DownSyn Forum

KatieB

My husband and i have talked about wanting to have Matty repeat kindergarten. He is not able to do class work now, without hand over hand fo almost everything. Our daughter is in 1st grade, and we know there is absolutly no way without a doubt that he could do that work. We don't want to set him up to fail, he can't even do kindergarten work. If his name isn't written with hand over hand, his name is circle scribbles. I can go on and on, but the school is really trying, and I think the SPED teacher is great. Matty is just significantly delayed in all academic areas, his social skills leave much to be desired as well. He will probably be more comfortable with kids that will be a year behind him, and maybe we could set the bar higher at that point. I have a K and SPED teacher conference on fri, i'll bring it up then. anyone else had a child that stayed back in kindergarten?
Katie

lespring · Posted: February 06 2008, 2:43 PM Post subject:

There are some things to think about when repeating grades...the biggest (and the one that usually gets forgotten) is that you won't have time anywhere else in his school years for him to repeat again. While kids in the US can be in school until age 21, it depends upon when their birthday falls. For some kids that means they're out at 20. If they started school late, AND repeated a grade, they won't be able to repeat more than one grade.

So what does that mean? It means you have to figure out for your son where the MOST beneficial time is for him to repeat. In Kindergarten they're not doing much for academics (usually anyway) with more of a focus on social skills. Chances are if Matt repeats K, he's still going to be behind when he moves on to 1st grade. You may be better of having him repeat 1st grade, so he can have the benefit of extra time to work on reading, early math concepts, etc.

Some kids never learn to write. Angela is 11 and can barely write her name, and does most school writing on an alphasmart instead. (it's like a small portable word processor) Some kids never learn to read. Most (not all) will always be behind. Some are very able to function at grade level for many years, and there are some who never need modified work.

The key is knowing Matt, and knowing at what time he would get THE MOST benefit out of repeating a grade.

For Angela, she was able to do most of the kindergarten things, but has never been able to write much. She actually wrote her name better in Kindergarten than she does now (due to her neurological problems) and in 5th grade she's still only doing end of 1st grade math. I could be holding her back forever based on that alone. But we had her repeat 1st grade. She got to work on those early reading skills with the rest of the class for two full years (instead of moving on and needing to be pulled out for extra help) and the same for math. 1st grade social skills are very similar to kindergarten social skills. Slightly more sitting, but really not all that much more.

Just something to think about.

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vonda · Posted: February 06 2008, 5:45 PM Post subject:

Noah repeated kindergarten and it's the best thing we could have done for him. The first year he was basically very shy and barely spoke to anyone, by the end of the year he had opened up and was doing great. We decided that another year of this would be worth it, so we did it and his second year of kindergarten was WONDERFUL for him and he did so well. He developed more social skills, began talking more, and got a chance to go over the things they had learned the first time around and really took in a lot. For us, and the teachers and other's involved in the IEP thought it was best to let him repeat early on because they learn so much and take in so much at this age. Worked for us!!!

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burnsun · Posted: February 06 2008, 6:40 PM Post subject: Best thing for Colin too

was repeating.... and we are planning on doing that with Melea (and all if necessarry....though new principal hates it) But is gives him the ability to be more intergrated and to work on items the other children are at that moment....letter recognition and number recognition would be out of place in a first grade room!

Confidence wise this was amazing

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Lilysmom · Posted: February 06 2008, 8:41 PM Post subject:

Obviously I have no experience with Lily, but when I taught a self contained K-2 class I debated this every year. With one on my Kindergarten girls with DS, her parents and I decided to retain her in Kindergarten. The next year I could increase her mainstream time because she was more mature and better able to stay in her seat and on task. Mainsteaming the first year was a total bust. If I could have been in that classroom more I really feel I could have made it work, but unfortunatly I had 8 other full time kids and although I loved the kindergarten teachers, they didn't really understand (or was willing to give) what my little girl needed from them. The second year she did much better. No running off, sitting in circle, walking in line, she could even take the attendance to the office by herself. Okay I stood at the end of the hallway and watched, but she did a great job. She talked to everyone on the way, but that's what I wanted her to do anyway. So then she was 7. At her IEP meeting at the end of the year we discussed her progress and decided to put her in 2nd grade. Academically she still was below kindergarten. Nowdays kids go into kindergarten with the expecatations that they know most of their numbers and letters and are ready to begin reading instruction. My sweetie had just mastered writing her name, knew her shapes, colors, a few letters and numbers and learned about 10 sight words. Great progress that I'm proud of. But, if her academics would have to be continued in a special education setting, why couldn't we put her back with same age peers? She had learned the necessary skills. She now could stay in her seat, able to do short amounts of independent work, was potty trained, could walk in line without the infamous flop and drop. I did check with the principal. She said we could do what we wanted so that's what we did. Technically, she skipped a grade, but it worked for her. Sorry this is so long, I hope it helps. I miss my girl. She made Lily's entrance into my life so much easier.

