This age discrepancy due to "redshirting" is ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew that --look at the preceding post. We were talking about soccer. Prior poster said they could play with their grade. Doesnt' work that way here.

Sure does. 4YO DD (turns 5 next month) is playing with her Kindergarten peers this fall. SYA soccer, Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are we talking about SPRING kids? I thought this was about kids who would be 4 UPON entering KG, not kids who would already be 5 or 6. I think people are trying to hijack this issue and turn it into what it is not.

Because spring kids are being redshirted, since no one wants their child to be the youngest. When it became the standard for September boys to be redshirted, August boys began being considered for redshirting more generally. When August became standard, July began being considered more generally, and redshirting September girls began being considered more generally, and so on.

I'm aware of spring kids who were redshirted because in their schools summer redshirting is standard, so redshirting has no social implications & a parent of a May or even an April child may decide to hold their child back so they won't be the youngest.

It's not the individual redshirting that's the problem, any more than it's the individual choosing not to vaccinate that's the problem. It's when it becomes a trend, and that trend reinforces and extends itself. And in the case of schools, has helped to create a Kindergarten environment that's almost entirely unsuitable to the average Kindergarten aged child.

Agree 100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

One of the children I taught and recommended repeat K was just fine academically. But, his interests were those of younger children. He did not fit in socially and he was close to the cutoff age.

Well, in that case, I am going to be in favor of redshirting all kids! Or all boys! Or whatever your lone example proved.

I only taught K one year. The rest was first grade. I did not redshirt my April boy. I wouldn't recommend that--but it might have helped him. He was immature--not slow, just immature.

He's 4-5-6, he's not immature. That is how he is supposed to be at that age. Really, they haven't had that much life experience to be "mature."

[Anonymous]

He's 4-5-6, he's not immature. That is how he is supposed to be at that age. Really, they haven't had that much life experience to be "mature."

You obviously have not spent much time with preschool kids if you don't know the difference between the three year olds and the four year olds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

One of the children I taught and recommended repeat K was just fine academically. But, his interests were those of younger children. He did not fit in socially and he was close to the cutoff age.

Well, in that case, I am going to be in favor of redshirting all kids! Or all boys! Or whatever your lone example proved.

I only taught K one year. The rest was first grade. I did not redshirt my April boy. I wouldn't recommend that--but it might have helped him. He was immature--not slow, just immature.

He's 4-5-6, he's not immature. That is how he is supposed to be at that age. Really, they haven't had that much life experience to be "mature."

Maturity is relative and develops at a different pace in different children. So, two five year olds may have been born on the same day but could have drastically different levels of maturity. Some August and September birthday children may be quite mature and ready for school, some are less mature for their age and would benefit from another year before beginning formal schooling. Kids are different, and we live in a society that takes that into account.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't worry--he'll be fine. Far better than have him be a baby among men.

Five is baby, six is manhood.

[Anonymous]

Maturity is relative and develops at a different pace in different children. So, two five year olds may have been born on the same day but could have drastically different levels of maturity. Some August and September birthday children may be quite mature and ready for school, some are less mature for their age and would benefit from another year before beginning formal schooling. Kids are different, and we live in a society that takes that into account.

Exactly

[Anonymous]

How many are Montessori kids who stay for the 3rd year and go into K instead of 1st?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are we talking about SPRING kids? I thought this was about kids who would be 4 UPON entering KG, not kids who would already be 5 or 6. I think people are trying to hijack this issue and turn it into what it is not.

Because spring kids are being redshirted, since no one wants their child to be the youngest. When it became the standard for September boys to be redshirted, August boys began being considered for redshirting more generally. When August became standard, July began being considered more generally, and redshirting September girls began being considered more generally, and so on.

I'm aware of spring kids who were redshirted because in their schools summer redshirting is standard, so redshirting has no social implications & a parent of a May or even an April child may decide to hold their child back so they won't be the youngest.

It's not the individual redshirting that's the problem, any more than it's the individual choosing not to vaccinate that's the problem. It's when it becomes a trend, and that trend reinforces and extends itself. And in the case of schools, has helped to create a Kindergarten environment that's almost entirely unsuitable to the average Kindergarten aged child.

*****Then let's rephrase the question to HOW MANY KIDS born BEFORE August do you know who have been red-shirted????**** I suspect the numbers will be very low. As for the vaccine remark, vaccinating is a choice that has religious exceptions. Thank God that I live a country with freedoms!!! I respect your choice to send your 4 year old to KG before she/he turns 5 (Aug or Sep bdays) and I respect your choice to vaccinate or not. In fact, I support your choice to marry whomever you want. Really, this issue is all about choice. Choice means to choose YES or NO. You and I may not agree with the choice to red-shirt, vaccinate or marry one's partner, nut in the end, I will always respect the choice other's make. I think the issue is tat some on this board don't and want to see red-shirting outlawed and that sounds too familiar to other issues involving choice. If you don't agree, you seek to outlaw. Whereas, if I don't agree, I still respect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are we talking about SPRING kids? I thought this was about kids who would be 4 UPON entering KG, not kids who would already be 5 or 6. I think people are trying to hijack this issue and turn it into what it is not.

