The word or term redshirting can be used in a couple different contexts. The most familiar way that redshirting is used is for an academic reason. When you use academic redshirting you are allowing the student or child an extra year to gain different skills. This will allow the child to be current with the other students in the class and not be left behind. Making the decision to have a child or student redshirted is a choice the parent and the school administrators will have to make. If a child’s birthday is around the cutoff date, they will be the youngest student in the class. This may affect their learning education and social education also. Delaying a student by redshirting them will only help their education and school career.
Whether your student is in a private school or the public school district, you will be given the choice to redshirt your child. According to the NCES (National Center for Education Statistics), male students are held back more often than female students and also children that are born in the last half of the year will be held back or redshirted for the current school year. The rate of children and students redshirted is 9% among kindergarten age children. Redshirting a student will help increase their skills. A national survey was taken among teachers that stated that 48% of the student they were teaching were not ready for school. They were missing skills that are needed when you start school. These skills included, following directions from the teachers, the academic skills and to work independently when given an assignment. These skills are needed to have a successful school career. Consider having your child redshirted if they were born in the latter half of the year.
Redshirting your child or student will help them with their social skills also. Many times when you have your child or student attend school when they are not ready will affect the way they interact with other students, the teachers and how they complete their school work. Redshirting your child or student will help raise their academic level in math, reading and general knowledge and will place them above the other students in the class. Along with improving their academic level, you will also give them the opportunity to improve their social confidence with the other students in the class and may give them an advantage with popularity among their peers.
When you are considering redshirting your child for school, consider the options that will affect your child and also ask many questions to the teacher and the school administrators. Redshirting may or may not be the right option for your child. Don’t hurt your student’s career before you have the proper questions and answers completed. Some of the questions and comments you need to make are the following:
Ask for different testing that your child can take before they enter kindergarten. This will allow you and your child to see how prepared they are for school. When your child takes the test, you may be surprised that your child is ready to become a student.
Your child is many times placed into preschool in the years before they start kindergarten. Meet with the preschool teacher to see how well your child did. Ask about how they interacted with other children. Ask if they made friends and how well they did when asked to perform a task.
Meet with the school before you enroll your child for school. You will be able to ask the teacher for the curriculum they will be teaching for the year. When the teacher shows you the information, you will be able to take that information home and help your child become a better student. Redshirting your child does not mean they will be a failure and not succeed. Your child will become a better student and you will be prepared to be a better parent and help them with their school work. Many children are nervous to attend a new school with new teachers and friends. Be a supportive parent whether you decide to redshirt them or not. Keep the lines of communication open with the teacher also. If they sense a problem, be open to their suggestions.
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