenged will be your job.

 

[crisi]

Even though I was always at the top of my class academically, by middle school plenty of kids pretty much caught up to me. I trully believe that everyone learns at a different pace, and there are so many factors that affect a child's academics.

I found this true as well. There were two factors - some kids do catch up - they hit a learning growth spurt in second grade or something. The second thing was that in middle school the pool was that much bigger - there were other gifted children - and we were tracked - I was in college prep math and no longer had to put up with the kids who still hadn't learned to add fractions. By the time I got to college, I was surrounded with really bright people - most of who were reading before kindergarten.

 

[Nienor]

I have the exact same issue, my DS is in first grade, been reading since he just turned three and they don't skip here. Last year his kindergarten teacher gave him separate reading, writing and math lessons. This year his first grade teacher is required to give him the same, but the only thing I've seen come home are papers he could have done at three also. Todays was tracing the letter M and more or fewer.

In additions he's going for 7, our cutoff dates are Sept 1, and extremely tall for his age (52 inches). I feel bad for him cause he looks like he's been left back or something. But it seems that most schools now insist this is against their policy even when it might be best for the student.

 

[Hannathy]

I would wait a bit and see if the school offers any gifted programming. If he is that advanced the teacher will see and recommend him for gifted programming. many times the gifted "stuff" isn't offered until 2-3 rd gr. With our Dd we left her in reg. classess until she could go to the highly gifted charter school in 4th gr. here with a whole group of kids (26) they jumped all of them 2 grade levels in academics but kept them together as 4th graders they were together till 9th grade taking advanced classes but developing socially and experiencing school type activities at their grade levels. They are now in HS and as a fresh. she has most of her classes with juniors but still gets have all the social type stuff with kids her age . She can graduate early if desired or what we will probably do is stay in HS so she can be in plays and extra currics but take school district paid for classes at a local university.

 

[JMLBrats]

I have the exact same issue, my DS is in first grade, been reading since he just turned three and they don't skip here. Last year his kindergarten teacher gave him separate reading, writing and math lessons. This year his first grade teacher is required to give him the same, but the only thing I've seen come home are papers he could have done at three also. Todays was tracing the letter M and more or fewer.

In additions he's going for 7, our cutoff dates are Sept 1, and extremely tall for his age (52 inches). I feel bad for him cause he looks like he's been left back or something. But it seems that most schools now insist this is against their policy even when it might be best for the student.

Wow, that is an early cut off date! I was so glad DS made the cut off here which is approx. 10/15. His birthday is 9/27. I can't even imagine if he was only going into Kindergarden this year.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I will tell you two case:

1) My Niece. She was too young to go to Kindergarten by a few days. The parents had her tested and she was at two years above her age. Of all the kids tested she was the only one to be allowed to start Kindergarten. She did fine in school but she was alway so young compared to the others. She entered college at 17, still technically a minor, while all her classmates were 18+. She felt a little out of place. I do not think starting her a year early really helped her.

2) Me. I am a summer baby, so I was one of the youngest in my class. I was advanced in all subjects and always placed in the 99th percentile in school. I got a 36 on my ACT but I never jumped a grade. I would tutor kids in math classes I had yet to take. I did fine and was never bored. I just found other things to do with my extra time. I am glad that I was not pushed ahead. I was so young as it was, I would have hated to be another year younger. I would have hated to be almost two year younger than my classmates.

 

[powellrj]

I did. I am sorry that I did. It was great when I was younger. It was AWFUL when I was older. I started my senior year in HS when I was 16. Most of my friends had gotten their DL when they were in the 10th grade. I was always the "baby" and I hated it. All of my friends were 18 when we graduated, but I didn't turn 18 until the following fall. It was a long summer because they were all adults, while I was only 16. Guys didn't want to date me when they found out I was "jailbait".

DS is now facing the same problems and he didn't skip a grade, he just has a spring birthday. All of his friends have their DL and he won't have his for another 6 months. Most of them have started puberty, and he is still more boyish. He keeps complaining about being the youngest in all of his classes. He has been taking AP classes for the past 2 years and most of the kids in his classes are Jrs and Srs. We had 19 year old kids coming to the door for our 14 year old last year.

