Speak up (to your school) if you are worried about all the redshirting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A small group of parents at our private school recently went to the administration to discuss the trend of redshirting and to inquire about how the school planned to handle it. Many of us were concerned that the trend is damaging in many respects, and we have read up on all the studies and articles about it. We were particularly concerned about how it affects the girls -- because boys are much more likely to be redshirted than girls, it can create a situation where you have young five year old girls in classes with boys much older than them, and this can exacerbate pre-existing gender issues in the classroom.
The school was very receptive. They were aware of the issues, of the studies, and were interested in hearing our thoughts. Our school is going to be strict with the date cut-offs, and only allow a "redshirt" where there is a documented developmental issue that is legitimate, and they will inquire to make sure it is appropriate.
I just want to encourage everyone who is concerned about this issue to speak directly to the school. Schools are becoming more and more sensitive to this growing problem, and many are enacting policies and/or practices to deal with it. I was extremely concerned about my summer-birthday kids being disadvantaged by this practice, especially my daughter, but after speaking to the school, I really trust that they are on top of this.

I'm not getting this. The reason so many parents redshirt and administrators encourage it is for those boys who are immature or have minor developmental delays, in which case they would be behind the girls in their class, who are commonly more mature than the boys anyhow. Redshirting immature or delayed children creates a more homogenous classroom in terms of maturity, independence, and availability for learning; it doesn't exacerbate the gender differences.
Since DS began kindergarten, every unfortunate bullying experience he's had has been at the hands of a girl, NOT a boy. The girls in his class, some of them at least, are socially saavy but controlling and mean-spirited at times and sometimes this has created bullying situations. There is an innocence in the boys that I see fast disappearing in the precocious five and six year old girls, who are keenly aware of the social hierarchy, who's popular and who's not, how to bully and control other children when teacher's not looking. I've volunteered enough at DS's soon to see this time and again. I say if redshirting is best for your DS, go for it and don't worry about gender issues in the classroom. For those who are worried about gender issues there's always an all girls school.

[Anonymous]

The problem in my experience is that some school administrators almost automatically redshirt the boys, assuming they are less mature or that they won't "catch up" in a few years. You are lucky your school is listening, and maybe the tide is turning. We were told a few years ago that our contract wouldn't be renewed if we didn't redshirt, and then I was threatened with nonrenewal again when I complained that my son wasn't learning anything in K because he was one of the oldest and already knew how to read. Parents need to keep the pressure on the administrators.

[Anonymous]

schools should go back to the calendar year. period. somebody has to be the youngest the the class! somehow over the years the cut off date has gone from Oct to Sept to August and now anyone withe a summer birthday is considered "young". Just go back to Dec 31. and i say this as a person with a December birthdate who was always the youngest in the class and 2 of my 3 kids are December birthdays!

[Anonymous]

I can't remember the name of the private school in NY right now but they used to admit 5 year old girls and 6 year old boys to the K class. They said that the 5 year old girls and 6 year old boys are much closer to each other in terms of academic readiness and maturity than 5 year old boys and 5 year old girls. I believe it. My son just finished pre-K and the boys and girls in his class were practically on different planets in terms of maturity.

[Anonymous]

Speak for yourself. Your DS might be immature for his age, but my DS is a 5 year old in K and he is NOT behind the girls in terms of academic readiness and maturity. And I think it's silly to assume that all boys are immature and should be held back a year--that's a lie.

Anonymous wrote:I can't remember the name of the private school in NY right now but they used to admit 5 year old girls and 6 year old boys to the K class. They said that the 5 year old girls and 6 year old boys are much closer to each other in terms of academic readiness and maturity than 5 year old boys and 5 year old girls. I believe it. My son just finished pre-K and the boys and girls in his class were practically on different planets in terms of maturity.

[Anonymous]

I know a boy with a December birthday who got into EVERY private middle school he applied to. And those were 5 or 6 of the most competitive ones.

[Anonymous]

Beauvoir accepts at-age kids
GDS prefers older as well

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a boy with a December birthday who got into EVERY private middle school he applied to. And those were 5 or 6 of the most competitive ones.

What's your point? December is on the older side for a class given the September cutoff dates.

[Anonymous]

Um my bday is in December and that is only a mid-point bday nowadays. A lot of boys have June or July bdays and are a year older than many of their classmates. Who cares? Too many parents are trying to game the system ...just let it be...your kid will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Nope, he was a holdover from when DCPS cutoff date was December 31; it was later moved up to September. So he's REALLY young.

[Anonymous]

These statements are so vague. Unless someone has actual stats and a school they are willing to name, I think that the red-shirting trend is more hype than reality. (Speaking as the mother of a late summer birthday boy who was accepted into a so-called "top 3" w/o connections or wealth.)

[Anonymous]

Oh, I see what you're saying...the boy could have been a year and one-half younger than some of his mates. The only trouble with that is if the boy is small and it could hurt his chances at sports someday.

Anonymous wrote:Nope, he was a holdover from when DCPS cutoff date was December 31; it was later moved up to September. So he's REALLY young.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't remember the name of the private school in NY right now but they used to admit 5 year old girls and 6 year old boys to the K class. They said that the 5 year old girls and 6 year old boys are much closer to each other in terms of academic readiness and maturity than 5 year old boys and 5 year old girls. I believe it. My son just finished pre-K and the boys and girls in his class were practically on different planets in terms of maturity.

Yes, I do see some 5 y.o. boys may be more challenged when following the norms of K. My son, however, has been a circle time devotee since he was 18 months old. I think one reason he may have been admitted to a school with competitive admissions is because he would balance out the boys.

So hard to know what to do for many parents. Some kids aren't ready for K while others are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here-

I've been fighting this myself but the school is insisting on it. We've changed the cut-off date for kindergarten 3 times in 4 years with no clear rhyme or reason. It's a mess. We currently have several 7-year-olds in K and a starting age of 5.3. We are trying to move that back down to 5, though already have a crop of 6.4's moving up.

Ah, the "several 7 yr olds in Kindergarten" again... what school? Oh wait, I know you can't reveal it!

Exactly. We're at a top school and I know of no kids who turned 7 when they were still in K. Name the school and the #'s, or quit your unsubstantiated hype.

[Anonymous]

I think that the red-shirting trend is more hype than reality.

Some kids aren't ready for K while others aren't.

I totally agree with both of these.