I have never heard of red-shirting here?

[Canadianmumof5]

I've seen a lot of discussion on these boards about "red-shirting" kids.

 

Fellow Canucks - does this happen in your province?

Not here as far as I can tell.

 

Everything here is based on the year that the child was born. School, sports, other extra-curricular activities (brownies, etc).

 

If any non-Canadians are reading this, here is the breakdown for grades here in my province:

 

Born in 1999 - Grade 8

Born in 2000 - Grade 7

Born in 2001 - Grade 6

Born in 2002 - Grade 5

Born in 2003 - Grade 4

Born in 2004 - Grade 3

Born in 2005 - Grade 2

Born in 2006 - Grade 1

Born in 2007 - Senior Kindergarten (not mandatory)

Born in 2008 - Junior Kindergarten (not mandatory)

 

You can't start anything early, even if your child is ready for it.

And if you want to hold your child back, they don't allow that either.

 

In our school board, they will not accelerate kids, nor will they fail them.

It just doesn't happen. They would rather put them all on individual education plans and manage it that way. Which seems like a whole lot more work IMHO??? Nope, not even with psych-ed evaluations or other standardized testing. It is all based on the year you were born - no other factors are considered.

 

If you are born in 2001 - then you are in grade 6 right now. Period.

You can only play on sports teams that other kids in 2001 play on.

 

I find it really remarkable that this practice of red-shirting seems so common in the US???

[freesia]

When I lived in BC my best friend held her December 24th birthday "back" and started him in K the year he turned 6 in December. We had a Dec. 31st cutoff. So, in BC at least, it is possible.

[Tress]

I'm not Canadian, but I feel like chatting tonight :tongue_smilie:.

 

We have the same system in the Netherlands, so my oldest is from October 2003 and in 4th grade now. You can not red-shirt your child and only very rarely grade skip.

[Canadianmumof5]

When I lived in BC my best friend held her December 24th birthday "back" and started him in K the year he turned 6 in December. We had a Dec. 31st cutoff. So, in BC at least, it is possible.

 

Yes. It doesn't matter if your child was born January 1st, 2001 or December 31st, 2001. They would be in Grade 6 this year.

 

A friend of ours has a daughter who went to a Montessor-based private school for pre-school. She was born January 3rd, 2007. She finished their kindergarten program in June. She knows how to read, etc She wanted her placed into grade 1 and they said no. She took it to the superintendent at the school board, took it to the ministry of education - they all said no. She missed the Dec 31st cut-off by 3 days. She was born in 2007 so she needs to go to SK. They said it would be good leadership training for her to help the other kids :glare: That is the standard line here for not advancing kids; "it gives them the opportunity to show leadership". I call BS on that.

[Carrie75]

Can I say that I am glad I don't live in Cananda right now? (although we may move there to retire).

 

My 2004 is in 2nd and my 2005 is in 1st. So happy they aren't the youngest in the class and I had the choice to not send my December baby when he wasn't ready.

[Sarah CB]

When I lived in BC my best friend held her December 24th birthday "back" and started him in K the year he turned 6 in December. We had a Dec. 31st cutoff. So, in BC at least, it is possible.

 

Yes, it's definitely possible in BC and now that we have full day kindergarten I imagine it's happening a lot more.

[fraidycat]

2001 is 6th?! Whoa. Well my son was born in Jan 2001. He would officially be in 5th if he were in school.

 

Wow. My August 2002 would be a 5th grader in PS here - and everywhere we've lived. I pulled her out of 4th grade PS last December.

 

I've never heard of red-shirting, either.

[momto10blessings]

2001 is 6th?! Whoa. Well my son was born in Jan 2001. He would officially be in 5th if he were in school. Based on the rules/regs/etc. I list him as 4th. Not for the purposes of red shirting, but basically for the purposes of having more flexibility with standardized testing.

 

Either way, he would be a very young 6th grader. He would graduate at 17 and not be 18 for another 7 months!

 

My son was born July 2001 and is in 6th grade. He will graduate when he is 17 yrs + 11 months.

 

So if your son was in 6th this year, he would graduate at 18 yrs+5 months... If he is in 5th he will graduate at 19 yrs+5 months.

