Should my daughter repeat kindergarten?

Question

My daughter has a June birthday and is close to finishing kindergarten. Her teacher has recommended that she repeat, but also stated that she would do better being in school all day as opposed to another year of half day kindergarten. She reads and writes and meets the requirements to pass to first grade. However she is behind in her class in writing and is shy so she never answers questions or speaks out. I feel she lacks self confidence and is overshadowed by louder children. I am afraid that repeating kindergarten will upset her because she takes a while to warm up to people and now has friends. Any ideas for this agonizing decision?

Answer 1

My brother was held back in kindergarten because he couldn't point out a wash rag....Maybe he is a bad example though but he is a big problem in society if you ask me but that might just be his personality......My cousin has been held back in K and in 2nd grade.....Don't think she is doing good either. I would let her go on to 1st grade and build relationships up with those students.

Answer 2

I would not make your daughter repeat kindergarten all over again because if the only trouble that she is having in is in writing then you can work with her over the summer. You can also enroll her in a tutoring program during the summer or if they offer summer classes at your daughter's school for kindergarteners then I would let her go to summer school so that she can get some extra help from the teacher. As for the shy part she'll be fine. Give her some time. She just started school and it will take her some time to adjust but once she feels comfortable she'll blossom. Maybe you should think about enrolling your daughter in an after school activity such as gymnastics or ballet where she will be around other little girls her age and the teacher can help her develop her confidence and she can make even more friends. Anyhow, I think you should let her move on to the first grade. Good Luck.

Answer 3

I doubt repeating kindergarten will help her. Go ahead and enroll her in first grade, as this is a "positive" reinforcement for her and may help with some of her timidity. However, you should help her to understand that first grade is "harder" than kindergarten and will require her to work more on the skills of reading and writing. Even if she doesn't have homework, you should assign her 30-minutes of reading or writing on alternating afternoons or evenings. Have her read aloud so you can hear where she has difficulty. TV or other distraction should be turned off. Do this before she gets too tired or she won't focus well. Reward her when she does well with the assignment, it doesn't have to be anything on a large scale, maybe a "new" shiny quarter, which she can save for something she wishes to do or buy something she would like to have. Perseverance and patience is the "key" and stay with a schedule. Show her she can and she will.
If this don't work, you can speak with her first grade teacher and get other ideas. You can let her know if she doesn't do well, it will be necessary to hold her back and repeat. It is always best to do this in the earlier grades rather than later. Above all, don't get frustrated with her. Speak softly, be inquisitive and caring about her day in school and emphasize how well she is doing or what she can do to improve, but be positive and understanding. You must be the one in control of this situation for now. Do what you think is right and never be a "wish I had". God bless and good luck.

Answer 4

I would recommend that she is promoted to the first grade. If there were lagging skills such as coordination, math (counting) and such, then I would suggest a tutor. Along with the other answers, I think that her self esteem is at stake b/c these are formative years and she would be upset that she is left behind from her friends/classmates (the whole year could be difficult). My advice to you would be to start working with her now and throughout the summer on her writing and read with her everyday. Ask the teacher for extra assignments or search the web for info. Additionally, you could make a game out of some of the skills that she needs to boost. You could have writing contests and tracing or magnetic boards with pictures (eg. Picturenary Jr.) and have her write what it is. If you are able, I would suggest a My first Leap Pad or a Leapster electronic game-all of the games are educational; they're great and they have games that specifically boost writing skills. You could also have rewards for milestones-mini trip to Chuckie Cheese, a toy that she's been wanting...Like anything, the more that she works at it, the more confident she will become.

Before you know it, she'll be heading off to Harvard! Good luck.

Answer 5

I am a 1st grade teacher. It sounds to me like she is ready for kindergarten. Writing is something that comes along quickly when they come to first grade because they will be doing a lot more of it. I have a student now who is shy but she adjusts well, has some close friends, and is an excellent student. I think holding her back would make her kind of feel left out. I am not sure of all the details, but I think first grade would be good for her!

Answer 6

If her only academic problem is being behind on her writing skills, then why don't you work with her on that between school terms? She shouldn't have to repeat for something that's relatively small. I assume that in kindergarten, "writing skills" entails forming legible letters; there are grown-ups who can't do that! The negative impact on her self-esteem should be of more importance.

As for her shyness, try playdates or something else that places her with her peers, maybe even some of her classmates from last year. She very well may just grow out of being shy, but hanging out will help her. Good luck to you and your smart little girl in first grade next year!

Answer 7

Being in school all day may help your daughter loosen up. You know she is smart, and like you said: its her lack of confidence, maybe. So instead of holding her back, let her go on, and you and the teacher can be her motivation and encourage her to socialize and not be shy. I know this from personal experience. I was held back in the first grade because of my shyness. I turned in stellar work, I even helped the other kids in groups in math and such! I read aloud to my father every night, so I knew my words, sentence structures, etc. but when it came time to answering questions in class I stumbled, and I messed up. Now, I feel like I am behind everything in life. My cousins were 16 and 17 when they graduated, I was eighteen. Not too shabby an age, but I felt held back. I was an honors student and I am proud, but don't hold her back.

Answer 8

I do not know all of the child's behaviors but I am a kindergarten teacher and it does not sound like to me she needs held back. If she is on grade level then she is fine. Writing is very developmentaland gets better as children improve their reading skills. She has plenty of time to catch up in 1st grade. kinder and 1st are very developmental years. I think she will gain self confidence in her own time.

Answer 9

All it is is recommendation she can work on reading and writing over the summer.Just because she is shy and never speaks out should not be held out against her.Kindergarten is overwhelming and she will be more confident when there is a bit more structure in first grade and won't be over shadowed by the louder kids.

Answer 10

that's that the form of inauspicious one. If she would have the ability to do the artwork academically, she may well be bored moving into the process the comparable stuff yet returned - incredibly if she has the comparable instructor (by fact that they have an inclination to do the comparable application 3 hundred and sixty 5 days after 3 hundred and sixty 5 days). on the different hand, if she is in the back of socially/emotionally - it ought to offer her a self assurance strengthen if she feels mushy with the textile & perchance will participate greater. i comprehend faculties do no longer desire to have little ones repeat except that's truly necessary & whilst they do ought to repeat - they attempt to do it in the frequently used years, whilst the toddlers are greater adaptable. If she repeats, she would be waiting to make new acquaintances. finding on the size of your college, she'd probable get jumbled mutually with distinctive little ones in 1st grade besides - and not even unavoidably be with those she is already acquaintances with from kindergarten. in case you progression her to 1st, that's conceivable that she ought to finally end up repeating next 3 hundred and sixty 5 days besides - or she ought to come out of her shell & blossom! i think of your superb wager is to make certain in case you may get yet another opinion from a knowledgeable guy or woman on the college. perchance the analyzing expert can spend it sluggish beyond regulation gazing & finding at her artwork and supply you an opinion on however if she would be waiting to be waiting for 1st grade artwork. solid luck.