Should I Hold My 5Th Grade Son Back Another Year??

Have a look at www.wrightslaw.com. Go to the left side and scroll down to the 'topics' section. Click on 'retention'. You will find a wealth of information there.

Has he been evaluated for special education services? There is so much evidence out there that supports the fact that retention is just not the way to go... if they didn't get it the first time, they most likely won't get it the second time. Some kids just learn differently and need the methods that are offered through special education services.

Ask his teacher if she can begin the evaluation process for you. Good luck and keep us posted!

when you say another year do you mean he has already been held back?
Only if he is one of the youngest in the class would I consider it. Sounds like he needs additional help, not retention.

I chose to do this, but my child was a tad younger.
It would be fabulous for him to have another yr to catch up.
It worked for my child.
Get an idea of what he would think is best for him. You do not want to shut him down (He is older). Are the 5th graders going to a new school ?
Ultimately, it's your decision.
It would let him take some of the struggles and conquer them at his pace easier developmentally. I had to decide and I do not regret it for a second !
The ADHD brain does struggle to keep up --and every person w/ is unique.

Keep him with kids his own age, otherwise all you are doing is reinforcing her is not as smart as his friends.

I would actually have an educational psychologist evaluate him for learning disabilities. If he is still having this much of a problem he may need to be able to qualify for a special program the school to pay for it.

They can take care of the school counselor, the therapists like speech or hearing. It will all work together for the good of you r family.

As a teacher, I vote for moving him onto six grade and seeking other options. You should really look into an IEP for him and the option of special ed. By fifth grade, holding him back another year would devastate him socially, and if he is as far behind as you say he is, another year at fifth grade won't help academically. You should know that legally you have the right to ask for further testing for your son. Write a letter to your school asking for a case study to be done (use those words) and give a copy to the teacher and all administrators in the building. Legally they must complete the case study within 60 days. Even though it is the end of the year, do not wait for next year. Get it going now!

Go to 6th grade and seek additional help.

Look into a special ed referral. He may qualify, which will give him additional resources. Even if he does not qualify, recommendations will be made about ways to help him.

I think the data show that holding kids back in generally a bad idea.. if they did not do well in the grade.. doing the grade over is not likely to make a difference..

I would suggest summer school.. Kumon learning centers, sylvan learning centers... private tutor..

does your school have title I tutors?? we have 3 of these tutors in our school and they can work individually or in a group with kids that need extra help.

I would see if the school can evaluate him for special ed services..

I see you have some good responses on what to do hold back or not already.

I will offer this resource on helping to improve self concept/self esteem. I bought this at a love an logic seminar and it hits the nail on the head for what you can do to improve your kids self concept. Most libraries also have it or can get it on an inter library loan.

http://www.loveandlogic.com/ecom/p-135-shaping-self-conce...

I agree with summer school or even just a private tutor and keep a tutor year round. He sounds like he needs help year round to help reinforce his learning. And as long as he passes classes it's fine! Not everyone is going to make straight A's. And it's not necessary to be successful. The fact that he is learning to work hard will get him further than a lot of people who get A's easily. Find his strengths and support those fully and just help him succeed as best he can in math and weak points. Make sure he understands that his grades in school are only ONE measure of what makes a man. It's sure not everything. And the effort put in matters way more than the end result. He's building character and that matters.

Can you stand one more comment?
Discuss with your doctor possible side effects of the medication he is taking. This may be interfering with his comprehension. After four years on an ADHD med, my daughter had no memory of those years. Just a thought.

Put him in summer school with a tutor and see if that helps. I was the same way, very intelligent in other areas, even taking college level courses in middle/high school, but couldn't pass math to save my life. Around 5th/6th grade is when it starts to get a little more difficult.

I wish I had seen a hypnotherapist when I was a child. I have been seeing Valerie as an adult and the results for my self esteem have been amazing.
I don't know if she works with children but she could certainly recommend one if not. Valerie Grimes Hypnotherapist ###-###-####
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