[Dory]

Kids are held back every once in awhile here. A child has to be registered in school by the time he's six, but it's up to the parent if they would rather him be in K at that age instead of grade 1. I know personally numerous children that were held back in primary school, in fact my oldest ds would've been one of them had I not brought him home. If you are wanting to start your child early it's usually at the discretion of the school. If the child tests well, then they are often allowed in early. We have a child in the ps k here that is on probation. If she does well in K then they'll let her move on, despite the fact that she is too young. The principle has already had a talk with me to see if I want my youngest son to skip K and go into grade 1. I'm not planning to let him do ps past K, but she wanted to talk about it, because he really is academically ready for grade 1. There is really a lot of flexibility here and a lot is left to the discretion of the local school board and the parents.

[momto10blessings]

Ok, I just realized where my mistake was. And it's kind of embarrassing.

 

My son was born in 2002! :lol:

 

it's all good. whenever I am asked my age I always have to pause and figure it out :)

[Outdoorsy Type]

I'm thinking that 6th Grade and Grade 6 are not equivalent? Isn't K there = to Pre-K in US?

[fraidycat]

I'm thinking that 6th Grade and Grade 6 are not equivalent? Isn't K there = to Pre-K in US?

 

No. K is K whether Canada or the U.S. Grade 6 Canada is 6th Grade U.S.

 

ETA: My DD has attended PS in both countries.

Edited September 7, 2012 by fraidycat

[fraidycat]

Ok, I just realized where my mistake was. And it's kind of embarrassing.

 

My son was born in 2002! :lol:

 

:lol: I can only remember the years that my kids were born because each of them were born about 6 weeks before DH and I turned 30. DH 1972 - DD 2002, ME 1976 - DS 2006. :D

[PeacefulChaos]

Ok, this is totally embarrassing, but what is red shirting? :leaving: :blush:

 

Link was born in 2004 and is in 3rd grade. He'll graduate at 18 and 4 months.

Astro was born in 2005 and is in 1st grade. He'll graduate at 18 and 6.5 months.

Pink was born in 2009. She'll graduate at 18 and 1 month.

 

Here they have to be 5 by September 30 to start K. No exceptions whatsoever in public school. There are a few little private schools who may accept a kid who turns 5 in October or November. So Astro would be on the older end of his class.

 

When I went to school, we could test in to PS at age 4 and start K (I turned 5 in November of my K year). I graduated when I was 17 and 6 months.

[Outdoorsy Type]

I guess it's just the age difference that is different, then. Where I live they won't allow children under 5 by Sept. 1st. My oldest would have been an early five, middle child 5.5 and youngest would be 6 when eligible here.

 

In Canada my middle and youngest son would have started a year earlier ( 4 and 5) instead. Interesting.

[momto10blessings]

Ok, this is totally embarrassing, but what is red shirting? :leaving: :blush:

 

Yeah I was hoping someone would explain that too :bigear:

[Mélie]

I'm from Quebec, but my older son started school last year in Newfoundland and we now live in Texas.

 

My older was born in January 2007 and missed the cut-off for kindergarten my just a few days last year, but when we inquired with the school, they had no problem with allowing him to start school "a year early". He was the youngest kid in his class by 8 days and every other child in the class was born in 2006. One of my motivations for starting him early is that his younger brother is also born in 2007 (December) and I didn't want them in the same grade. I didn't even consider "red-shirting" my younger son. The principal told me that there were several other children in the school who were a year ahead, both by starting early and by skipping grades.

 

When we moved to Texas, where the cut-off is September 1st, I learned about red-shirting for the first time. My son was still a few days from turning 5 and over half of the kindergarten class he would have been in was already 6. We were already leaning toward homeschooling, but that helped with the decision.

[Dory]

I'm thinking that 6th Grade and Grade 6 are not equivalent? Isn't K there = to Pre-K in US?

 

I guess it's just the age difference that is different, then. Where I live they won't allow children under 5 by Sept. 1st. My oldest would have been an early five, middle child 5.5 and youngest would be 6 when eligible here.

 

In Canada my middle and youngest son would have started a year earlier ( 4 and 5) instead. Interesting.

 

Here the cut off is December 31st instead of September 1st. Usually that cut off is fairly strictly followed for entering K, but at least in my area, there are some exceptions allowed.

[PeacefulChaos]

Basically it is holding a kid back so they start at a slightly older age so they have an advantage in athletics or academics (although I hear about it with regards to athletics more, but I guess it can be both).

