Hello,
DS, 6, is grade skipped by one grade. Our public school splits grades/schools. There is a K/1, then another campus is a 2/3, then another....One problem with this is that it is hard for his first grade teacher to easily access curriculum at his level, which is about 4th grade at this time.
We have a transition meeting coming up and I want to be prepared, but also if the next principal is not receptive to his needs, I think I'll leave our district and go to a K-6 school. Which feels like we would be erasing all of our advocacy thus fair and starting back at the ground floor. However, since his current school isn't accommodating anyway, not sure we have a ton to lose. Example, he is only provided with first grade materials in class but sent home with third and fourth grade reading and math materials. The teacher is wonderful and tries her best with what she has. She requests testing materials from the 4/5th grade school to make sure she knows where he is at. This is good for communicating with the next school but hasn't seemed to change anything for his daily experience.
Another recent issue is that he says that it is embarrassing to be a year younger than everyone. He is extremely tall and would be a head taller than Kinders if he were not grade skipped and he is emotionally intelligent and very social, he truly belongs with kids one year ahead socially.
My husband and I made a chart with pros and cons of public school vs. homeschooling and we concluded that he needs to remain grade skipped and we want to try another year at a public school. If I knew that being at a K-6 school would allow for more opportunity to do math or be in a reading group at his level, I would move schools in a heartbeat. However, I know that the grass may not be greener. The amount of time I have to put into advocacy is already so great with such little results that I have no hope.
My question is, does age matter to children in 2nd grade+? As a teacher, I remember first graders being especially aware and interested in how old each other was and comparing skills. I am wondering if this declines in 2nd.
If there is anything I am missing or if you have ideas for the transition meeting, thank you for your input. We have been friendly yet persistent and all that we have achieved is a grade skip. I am beginning to think that I am too friendly and behaving as if I am happy with his schooling. Maybe I need to be more diplomatic and serious?
