My daughter is almost 8 years old and her private school teacher and principal want to put her back in 1st grade. She struggles with reading but spells well. One day she can read the words and the next she can't. She is very outgoing and has no behavior issues. She is very mature verbally, but doesn't seem to be interrested in doing homework at all. She was in public school where since she was well behaved I believe that she wasn't challenged about her reading level. We work at home on it and she claims she "can't read" but she reads restaurant menus and signs well, but won't try and read books. When tested she clams up and does poorly, but gets great scores on spelling tests. If she is reading while not being tested can read fairly well but as soon as the idea of a test pops up she can't read the material that she previously read. I don't know if I should take their advice and hold her back because I don't know how that will affect her emotionally. The teachers can't understand why she can read one day and not the next. I am going to take her to get evaluated by a Dr. and see if there are any other issues. How should I proceed?

trmpldonagn

See what the doctor says first and don't settle. Some doctors know how to rule out almost everything through the process of elimination of course. Some will even admit when they are at a loss and will send their patient to another doctor. It is very possible that she may see different types of doctors.

There could be a slew of reasons as to why your daughter can read one day but not the next. Sometimes a food allergy or sensitivity can be difficult to detect. This alone can cause someone to have difficulties with which you are describing but it is only an example. It is sometimes easy for a doctor to misdiagnose and this is why I say don't settle.

Unless you are absolutely certain and comfortable with what the doctor tells you, get a second opinion.

If it comes down to her having to be held back you can always get counseling for her if you are concerned about how it will affect her. Are there counselors at this private school?

HeathP

There are no counselors in her school, and they seem like holding child back is completely normal. I just don't feel that this is normal, they talked about many kids being held back for behavior issues and she doesn't have any. They said that their school is 1 1/2 year ahead of public school so I don't know if this school now was even a good idea at all. Our public schools have almost 35 kids in a classroom and they put her in resource last year and with the one on one help she cought up quickly. So I thought by putting her in private school with 15 kids in a class that would help with the one on one help. I didn't know until today that they feel they are 1 1/2 years ahead of the state curriculum. I was more leaning on the smaller class sizes for her needs. I just got the feeling that her teacher was torn on this decision and the principal claimed that both of her kids were held back which seems strange to me. My daughter is very artistic and left handed. I have read that leftys write numbers and letters backwards up until 5th grade normally. She solved all of her math problems correctly but wrote 3 and 7 backwards occasionally. I just feel that since she got the answer correct it is more of a handwriting issue than a math issue.

artlady

Have you ever considered home schooling?

HeathP

I can't do home schooling, I have a very demanding career that is the income of our family

artlady

Many children come out on top of the world when they do a grade over.
To go back two grades is worrisome to me.

If she needed help in first grade ,why wasn't she getting it?

I think I would have a discussion with the board and want an answer to that question.

If you think she is intellectually ready to go forward but she has limitations,she should have help within the curriculum to address those issues.

She should be out of the classroom for special help as she needs it,preferably once a day for each subject she is not faring well in.

Perhaps you should ask to sit in on a day in the classroom and see if she is ready to progress.

You have to look at this from all sides and make an informed decision.Talk to teachers,talk to anyone who is familiar with this type of going back two grades.I have never heard of such a policy in New York.

Personally I would encourage perhaps keeping her in the grade she is in one more year ,to back track 2 years is something I don't get.

I am a retired teacher so I know a few things and I don't understand that.

If she needs and deserves special treatment because of a learning disability,what assurance do you have that she is going to get it now?
Clearly it was not provided.We all pay for children to get that special help!
Make sure she gets it.Its her right!

rankrank55

I am a teacher and my opinion would be to hold her back. It's obvious that her foundation in reading isn't solid enough to continue successfully into the next grade. Sounds like she is not a fluent reader and needs extra practice in this area. Spelling is a totally different ballgame than reading; just because she spells good doesn't mean she reads good. If you do decide to send her into the next grade, or not, one thing you can do is something called the NIM approach. This is where you sit her in your lap and you read as closly in her ear as possible and point to each word. Start out with something below or at her reading level and gradually build up and begin to let her point to the words with you. It sounds VERY simple but it works wonders!
Here is a website on the Neurological Impress Methoad ask NIM
ReadStrong - Neurological Impress Method

Let me know if you need anything else and I would be happy to help. Good luck