 

Interesting. Is this the parents holding them back?

 

I do actually know someone who didn't start her son in K when he turned 5 because his birthday was in August and she 'didn't think he was ready'. I'm not sure what that means, but to each their own. :) I don't think it had anything to do with athletics, though. AFAIK they actually homeschool now.

[swellmomma]

Well not officially but it is done, for example the law in Alberta states the child must be registered in school at age 6, but that doesn't mean grade 1, so kids get registered in K at age 6. NOW I do think it has to do with cut offs here being so different that more people don't do it. Cut off here is February. Now my dd for example was born in 2007. She should be starting K this year according to the way things are done BUT her birthday is Sept 19. Compared to kids who turned 5 last Feb she is not at the same level at all. She is doing K at home but it is more like preK and then she will do gr 1 twice (since as as a hs family here you can not reg K). My older kids I started on time based on teh way the chart is but I held them both back in 5th so that now as they enter the higher grades my boy born 1998 is in grade 8, and girl born 1999 is in grade 7. I wanted them to have an extra year to mature etc so they can do better in high school. My son born in 2003 is in grade 3 this year after I had him do grade 1 twice since again you can not reg K but I legally had to reg him at age 6.

 

All my kids have late summer/early fall birthdays, 3 of the 4 were prem and 3 have LD. If they were in ps I would enroll much the same as I have to give them the up of being older in a class. It is becoming more common out here amongst pser's I know, though still not to the extent that I see within US circles.

 

If we keep going the way we are with grades now, each child will graduate at 18 yrs + 8-11 months. If I registered them based on the year of birth like the chart each would graduate at 17yrs and 8-11 months. I don't see the point in graduating months before they are even of legal age kwim

[QueenCat]

Basically it is holding a kid back so they start at a slightly older age so they have an advantage in athletics or academics (although I hear about it with regards to athletics more, but I guess it can be both).

 

Most people that I know who did it did it for social reasons. Almost every boy I knew with a summer birthday (July/August) when mine were little was held back (started late). The parents were more concerned about the child being socially ready (there is a big difference between the child who turns 6 in Sept, and the child who just turned 5 in August). Cut off there was Sept. 1. We did it with our youngest. He was ready academically but not socially.

[LMV]

This thread was not exactly what I was expecting. When I think of redshirting I think of it more in the context of college athletics [where athletes don't play/compete during one of their original four years of eligibility and thus get an extra year to use beyond that]. That said, to get back on topic, in the US the difference is that different school districts and states have different policies and rules about when kids are eligible to start school. Some districts will not allow kids to start unless they will be five by the first day of school others have different cut off dates. I think in all states you have the option to not have your child start until they are at least six (and perhaps seven in some).

 

 

2001 is 6th?! Whoa. Well my son was born in Jan 2001. He would officially be in 5th if he were in school. Based on the rules/regs/etc. I list him as 4th. Not for the purposes of red shirting, but basically for the purposes of having more flexibility with standardized testing.

 

Either way, he would be a very young 6th grader. He would graduate at 17 and not be 18 for another 7 months!

 

If he was born in January 2001 then he must be 11 now which is the usual age for sixth grade I would think [or it would have been in any school district we've had exposure with]. It would also have him turning 18 the January before graduating which also seems pretty typical for kids with January birthdays.

Edited September 7, 2012 by LMV

[Emmy]

The book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell has such an interesting discussion of the canadian birthdate system and how it affects kids choices there. I believe his examples are related to hockey. I have 2 summer birthday boys that we "red shirted" although I don't tend to use that phrase as I believe it has judgmental / negative connotations. I primarily hear it used by people that disapprove of the practice. :) I'm glad to have the option of deciding what school year my kiddos are.

[swellmomma]

Most people that I know who did it did it for social reasons. Almost every boy I knew with a summer birthday (July/August) when mine were little was held back (started late). The parents were more concerned about the child being socially ready (there is a big difference between the child who turns 6 in Sept, and the child who just turned 5 in August). Cut off there was Sept. 1. We did it with our youngest. He was ready academically but not socially.

 

:iagree:Socially is the main reason for me holding all 4 back, though the other 2 were in 5th when I did it, it was so they had another year to mature before hitting the higher grades.

[Dory]

Well not officially but it is done, for example the law in Alberta states the child must be registered in school at age 6, but that doesn't mean grade 1, so kids get registered in K at age 6. NOW I do think it has to do with cut offs here being so different that more people don't do it. Cut off here is February.

