THE FAST LANE (Skipping a Grade)

 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

It was a long day at work and now I had to drive home in a traffic of two lanes, I felt the cars in front of me were driving rather slowly, and the other lane was moving faster. I decided to switch to the pseudo lane, so did other 'impatient' drivers like me. Next thing, the new lane started slowing down and was not moving as fast any more, but the lane we all moved from due to lack of patience started moving very fast.
 You could imagine how I felt at this point.

This can be related to some parents’ approach to their children educational planning.

There have been instances where parents want to be in hurry to join the “Fast Lane.”  As a parent, you could be pressured to join the lane that is moving faster when it comes to your children’s education but you need to ask yourself this question, “Why exactly am I rushing my child in their Early Childhood Education?”

Every stage in a child’s life and development is very important. Hastening your child, or making them to skip a stage or class in their life, often affects them. They ‘may’ end up having to struggle due to immaturity or falling below the academic requirements for that grade level. It is important you pay attention to every developmental stage and know your child rather than try to speed up their academic journey.  
      

As a teacher, I have seen many benefits of allowing your child complete primary that is up to Primary Six before going on to Secondary School. This decision pays off  eventually as many of such children are better prepared and matured enough for the next phase of their life and majority of them excel academically.

Yes, I know some children are extra gifted and intelligent, but moving the child to a level that the child is not ready for at that time would either make the child struggle, or the child might meet up academically, but socially would still act the level he was meant to be, which would eventually make the other children see this child as babyish and would probably would not want to relate with him in their level. This could lead to self-esteem challenges that may affect academic progress.

Every class and stage comes with its own challenges and your child has to learn to derive strategies on their own to overcome these challenges. In my teaching career, I have taught children with different learning challenges. It is not really easy on the parents, the teachers and the child in question. So if you can, avoid making your child go through the struggling experience, by not hurrying up your child or skipping a grade in the early child education. 

Once at a Parents Teachers meeting, a parent shared the story of how a child did not crawl and just skipped to walking (not the doing of the parents). But at the time it felt like something to brag about for the parents. Years down the line, the boy was doing well academically but was extremely restless thus affecting his academics. His teachers found it difficult getting him to calm down to do his work. Eventually, the concerned mother took her son for evaluation and after much research and questioning, the doctor diagnosis pointed to the fact that he skipped his crawling stage and that is why he was apparently restless. The remedy was for him to be made to crawl daily for a period of time at that age to get him to calm the restlessness which he and his mother had to do. (However, not crawling might not have that same effect on every child but it did in that particular child.) 

I remember a child I taught whose father was in a hurry to move her to secondary school so she had to skip the last class in elementary school. The school advised him not to do so because the child needed that last class to be able to fully mature to cope with high school. However, the father insisted on her moving to high school. Later, the child started struggling academically. The child was not well prepared for that stage yet. 

In a “garden” where self-confidence grows, 
a successful learner is a  confident learner.

Some excuses for skipping grades by parents include:

‘Oh, I’ll rather save that last year in elementary school fees to pay for high school.’

You might end up paying more money on that child because you’ll pay more money to get a lot of interventionists for your struggling child.

‘All the children of her age in our social circle of friends are moving to high school, it will be shameful for her to remain in elementary school.’

 The truth is that every child is different, and what would work for your friend’s child might not necessarily work for your own child. You need to know your child’s ability, strength and weaknesses, think of your child’s best interest above all sentiments and pressure. Seek advice from your child’s teacher and school concerning your child. 
As a parent, you’re always free to assess your child’s performances and cognitive process from the professional in the school.  

Every parent makes mistakes, and learns through experience. It’s okay to feel confident about what you know. And it’s also okay to admit what you do not know, and ask questions. Often, the presupposed ‘Dumb’ questions provide the best kind of answers in our children educational planning. 

We want the best in our children so, putting them first and not rushing them to the fast moving lane which would not eventually do them good, is of ought most importance.