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Heather, mom to
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KatieB · Posted: February 07 2008, 10:36 AM Post subject:

thanks for the great points

KatieB · Posted: February 08 2008, 3:13 PM Post subject:

I had the kindy-SPED teachers conference about Matty this morning. They both felt that I brought up very good points about Mattys education, and us wanting him to repeat. they are both in agreement, but it's not up to them, I have to call the District SPED contact, which I have all ready done earlier, and speak with the principal, if that fails up the "chain of command" to the SPED Director, and than the Superintendant, geez all of that for your child to complete kindy. On his report card, 99.9% states "not yet demonstrated" Teacher comments part is "not yet working at K level and needs one-one assistance to complete his work" to me, that would be a red flag if the parent approached me if I were this childs teacher. I mentioned, that Matty can get frustrated with work he doesn't understand, and that he shouldn't be in first grade when he hasn't even mastered K yet. See what the District person has to say, just go on her computer, and looks at Mattys IEP, progress notes, his sensory eval, and Neuro-psych eval that she now has a copy of. Question is easy, and obvious.
Katie

Lilysmom · Posted: February 08 2008, 7:02 PM Post subject:

It's crazy to me that you and the teachers don't get to decide what's best for Matty. These other people don't even know anything about him.

_________________
Heather, mom to
Lily 7-27-06 DS AVSD repaired 11-28-06

briarsmom · Posted: February 09 2008, 9:48 PM Post subject:

Wes and I held Briar our boy back. He is now on his 2nd year of kindergarten. His teacher last year suggested it and we talked to others about it and we decided that it was best. His birthday was also a late one too. Briar is very social and has had no problem with staying behind. I do think that the kids from last year did not understand why their friend did not move up with them. However the school that briar goes to was a pain in the booty. BUT when it comes down to it, it is your desision to make, not the schools. I have no regrets what so ever about our choice to hold him back!

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Lori
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KatieB · Posted: February 11 2008, 9:36 AM Post subject:

I have a friend in town, and her son with DS and Matty are in the same school, he's a few years older, so I turn to her since he stayed back in Kindy. She said she had no prob speaking with the principal and the District sped person and that's as far as it went. The Principal knows who Matty is and she even went to his last IEP meeting last fall. I find her to be very nice and I wouldn't be nervous to talk to her, the SPED person I have no idea. I feel the ball should start rolling since school is over in 4m. i'm hoping in Mattys case, this issue won't go farther than the 2 teachers, the SPED person, and the Principal. I have an IEP for our daughter tomorrow, so I'll set up a meeting with the principal than. My husband and I really think it's in Mattys best interest too. fortunatly school has not been in a pain and a battle zone, quite the opposite.
Katie

KatieB · Posted: February 14 2008, 10:16 AM Post subject:

Have a meeting with the school Principal tomorrow, wrote up our feelings on this subject into a nice letter form. Still playing phone tag with the SPED person. Ashleys IEP meeting went very well, no more speech or reading, but they will consult with her teacher on her progress. She will still get extra math help, OT, and a social skills group. I really like this school, and the staff. Off to go help in Mattys class valentine party.
Katie

KatieB · Posted: February 16 2008, 7:27 AM Post subject:

I had the meeting with the Principal yesterday. She said no about Matty repeating K. She had so many valid positive points that we didn't think of, that now we're on the fence. I called my mom, my sister, and a friend that knows Matty very well and they all agreed with what the Principal had said too, and didn't think of her positive reasons as to move him on. After I left there, I was on the fence, more pros than cons. If we still don't agree with her, speak with the SPED disctrict person and the SPED Director, if we're all in disagreement, the IEP amendement (Mattys annual is in OCT) to Boston DOE for a mediator. I really don't think it will go past speaking with the district person or SPED Director. Matty has made positive strides in school, despite his limitations, he has gotten alot of support, and alot of services, the school has been really good for him. My husband and I will think this over school vaca this coming week, and he's thinking maybe it is better to send him, I'm beggining to think that way more as I analyze about the meeting again.
Katie

KatieB · Posted: March 26 2008, 9:33 AM Post subject:

All Educators involved with Matty including the SPED Director and District person are all in agreement to move Matty on to first grade. If we are still not in agreement, next step is a letter to the SPED Director.
Katie

LeeJo · Posted: March 26 2008, 11:49 AM Post subject:

Does he have a parapro that works with him, any SPED classroom time?

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KatieB · Posted: March 28 2008, 1:45 PM Post subject:

Lee,
Do you mean 1:1? Yes, Matty does and has had one since pre school. He has been going to school full day since Sept. The integrated K class for almost 3 hrs, than goes to lunch, and than the SPED class from about 12:30 to 3:18 when school is over. Gets services through out the day.
Katie