Because spring kids are being redshirted, since no one wants their child to be the youngest. When it became the standard for September boys to be redshirted, August boys began being considered for redshirting more generally. When August became standard, July began being considered more generally, and redshirting September girls began being considered more generally, and so on.

I'm aware of spring kids who were redshirted because in their schools summer redshirting is standard, so redshirting has no social implications & a parent of a May or even an April child may decide to hold their child back so they won't be the youngest.

It's not the individual redshirting that's the problem, any more than it's the individual choosing not to vaccinate that's the problem. It's when it becomes a trend, and that trend reinforces and extends itself. And in the case of schools, has helped to create a Kindergarten environment that's almost entirely unsuitable to the average Kindergarten aged child.

*****Then let's rephrase the question to HOW MANY KIDS born BEFORE August do you know who have been red-shirted????**** I suspect the numbers will be very low. As for the vaccine remark, vaccinating is a choice that has religious exceptions. Thank God that I live a country with freedoms!!! I respect your choice to send your 4 year old to KG before she/he turns 5 (Aug or Sep bdays) and I respect your choice to vaccinate or not. In fact, I support your choice to marry whomever you want. Really, this issue is all about choice. Choice means to choose YES or NO. You and I may not agree with the choice to red-shirt, vaccinate or marry one's partner, nut in the end, I will always respect the choice other's make. I think the issue is tat some on this board don't and want to see red-shirting outlawed and that sounds too familiar to other issues involving choice. If you don't agree, you seek to outlaw. Whereas, if I don't agree, I still respect.

You are conflating freedoms. Your choice of marriage partner does not affect anyone, whereas if you choose not to vaccinate, or choose to send your child to the wrong grade, you are affecting others. The public schools should be accountable to the public good.

[Anonymous]

*****Then let's rephrase the question to HOW MANY KIDS born BEFORE August do you know who have been red-shirted????**** I suspect the numbers will be very low. As for the vaccine remark, vaccinating is a choice that has religious exceptions. Thank God that I live a country with freedoms!!! I respect your choice to send your 4 year old to KG before she/he turns 5 (Aug or Sep bdays) and I respect your choice to vaccinate or not. In fact, I support your choice to marry whomever you want. Really, this issue is all about choice. Choice means to choose YES or NO. You and I may not agree with the choice to red-shirt, vaccinate or marry one's partner, nut in the end, I will always respect the choice other's make. I think the issue is tat some on this board don't and want to see red-shirting outlawed and that sounds too familiar to other issues involving choice. If you don't agree, you seek to outlaw. Whereas, if I don't agree, I still respect.


You are conflating freedoms. Your choice of marriage partner does not affect anyone, whereas if you choose not to vaccinate, or choose to send your child to the wrong grade, you are affecting others. The public schools should be accountable to the public good.

That's about the dumbest response I have seen yet. I think this whole thread is about parents who resent or are jealous of other parents' choices.

[Anonymous]

The public schools should be accountable to the public good

How does keeping your four year old out of K hurt the public good?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is tat some on this board don't and want to see red-shirting outlawed

Some may, I don't.

I disagree with redshirting as a general trend because I believe it's created a Kindergarten environment that is unsuitable for the average Kindergarten aged child.

I want to see Kindergarten be appropriate for the average Kindergarten aged child.

If that means people who redshirt end up complaining because Kindergarteners are spending half the day outside building sand structures and going on treasure hunts, rather than doing math worksheets and copy work? Oh well. You choose to redshirt, you choose to delay intense academic instruction.

Personally, I also think if you choose to redshirt you shouldn't ask a teacher for advanced academic differentiation, because that just makes no sense. But I'll not blame a child for a parents foibles, so if you're so contradictory that you redshirt & then still want your child-who-should-be-in-second-grade to learn second grade math in first grade? I'm confident a good teacher can handle that, especially as there will likely be a child-who-should-be-in-first-grade, IS in first grade, and is ready for second grade math just like your child.

I strongly suspect redshirting would become less standard if Kindergarten returned to more pasting & playtime. I think you'd still have the kids who were redshirted for sports, but I also bet most of them would be redshirted as they hit middle or high school, doing the repeat a grade at a new school thing.

It disturbs me greatly that schools, which are run and staffed by people who are supposed to be experts in child development, do things that run counter to everything we know about child development.

[Anonymous]

I want to see Kindergarten be appropriate for the average Kindergarten aged child.

Then, tell President Obama and Secretary Duncan that education is not a race!

[Anonymous]

I don't know, but my DD told me that another little girl in her class is 6 and turning 7 this month, and I mentally went, "HUH???" Meanwhile, she has another kindergarten friend who is 4 turning 5 in a month. So, this age gap seems to be a bit ridiculous! I have no idea why a parent would hold back a GIRL who is 6 turning 7 when just beginning KINDERGARTNE! I turned 7 at the very end of 1st grade, for pete's sake! (And then was 7 throughout the majority of 2nd gr.).