I appreciate Jewel's perspective. Skips do not always work perfectly, and it is good to know some of the things you may encounter. But as lucounu pointed out, a lot of the things that Jewel mentioned sound less like a bad skip result and more like a bad school environment. I think it is a great idea to look ahead somewhat (though not all the way to middle school). Definitely investigate the class your kiddo is skipping into. If it appears that the group of kids will not be a good fit for your kid, think very hard before making a skip. And remember that you can always undo a skip. The elementary years are the hardest for kids who need more challenging materials - there is so much repetition. The early years are in my opinion the best ones to make a skip.
ETA: Not everyone is in a district with lots of options for schools, or in a state that allows open enrollment. Sometimes there really is just one bricks and mortar school option. In that case you have a whole other level of analysis to do when considering a skip, and I think Jewel makes some good points. If you cannot homeschool, and the social situation would become worse with a skip, then maybe it's not the best thing to do. Different in every situation. I do feel lucky that we've been able to drive to a better-fit out-of-district school for our DS, but sometimes there isn't that option.
Last edited by st pauli girl; 05/04/12 08:46 AM.
