A young pupil named Ken Newman found himself being frequently bullied after skipping a grade when he wasn’t ready. Matthiessen phrased it, “he was picked on because he was smaller and younger looking than his classmates” (2). He was forced into an environment he did not belong and everyone noticed. Not only does this damage his learning, but also his self-esteem and social skills. This is just one example of students becoming unprepared for their schooling. Some students, however, like Tara Lynne Groth, find skipping a level in school to be successful and beneficial. She realized she did better in a higher level thinking environment and now even owns her own company, but this happens very rarely and many kids have other opportunities to excel, whether that’s through something like gifted and honors programs or tutoring, etc. For these reasons and many more, skipping grades is not for the better and in some cases, may be damaging. Kids skipping grades in school leaves them unprepared and ill fit for future schooling and life.
Foremost, pushing kids ahead in school leaves them underdeveloped socially and is not as beneficial as many perceive. Ken Newman’s experience illustrates this perfectly. Ken skipped a grade ahead in elementary school and found himself behind and bullied when he got to high school. The phrase Matthiessen used was, “he was picked on because he was smaller and younger looking than his classmates” . He recalls even being thrown in a trashcan. He continued his education and went to Cornell at 15. Not only did he become extremely homesick, but he also cried himself to sleep “every night”, he says. It made his transition that much tougher compared to the other students. Being physically, mentally, and socially prepared to accelerate your education is just as important as your academic ability. Going into college not even shaving and with braces, proved to be a regretful decision for Ken Newman, and one he greatly wishes he could take back.
In addition, students may not need as much acceleration or challenges as one thinks at first glance. Many parents, teachers, schools, etc. see a child excelling in an area of their academics and want to immediately push them ahead. However, where they fail to think ahead is the effects and ramifications skipping a grade has on the student. In many cases, students are gifted in one or a few areas, but not enough to skip an entire year. So when they do, that child tends to fall behind and need extra help in certain areas, whereas that wouldn’t be needed if they were at the level they were supposed to be. A second grader found himself in this situation after his parents urged him into third grade early. Patty Diegan, a national board certified teacher from Illinois remembers, “Holes developed in his learning and ended up needing tutors by 5th grade”. Gifted kids in one area are rare, let alone gifted kids prepared enough to skip an entire grade. That type of huge decision should not be taken lightly and even if a child seems ready, they might not be.
Moreover, skipping a grade is not only a major decision in that child’s education, but it intensifies the pressure put on them to perform. Patty Diegan said she “fears a push to make (skipping grades) more available will only intensify the pressure put on young children to always outshine their peers”. Being “average” has never been the goal. For many parents, they want their child to be the best and brightest. Plus the added pressure that kids put on themselves to succeed, get good grades, etc. Then to intensify this by skipping an entire grade, especially early on where they learn essential skills, it can be tough. When kids don’t fit in and are trying to adjust to a new environment, they are going to put all their effort into their education, focusing much more time, effort, and pressure on that one area. Once the work, stress, and pressure, catches up to these kids, they will find themselves falling behind, yet again, and needing extra support. Although in some cases, kids are afraid to ask for help because of the pressure to succeed and the cloud of stress that follows.
Some may argue that it is better for a student to be at their appropriate level of thinking and be challenged sufficiently. However, you have to also take into account the other aspects, like social and mental factors, because they are just as important to a child’s success as their academics. If a child is unprepared in any one of these factors it can set them up for failure in the future. Even a one year difference to a child can have a major impact because, especially the younger you are, the differences between grades are heightened. There are also many other opportunities for a child to be challenged in their academics, while still being in their original grade level. Gifted and honors programs add to a student’s ability and success and builds on their skills from learning in their correct grade level.
Also, those saying that skipping a grade improves student’s grades are not correct. From the examples, I stated previously, it is clear in many cases that students that skip grades tend to fall behind and see less improvement than is beneficial. Students still find ways to excel and perform in their normal classroom setting.
When a child skips a grade they could be simultaneously skipping essential parts of their learning and set them behind their peers, instead of benefiting them. Not only does it put holes in their academic ability, but also their social and mental aspects. In most cases, skipping a grade typically catches up to the child, sets them behind, and prevents them from really learning to the best of their ability.
puzzle of thoughts 