Reply to This age discrepancy due to "redshirting" is ridiculous

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Reply to "This age discrepancy due to "redshirting" is ridiculous"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

Your child is a good example of why people end up redshirting.  There are many kids who aren't quite ready for kindergarten at 5.  In Finland, kids don't start school until 7 and Finnish kids consistently rank at the top academically.  Redshirting is not an easy decision for many reasons, including paying for another year of private pre-k, but we all try to do what's best for our kids.   [/quote]

A good example for redshirting is that a child might be considered to have poor hand writing in 1st grade when compared to children who are old-for-grade?

I find that ludicrous.

I agree that redshirting is not an easy decision. I imagine it's no easier than deciding NOT to redshirt when the trend is strongly in favor of redshirting. However, I think when teachers and administrators use phrases like "the gift of time" and claim they've never had a bad result from redshirting a child (look further, seriously, look further! Don't just look at first, second, even 3rd grade. Find the high schoolers who were held back and see if every single one of them feels they needed "the gift of time." While I found that within the lower elementary grades redshirting was universally praised by the parents and the children had no issues, I found that some high schoolers felt it had been an unnecessary step and were frustrated.) it convinces parents. After all, the educational experts are advising it (for summer, and even spring birthday children)! Even though longitudinal studies don't support the glowing beliefs, unreservedly. And even though the school has a vested interested in encouraging an additional year for a large percentage of their students, not just for tuition for privates, but for better sports and testing performances when older children are judged against younger children within their grade.

If the redshirting trend were accompanied by paths to let children get "back" to where they "should" be as/if they matured, I'd think it was less self-serving for schools. It would also demonstrate an understanding that children matured at different rates, and a child who matured quickly as a youngster might need additional time as a young teen, or a child who matured slowly as a youngster might rocket ahead as a young teen. Unfortunately, within educational circles that seems to be a rare understanding.[/quote]

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