 

 

I had to look this up since it wasn't what I had been told by our school.

The law requires all children who are six years old on September 1 to attend school. However, school boards may set their own age requirements for entering school. Many boards allow students to enter Grade 1 if they are six years old by March 1 of the following year. Kindergarten entrance is one year less than the age set by the board to enter Grade 1.

 

I think because school boards can set their own requirements is why I'm feeling a little confused. The schools in the Greenview/Peace area have set cut off as Dec. 31st.

 

http://www.education.alberta.ca/parents/educationsys/ourstudents/vi.aspx

[Spy Car]

I think redshirting (some prefer the term "the gift of time") is a reasonable option to have open to parents. Like it or not (and I know many in the homeschool community do not) the expectations of Kindergarten in highly functioning schools is much higher than when most of us were kids.

 

Some children—especially Summer and Fall born boys are simply not ready developmentally. For those children and their parents there is an option to delay Kindergarten for a year.

 

Like many policies that seek to do good, redshirting is subject to abuse by parents who simply want to give a child an advantage in athletics or academics when there really isn't a sound developmental to delay Kindergarten. But for some kid's the delay truly is a "gift."

 

Our son is a "summer baby." We were asked often when he was young what we would do, and we had no clear answer other than "time will tell." he did two years at a co-op nursery school where many of the activities (including a lot of play) that used to be the mainstay of Kindergarten were enjoyed, and in the end he—and all his cronies that were summer boys—started Kindergarten on schedule.

 

But if my wife and I as parents felt he was not ready to start school I would have appreciated a policy that had flexibility over one that does not.

 

Bill

Edited September 7, 2012 by Spy Car

[swellmomma]

I had to look this up since it wasn't what I had been told by our school.

The law requires all children who are six years old on September 1 to attend school. However, school boards may set their own age requirements for entering school. Many boards allow students to enter Grade 1 if they are six years old by March 1 of the following year. Kindergarten entrance is one year less than the age set by the board to enter Grade 1.

 

I think because school boards can set their own requirements is why I'm feeling a little confused. The schools in the Greenview/Peace area have set cut off as Dec. 31st.

 

http://www.education.alberta.ca/parents/educationsys/ourstudents/vi.aspx

 

I was referring to the mandatory ages here of 6-16. If your child is registered in ps at age 6 you can reg K or 1. BUT homeschooling only grade 1 you can not register K as a homeschool since it is not mand. I guess my wording didn't make sense, though it did in my head.

[SKL]

I have nothing against flexibility for parents as long as it goes both ways. My kid whose birthday is January 6 was ready for 1st at 5. Making that happen turned too many of my hairs gray.

 

My family frowns on redshirting (most of us started KG at 4 or young 5 and are glad of it). So I would only do it if I felt my child would struggle and be miserable all through school. It would have been easier for me if my October girl were the oldest in her class, but I believe with a little upfront help she will do fine. So off to 1st grade she goes. That said, I dont expect her to compete in national sports or be valedictorian. I'd rather she learn skills that will matter once she's past that age.

[Tress]

I think redshirting (some prefer the term "the gift of time") is a reasonable option to have open to parents. Like it or not (and I know many in the homeschool community do not) the expectations of Kindergarten in highly functioning schools is much higher than when most of us were kids.

 

Bill

 

From what I have read on this forum, the American expectations in Kindergarten are way, way higher than in the Netherlands. They do not teach reading in K here, kids *might* be encouraged to write their own name. It's more story time, cut-and-past activities. Although things are slowly changing.....because, well...you know....results have been dropping, so we really need to start earlier...sigh. Within the American system, I would definitely give wiggly children the 'gift of time'.

 

My youngst dd was born on December 31th, so she will be the absolute youngest child in every grade-based activity. If she resembles her sisters, she will probably be able to handle it academically, but she will also be very petite like her sisters.....and being the youngest and the smallest by far, is not something I'm looking forward to. I'm probably going to fudge a bit and unofficially red-shirt her.

[Dory]

I was referring to the mandatory ages here of 6-16. If your child is registered in ps at age 6 you can reg K or 1. BUT homeschooling only grade 1 you can not register K as a homeschool since it is not mand. I guess my wording didn't make sense, though it did in my head.

