Parents are often faced with the tough decision of whether or not their child should repeat kindergarten. When is it beneficial to repeat, when is it wiser to push a child ahead, and what can be done to smooth the process if the child is repeating? Our panel of educators share their wisdom and advice.
Mr. and Mrs. Pfeiffer squeeze themselves into the tiny seats and turn eager faces toward Mrs. Grossman their darling Eli’s kindergarten teacher. Eli is their oldest and this is their first PTA meeting. Mrs. Grossman flashes them a warm smile and the couple relaxes as they wait for the accolades to rain down.
“Eli is clearly a very bright little boy. When he stays focused he absorbs what we’re learning like a sponge. And what a smile! However Eli is displaying some immature behaviors that quite frankly I’m concerned about.”
After giving a few examples the bomb drops: “Of course it’s way too early in the year to make any decisions but if things continue in this vein Eli may not be ready for pre-1A next year.”
The Pfeiffers stumble out of the meeting their faces reflecting their shock. Over the next few months as they observe his behavior Eli’s parents seek answers to some difficult questions: When is it in a child’s best interest to repeat kindergarten? Are there any clear-cut criteria for making this decision?
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