retaining students

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2003 : January : 11

retaining students
By Cathy-Dee

Often parents will not recognize a problem until it's in writing. But now that concerns are raised I would plan meetings with each parent and basically tell them this.

At this time your child is struggling in these areas,
however they do have strengths in these areas. (No one wants to only hear the negative). It is still to early in the year to make final decisions on whether or not it will be necessary for "Betty" to repeat first grade, however it is something that you may want to at least think about in case it is an option we will need to look at later in the year.
Then discuss with them the fact

that children do learn at different stages and speeds and we cannot always predict when things will just "click" for them. I always go back to when children first learn to walk and how some do it at one age while others may not learn until months later. I then stress the need for their child to know certain things and that any extra time they spend at home practicing these things will only benefit them.

Then I usually will say something like, if your child does their home reading faithfully and learns those letter sounds and sight words or numbers, etc., they may be able to gain enough skills to either pass into or be placed into grade 2. That in the last month of school we will meet again and discuss how their children progressed and what we should do in the best interest of their child. Try to impress upon them that you really want their child to be successful in their school career and that if staying back another year in first grade would give them better skills to handle the rest of their schooling then you will encourage them to have their child retained.