I would keep in with his peers agewise and find other ways to keep him interested.

 

[luvmy2sams]

We're struggling with the same issue right now. Last year DD was moved into the 2nd grade classroom, and although she was classified as a 1st grader she ended up doing the 2nd grade curriculum, ending the year at the top of the 2nd grade class academically. This year we opted to keep her with her age peers in 2nd grade, provided she would continue to be taught to her level. She was to have the same teacher, who already had great ideas of how to keep DD from being bored. The week before school started DD's teacher's husband was relocated, so DD has a brand new, never taught above PreK level teacher who is teaching to the lowest level achiever in classroom. Her theory is that DD will just be bored lots of the time, and that's fine with her. Great for the lower level kids...not so great for DD. DD is going into the 3rd grade classroom for math and reading time, but the rest of the day she spends doing "PreK work" (DD's words). We're seeing lots of signs of resentment from DD, so we've scheduled a meeting with the teacher and principal for Friday after school. I honestly don't know what the right answer is, but I know that the private school education we're paying for isn't working as is. DH and I were both bored to tears in school, so I know first hand what comes of that. There's just not an easy answer, though.

Good luck as you make the decisions in the days to come. I can definitely relate to all the questions running through your mind!

 

[Kanga1]

I wouldn't do it. You're basically taking a year of his childhood away from him.

 

[disnut1149]

Hi
Our schools had an ATP program that started in first grade. It stands for academically talanted program and it was really good for my son. You know your child better than anyone, so I would do whatever it takes to make sure that he is in a program where he belongs. My son would've also been so bored in the regular classroom. See if the teacher can provide more stimulating things for him to do. Also, if there are other children in the same class with him and on the same level, they might be able to get together to play. My son just graduated college from the University of Maryland Baltimore County on a full academic scholarship and is now attending Villanova Law School. So be persistent in getting him the education that is right for him. Good luck and enjoy your son.!

 

[MATTERHORN]

I wouldn't do it. You're basically taking a year of his childhood away from him.

I've never heard it put that way and it's so true. It's not just skipping a grade, it's skipping a whole year of their childhood. That's one less year to be a kid before going off to college. One less year before work and all the hard stuff of life. If I was ever comtemplating it for my first grader, this just clinched it for me. No way will I take away any time from her, it's too precious! I will continue to supplement at home.

Thank you so much for posting that.


Andrea

 

[vatchr]

I'm a teacher and have a student in my room that was in second grade last year, and in fourth grade with me this year. He came from a private school last year and is in our public school this year. His parents made the choice to skip third grade and go straight to fourth, based on his performance at the other school. The majority of my students are turning 10 years old in the near future, and this child won't be 8 1/2 until April. He is clearly very bright. His knowledge base and his experiences are definitely higher level. His social skills are far below the other students in my class room. He is definitely still an eight year old with a bunch of near 10 year olds. I feel sorry for him, because he is not making friends and is definitely a fish out of water. Don't get me wrong, he is able to do the work and is doing well, except for his handwriting, which is very "young." I don't know the answer, but I wish the parents had thought about his developmental level, and not just his academic level. Good luck with your decisions!

 

[daisyduck123]

My DD12 skipped 1st grade & actually it was the best thing for her ever. She was wayyyyyy ahead academically & still is. She's supposed to be one of the youngest in 7th grade (with an August b-day) but she's in 8th grade & is even another year ahead in Math (taking Geometry, she did Algebra I last year).

It worked out perfectly in all areas...socially, academically, maturity. She has always been "old" for her age...by that I mean maturity wise. She just turned 12 in August but all of her friends are 13, going on 14. She has always been the tallest girl in class also (even after she skipped).

When people find out she skipped, they are VERY shocked. It's the way she carries herself & acts....she gets mistaken for 15 all the time (even 16 now & then). You would never, ever guess she just turned 12 last month.

Back in elementary school, when the principal talked about skipping her a 2nd time....then I said, "No".

**BTW, when she did skip 1st grade....it was at the principal's & reading teachers urging. They said it was the only option for us...as enrichment for her would not meet her needs. They were right!! Worked out great!!