 

Oh I see

[Spy Car]

From what I have read on this forum, the American expectations in Kindergarten are way, way higher than in the Netherlands. They do not teach reading in K here, kids *might* be encouraged to write their own name. It's more story time, cut-and-past activities. Although things are slowly changing.....because, well...you know....results have been dropping, so we really need to start earlier...sigh. Within the American system, I would definitely give wiggly children the 'gift of time'.

 

 

At my son's school—which I'm sure has higher expectations that the norm in the USA—a good percentage of the children entered Kindergarten reading at least at a beginning/basic level of proficiency on day one, and almost all could sound out simple consonate-vowel-consonate type words. In contrast, when I was a kid we were just expected to learn our A,B,Cs over the course of Kindergarten and "reading" was reserved for First Grade.

 

This makes some people nuts, and is not generally popular on this forum, but is the clear expectation of parents at schools like the one my child attends and not a matter of "controversy" in our school community.

 

Don't ask me who has the right idea, but my child started Kindergarten knowing how to read.

 

Bill

[QueenCat]

At my son's school—which I'm sure has higher expectations that the norm in the USA—a good percentage of the children entered Kindergarten reading at least at a beginning/basic level of proficiency on day one, and almost all could sound out simple consonate-vowel-consonate type words. In contrast, when I was a kid we were just expected to learn our A,B,Cs over the course of Kindergarten and "reading" was reserved for First Grade.

 

This makes some people nuts, and is not generally popular on this forum, but is the clear expectation of parents at schools like the one my child attends and not a matter of "controversy" in our school community.

 

Don't ask me who has the right idea, but my child started Kindergarten knowing how to read.

 

Bill

 

That's how my children's elementary school was too. Both of mine could read the simpler chapter books going into kindergarten.

[sewingmama]

Redshirting is pretty uncommon here in Australia. Most parents I know are trying to get their kids into school as early as possible to avoid childcare fees.

 

We happen to live in one of the few States that believes later is better - so my 6yo is still in K.

 

Cut-off here is May 1st. All my kids were born after that so they will all be the older ones in the class.

 

Keep in mind though that the school year starts in Jan so my DD will be 6.5 when she starts Grade 1.

 

I'm actually glad of the later start. My DD was not emotionally or developmentally ready to start First Grade this year although academically she would have been fine.

 

In Australia things such as starting early or grade skipping are practically unheard of. If they are gifted they usually stay in their age grade and attend a gifted class a few times a week. Like Canada very few children are ever asked to repeat a grade - even the failing ones are passed on :glare:

[Trez]

Here in Ontario, we now have full day junior kindergarten. The kids can start school full-time at 4 years old :rolleyes: It's not mandatory but certainly encouraged. The schools here do not allow "skipping" of grades or failing. My bored and gifted son was not "allowed" to be given work at the next grade level.

[KidsHappen]

Many parents hold back children with LDs, children on the Autism spectrum, children with social or emotional problems. I held my BP child back a year and if I had a chance to do it again, I would have held back the youngest as well.

[swellmomma]

Redshirting is pretty uncommon here in Australia. Most parents I know are trying to get their kids into school as early as possible to avoid childcare fees.

 

We happen to live in one of the few States that believes later is better - so my 6yo is still in K.

 

Cut-off here is May 1st. All my kids were born after that so they will all be the older ones in the class.

 

Keep in mind though that the school year starts in Jan so my DD will be 6.5 when she starts Grade 1.

 

I'm actually glad of the later start. My DD was not emotionally or developmentally ready to start First Grade this year although academically she would have been fine.

 

In Australia things such as starting early or grade skipping are practically unheard of. If they are gifted they usually stay in their age grade and attend a gifted class a few times a week. Like Canada very few children are ever asked to repeat a grade - even the failing ones are passed on :glare:

 

That is one of the things that led my to homeschool. The school would not have ds repeat grade 2 but he could not do the work. They said it would hurt his self esteem to stay back, yet somehow moving on unable to do the work would bolster it??

[Dory]

Here in Ontario, we now have full day junior kindergarten. The kids can start school full-time at 4 years old :rolleyes: It's not mandatory but certainly encouraged. The schools here do not allow "skipping" of grades or failing. My bored and gifted son was not "allowed" to be given work at the next grade level.

