Thoughts on DD's party?

Re: Thoughts on DD's party?

• lraymeremtp

  May 2011

  I think that's an excellent idea! I remember as a kid I LOVED to celebrate my birthday in school and bring in yummy treats to share with all. Some years I was able to do it and others I wasn't. I'm born on December 22nd, so some years it was during christmas break and others it wasn't! I think she would enjoy having two birthday parties too!

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• Jessicamz member

  May 2011

  It seems a little early since her birthday is 2 months later,but I will say that my birthday is in August and I was always bummed that I didn't get to celebrate in school like my classmates!

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• jesmckenna member

  May 2011

  Your DD has the same birthday as me!  Personally, I wouldn't want my party to be two months before my actual birthday.  I always missed out on having a school bday party when I was little, but I really didn't mind.  Does she have friends in the neighborhood that you could invite to her party instead of her school friends?  Also, I know it's too late now for this school year, but next year you could ask her teacher if you could celebrate her "half birthday" in school.  I did that when I was teaching for the kids with summer birthdays and they loved it.
  

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• Rossi17 member

  May 2011

  ::Butting in:: OK, so why do they want to hold her back in Kindergarten? As long as she has grown academically, it's no longer the acceptable practice to hold kids back. First of all, she has a late birthday (August), so the teachers are comparing her to kids who may  be almost a year older than her. Second of all, the entire nation is beginning to practice "Response to Intervention," which means that they have to take her where she is academically and make a plan so she can catch up within a year or two. And they HAVE to give her chances to learn at her level, not at some level that is way too hard for her (that would be like expecting a child to reach the monkey bars if they are 6 feet off the ground, the child is only 4 feet tall, and there is no ladder- the academic support is the ladder).

  How is your child taking it? Are the teachers telling you, "Oh, it's OK to hold her back now, because it's only Kindergarten, and it's worse if we hold her back in let's say 3rd grade?" I think they are expecting your kid to never catch up. In my book, retention is just pure laziness on the part of the teachers. Take it to the school board if you have to, retention is an expensive that is not always done with the best interest of the child (usually, it's so the teacher doesn't have to do anything "extra" to help your kid.
  If you do agree with the retention, I would ask the teacher or the principal, "What are you going to do differently next year to ensure that my child will be on grade level by the end of the year?" If they don't have an answer, they are blaming the child for not "getting it."

  Good luck!
  

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• jesmckenna member

  May 2011

  Rossi17:

  ::Butting in:: OK, so why do they want to hold her back in Kindergarten? As long as she has grown academically, it's no longer the acceptable practice to hold kids back. First of all, she has a late birthday (August), so the teachers are comparing her to kids who may  be almost a year older than her. Second of all, the entire nation is beginning to practice "Response to Intervention," which means that they have to take her where she is academically and make a plan so she can catch up within a year or two. And they HAVE to give her chances to learn at her level, not at some level that is way too hard for her (that would be like expecting a child to reach the monkey bars if they are 6 feet off the ground, the child is only 4 feet tall, and there is no ladder- the academic support is the ladder).

  How is your child taking it? Are the teachers telling you, "Oh, it's OK to hold her back now, because it's only Kindergarten, and it's worse if we hold her back in let's say 3rd grade?" I think they are expecting your kid to never catch up. In my book, retention is just pure laziness on the part of the teachers. Take it to the school board if you have to, retention is an expensive that is not always done with the best interest of the child (usually, it's so the teacher doesn't have to do anything "extra" to help your kid.
  If you do agree with the retention, I would ask the teacher or the principal, "What are you going to do differently next year to ensure that my child will be on grade level by the end of the year?" If they don't have an answer, they are blaming the child for not "getting it."

  Good luck!
  

  I'm sorry if this starts a debate, but where are you getting this info from?  I am a kindergarten teacher, and I have not heard that it is no longer acceptable to hold kids back.  Also, the LAST thing a teacher wants to do is hold one of their students back.  In order to do so, you need mountains of evidence that you have tried everything in your power to help the child reach the goals set for them before the principal will even consider it.  I have sat at home and cried because I have felt like I was failing the students I have held back after spending hours upon hours creating lesson plans tailored specifically to those children.  I have held students back and I am most definitely NOT a lazy teacher.  I am a dedicated teacher who wants what is best for each and every one of her students.
  

  Retention is NOT done because the child isn't "getting it."  It's done because it's what the teacher and parent both feel is in the best interest of the child.  Because she is so young, retention will probably be a great opportunity for her daughter.  Rather than being at the bottom of the class and constantly feeling the pressure to "catch up," she will be at the top and her confidence level will be boosted tremendously. 

  Again, I'm sorry to turn your happy post into a debate, but this really struck a nerve with me.  It is so exhausting to pour your entire heart and soul into a job and then have outsiders label you as "lazy."  Also, you should be commended for doing what is right for your child rather than pushing her into a situation that she is developmentally not ready for. 
  

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