Were you a grade skipper? I was, and ended up in college at age 16. This is not something I'd necessarily want for my kids.
Would you encourage your kids to skip grades? If so, why? If not, why not?
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I didn't skip any grades. I'd be okay with my LOs skipping one grade. But that's it!
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I didn't skip grades. I never really thought about it for my lo I guess it would depend on what she wants to do.
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I was always the littlest kid in my classes, and though I was respected as a brainiac... socially it was tough!
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I don't know. My dad graduated high school 2 years early and went straight to college. He ended up going back home because he basically wasn't mature enough. He's a really smart man (and ended up finishing college a few years later), but at the time he wasn't anywhere ready for college.
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I didn't skip any grades, but I wished I could have skipped the last year of high school. I'm not sure that it's something I want for my kids, especially in younger grades. I don't think they do it as much as they used to either.
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@Boogs: My sister had one of her kids skip one grade and he's doing ok... but he was a superstar in the grade he was in.
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Several times I had teachers approach my parents about having me skip a grade, but they chose not to for a few reasons. 1 - I had a twin sister and she would have felt pretty bad about my being a grade ahead (and it's easier having both kids at the same school). 2 - Dad didn't want me to graduate early. I would have turned 17 a few weeks before graduation if I'd been allowed to skip one grade. 3 - They didn't want me in a bunch of classes with kids older than me.
I used to wish that I had skipped one grade in order to get out of middle school and high school sooner, but if I had done that I wouldn't have met my Hubs until my senior year of college and we never would have started dating, so it all worked out.
P.S. I did graduate college in 3 years instead of 4 so I did "skip" a grade there
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I skipped the third grade and graduated hs at 16 years old. I would be fine with my child skipping a grade as long as they wanted it. Nothing is worse than sitting around because everything is too easy.
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I did, and I'd be fine with my kids doing it. But we'll be homeschooling, so there are way less reasons NOT to.
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I had a chance to skip a grade in elementary school. My parents didn't let me though. I thought it would have been awesome because two of my cousins were in the grade ahead of me.
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@lilteacherbee: My dad skipped 2 grades back in the day. He did fine in college, but always felt socially and physical-growth-wise behind and left out.
For that reason he would never consider letting my brother or I skip grades. There are worse things that being at the top of your class and things can always be added (either by the school or parents) to increase challenge for kids that are advanced. I just don't think it's worth it. -
I skipped grade 1 because the teachers thought I could read. My mom thought I was just a good memorizer. I tend to agree with her. I remember having to learn to read when I was in school and I remember math being hard. By the end of grade two I was caught up, but I think I could have stayed on the grade I was and been fine. I think I'd only skip my kids is they were crazy ahead of the other kids and far too bored.
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I prefer for my kids not to do it, Up until 12th grade I was the youngest in my class by two years and i hated it. I just wanted to be with my peers. I dont want my kids to skip grades
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I skipped fourth grade. I am glad I did from an academic standpoint, but even skipping a grade I was still pretty bored academically until college. But I wouldn't have wanted to get any further ahead socially, it was hard being the last one to drive, drink, etc. within my peer group. But now I'm glad I'll be the last one to turn 30, 40, etc.
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never skipped a grade - i'm just glad they didn't start me late (my late birthday). i don't think i'd want my kids to skip a grade. since i'm having twins, i don't want one in a grade above the other. also, i wouldn't want my kid to be the youngest in the class. better that he/she's the top of their class then just getting by in the next class.
btw, wow! college at 16. pretty impressive!
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My mother refused to advance me when it was recommended that I skip first grade, and I remember being interminably bored all the way through school. I read before I entered kindergarten and could write in cursive by the end of first grade, and I had to kind of just sit around while the teachers addressed that with everyone else--I remember feeling, and my mom would agree, that there was not a lot of enrichment available for students who were on the advanced side.
Ultimately, because I was so unhappy in high school, I ended up doing an independent study program beginning in the second semester of 10th grade, and finished 11th grade early, so technically I didn't "skip" anything--I did all the coursework--but I graduated from high school a year early, at 16, and started college at 17.
I have to say I am so happy that I am expecting during the first half of the year because I think arbitrary school cutoff dates (in MD it is September 1) are idiotic. Some kids are ready for school by age 5, some aren't. If you were born on September 2, but are ready for school, I don't think you should be held back an entire year--that does more damage than advancing a kid a grade.
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@eastportbride: I agree, arbitrary cut off dates stink! What happened to assessing the kid for readiness and putting them where they belong?
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My parents didn't want me to because they didn't want me being around older kids, thought I'd be pushed into older kid stuff before I was socially ready. Instead me and this other boy just had to have special classroom time, I really liked it, it was definitely more interesting than class. Between that and speech therapy (I couldn't pronounce the lower half of the alphabet properly through the first half of elementary school) I wasn't in normal class much. I kinda wish I could have skipped though and maybe waited to start college and had a fun year abroad without falling behind.
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Apparently teachers wanted to skip me, but my parents said no, and I'm glad. My bday is in August so I was already the youngest in my classes. I started college 2,000 miles away from home the day I turned 18 and don't think it would have been appropriate for me to do that sooner. If I graduated HS earlier, I probably would have stayed at home and done a year or two of community college before finishing up at a 4-year. It would have been fine, just a completely different experience.
As tequiero said, I would like my twins to stay in the same grade, despite having inevitably different strengths in school. I would not skip them, for maturity purposes, as they will be summer babies. If they are exceling at school and are bored, I would just try to do more to engage them outside of school, or request additional challenge from their teachers.
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My parents and I considered having me skip 7th grade (I didn't learn a single thing in 6th grade and was bored out of my mind).
Instead, we decided to pull me out of public school and enroll me in a private school where I thrived.
I think there are often better options to consider before skipping a grade but if all those options have been pursued without success, I wouldn't be opposed to grade skipping.
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