 

I'm starting to think schools up here are less normal than I thought. I know a couple people in another city up here who's children were put a grade ahead because they were bored where they were at. I know of NUMEROUS children in my town that were held back a grade in primary school. It's not uncommon here. I worked enough in our school to see it regularly.

[Ellie]

I've seen a lot of discussion on these boards about "red-shirting" kids.

 

Fellow Canucks - does this happen in your province?

Not here as far as I can tell.

 

Everything here is based on the year that the child was born. School, sports, other extra-curricular activities (brownies, etc).

 

If any non-Canadians are reading this, here is the breakdown for grades here in my province:

 

Born in 1999 - Grade 8

Born in 2000 - Grade 7

Born in 2001 - Grade 6

Born in 2002 - Grade 5

Born in 2003 - Grade 4

Born in 2004 - Grade 3

Born in 2005 - Grade 2

Born in 2006 - Grade 1

Born in 2007 - Senior Kindergarten (not mandatory)

Born in 2008 - Junior Kindergarten (not mandatory)

 

You can't start anything early, even if your child is ready for it.

And if you want to hold your child back, they don't allow that either.

 

In our school board, they will not accelerate kids, nor will they fail them.

It just doesn't happen. They would rather put them all on individual education plans and manage it that way. Which seems like a whole lot more work IMHO??? Nope, not even with psych-ed evaluations or other standardized testing. It is all based on the year you were born - no other factors are considered.

 

If you are born in 2001 - then you are in grade 6 right now. Period.

You can only play on sports teams that other kids in 2001 play on.

 

I find it really remarkable that this practice of red-shirting seems so common in the US???

I never even heard the term until I read it here on WTM forum. I think it's a fairly recent "innovation," because when my dc were little (dob 1975 and 1978) no one talked about holding their children back because of a birthday, certainly not an April or May bday.

 

I like the way your school board does it.

[eloquacious]

I've seen a lot of discussion on these boards about "red-shirting" kids.

 

Fellow Canucks - does this happen in your province?

Not here as far as I can tell.

 

Everything here is based on the year that the child was born. School, sports, other extra-curricular activities (brownies, etc).

 

If any non-Canadians are reading this, here is the breakdown for grades here in my province:

 

Born in 1999 - Grade 8

Born in 2000 - Grade 7

Born in 2001 - Grade 6

Born in 2002 - Grade 5

Born in 2003 - Grade 4

Born in 2004 - Grade 3

Born in 2005 - Grade 2

Born in 2006 - Grade 1

Born in 2007 - Senior Kindergarten (not mandatory)

Born in 2008 - Junior Kindergarten (not mandatory)

 

You can't start anything early, even if your child is ready for it.

And if you want to hold your child back, they don't allow that either.

 

In our school board, they will not accelerate kids, nor will they fail them.

It just doesn't happen. They would rather put them all on individual education plans and manage it that way. Which seems like a whole lot more work IMHO??? Nope, not even with psych-ed evaluations or other standardized testing. It is all based on the year you were born - no other factors are considered.

 

If you are born in 2001 - then you are in grade 6 right now. Period.

You can only play on sports teams that other kids in 2001 play on.

 

I find it really remarkable that this practice of red-shirting seems so common in the US???

 

 

I would prefer if they did it by the year, rather than weird cut-off dates. Plus if they did it this way, my son would be one of the oldest in his class, rather than on the younger end.

[IsabelC]

That's interesting.

 

Ours in Tasmania works on a calendar year basis too:

School starting and leaving ages are set by law, and your child is required to attend school full-time from the age of five. This means that a child who has turned five on or by 1 January in any year must start school in that year, or be provided with approved home education. If you feel that your child is not ready for school, you should discuss your options with your school Principal. Most children, however, start school in Kindergarten in their local school when

they are four years of age.

 

Kindergarten is a part-time preschool year that is technically optional but taken up by almost everyone. Full time school starts with Prep (preparatory), which is what Americans call kindergarten and Canadians call senior kindergarten.

 

It used to be much more flexible, back in my day, the more advanced kids skipped prep, while the slower kids used that as an extra year to prepare for grade one. Now, prep is compulsory and I don't think kids can be skipped ahead or held back unless it's in very exceptional circumstances.

 

Also, this would usually be decided by the teachers, not the parents. Sounds like the US allows a lot more parent input.

 

ETA: Our education system is also different from state to state, so it might vary in the rest of Australia.

[MeganW]

Basically it is holding a kid back so they start at a slightly older age so they have an advantage in athletics or academics (although I hear about it with regards to athletics more, but I guess it can be both).

 

My kiddos were 5.5 when they technically should have started kindergarten. They were born 9 weeks prematurely, and have had challenges all along. They are in that weird gray area where they aren't quite bad enough off to be considered truly special-ed in the school system, but couldn't keep up with kids their age. They were in physical, occupational, and speech therapy for most of those years up to kindergarten age, but just were not developmentally anywhere close to the other kids. In 4 year old preschool, they came out every day saying "why am I the only one who can't ...". We agonized and agonized, but finally decided to have them repeat 4K.

 

It was the best decision we ever could have made. That second year of 4K, they were able to understand the stories the teachers read. They could remember the songs, had the fine motor skills to complete the crafts, could keep up on the playground, etc. They are also tiny for their age, so they truly fit in in every way with the kids a year younger. They were right in the middle of the class - not the top, not the bottom.

 

It's not always about trying to get an (unfair) advantage!

[Rhonda in TX]

Most people that I know who did it did it for social reasons. Almost every boy I knew with a summer birthday (July/August) when mine were little was held back (started late). The parents were more concerned about the child being socially ready (there is a big difference between the child who turns 6 in Sept, and the child who just turned 5 in August). Cut off there was Sept. 1. We did it with our youngest. He was ready academically but not socially.

 

Yeah, I don't know anybody who did it for academic/athletic advantage, although I'm sure that happens. I think parents look at their wiggly 5 year old and think, "There's no way they can sit in a chair all day long." It was probably easier to send them when K was half-day and it was more of a playtime than a time for serious academics.

 

Interestingly DD, who went to private school until 2nd grade, was one of the youngest in her class, and she was born in February. Cut-off is August 31st here. (or September 1st - not sure about that)

[catz]

Red shirting is fairly popular in our area, and it's not at all unusual for kids with summer birthdays to be held back. After having a kid attend K and 1st at public school, I can see why. We only have an all day kindergarten option and the behavioral expectations and output expectations are pretty high. My son was fine with it, but he had an October birthday. I know another boy that missed the August cut off by a couple days in my son's class who struggled behaviorally his first few years. (we have a Sept 1 cutoff - the oldest boy in my son's K class had an April birthday.)

 

The ability to sit in a classroom and produce output is vastly different than academic ability. My kid was always miles ahead academically, but twitchy with the sit in the desk all day situation. He's a 6th grader now working almost entirely independently - he's not ADHD or LD or anything like that and accelerated across the boards. Many of the boys struggled keeping it together all day those first 2 years and many were not school fans.

[airforcefamily]

I wish they did year groups like that in the US even though one of our kids would almost certainly be the youngest. Here states each make up their own random cutoff date. The whole reason we started homeschooling was because we moved from a state with a December 1st cutoff to a state with a September 1st cutoff and they wouldn't let her stay on the same grade level track she started, they insisted she be demoted and repeat a year when she could demonstrate competency at the grade level we told them she was in. We said sorry, no, we're not going to make our kid repeat a grade, she would feel like she was being punished for moving (not to mention it would make a tall, mature child the oldest in the class) and started homeschooling.

 

What do they do with kids who are on the cutoff date in the US? Does anyone know. Like if the cutoff is December 1st does a child born on December 1st start kindergarten at 4.5 years old or 5.5 years old.

 

I am personally against redshirting unless a child is within a week or two of the cutoff but I think it should go both ways, if a child is just slightly too young they should be allowed to start. By gradually increasing the average age in a classroom the kids who used to be on the younger side of average are now a year or more younger than the oldest child and are put at a disadvantage. Plus, if a school sees that the average kindergartener is able to handle more advanced work then they're going to push it on all the kids.

[angela in ohio]

I never even heard the term until I read it here on WTM forum. I think it's a fairly recent "innovation," because when my dc were little (dob 1975 and 1978) no one talked about holding their children back because of a birthday, certainly not an April or May bday.

 

I like the way your school board does it.

 

My little brother was red-shirted (he was born in 1976,) and so were several of his friends. I think it just depends on where you are.

[Canadianmumof5]

Here in Ontario, we now have full day junior kindergarten. The kids can start school full-time at 4 years old :rolleyes: It's not mandatory but certainly encouraged. The schools here do not allow "skipping" of grades or failing. My bored and gifted son was not "allowed" to be given work at the next grade level.

 

It is still being rolled out so not all schools have it yet. Our school doesn't have it yet But the one 3km away does & and you would NOT BELIEVE the numbers of parents who are applying for flex boundaries in order to get their kids in there!!! It is insane. Huge waiting lists!!! Based on the govt tv ads that are running here lately, it is 30 kids with 1 teacher + 1 ECE. And from what I've heard, the kids spend a good part of the afternoon resting/ napping.

[newbieoftwo]

I wish they did year groups like that in the US even though one of our kids would almost certainly be the youngest. Here states each make up their own random cutoff date. The whole reason we started homeschooling was because we moved from a state with a December 1st cutoff to a state with a September 1st cutoff and they wouldn't let her stay on the same grade level track she started, they insisted she be demoted and repeat a year when she could demonstrate competency at the grade level we told them she was in. We said sorry, no, we're not going to make our kid repeat a grade, she would feel like she was being punished for moving (not to mention it would make a tall, mature child the oldest in the class) and started homeschooling.

 

What do they do with kids who are on the cutoff date in the US? Does anyone know. Like if the cutoff is December 1st does a child born on December 1st start kindergarten at 4.5 years old or 5.5 years old.

 

I am personally against redshirting unless a child is within a week or two of the cutoff but I think it should go both ways, if a child is just slightly too young they should be allowed to start. By gradually increasing the average age in a classroom the kids who used to be on the younger side of average are now a year or more younger than the oldest child and are put at a disadvantage. Plus, if a school sees that the average kindergartener is able to handle more advanced work then they're going to push it on all the kids.

 

:iagree: My son's birthday was two weeks before the Sept. 1st cut-off here in Texas and we decided to "red-shirt" (I don't like this term very much either) him. He went through a pre-k program last year, but even the three-day, activity packed week was hard for him. He came home exhausted every day. I knew he needed another year to mature enough to handle a full five-day week of school.

 

Red-shirting is also very prominent in Texas and we knew several boys that were almost a year older than my son that were starting Kindergarten this year. After spending time in the Kindergarten classes at the local public school it is obvious that the lessons are geared toward the older kids.

 

However, I think schools should be more accepting of kids that are ready, yet have birthdays after the cut-off.

 

Oh how I wish I could just homeschool for more than preschool! :lol:

[EthiopianFood]

They said it would hurt his self esteem to stay back, yet somehow moving on unable to do the work would bolster it??

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree: :cursing: :banghead: :cursing: :banghead: My niece is in this situation right now, and each year, it only gets worse. I don't know what exactly they are thinking is going to change each year, but at some point, even if they are suddenly able to do the work, they must be so far behind that there is no way anything will make sense anyway!! So she just gets to feel stupid, as though it is her fault. :glare:

[AndyJoy]

That is one of the things that led my to homeschool. The school would not have ds repeat grade 2 but he could not do the work. They said it would hurt his self esteem to stay back, yet somehow moving on unable to do the work would bolster it??

 

A family friend of ours was horrified to find that the school refused to have her 3rd grader repeat, even though he wasn't reading yet. She got the typical "But he'll be bigger, older, etc. and get teased," line from the school. "Do you think it's worse to be teased for being 'bigger' or being the 'stupid' one?" was her response. She knew that if he went to 4th grade, things would be ramping up academically and the teacher wouldn't be able to focus on his reading skills. She had to threaten to go to the media before they agreed to hold him back! He learned to read that year, was not the biggest in the class, and finished HS successfully.

[IsabelC]

It is still being rolled out so not all schools have it yet. Our school doesn't have it yet But the one 3km away does & and you would NOT BELIEVE the numbers of parents who are applying for flex boundaries in order to get their kids in there!!! It is insane. Huge waiting lists!!! Based on the govt tv ads that are running here lately, it is 30 kids with 1 teacher + 1 ECE. And from what I've heard, the kids spend a good part of the afternoon resting/ napping.

:iagree: It's insane. Isn't the whole idea of having a part time year so that kids can get used to the whole school gig in more manageable doses, and therefore don't get the huge shock of going full time straight away?

 

I'd suspect that some parents who opt for full time schooling as soon as possible are doing this primarily because they need child care, and school is cheaper than day care.