Prevent your child from repeating a class

It is almost the end of an academic school year and as activities wind down, taking stock of the term is paramount. Some children may not have done so well and may be advised to repeat the same class at the next session.

Ensuring that you help your child get academically sound to avoid repeating a class is key. While it has not been proven that repeating a class has helped children learn better, it may even affect his self esteem including emotional and social abilities.

However, repeating kindergarten, preschool or even the first or second grade is often not a big deal and life goes on. If the problems are ignored and a repeat becomes necessary three or four years later, that becomes a difficult experience for a child. Usually, problems tend to compound when not sorted early. This will hurt their confidence and self-esteem and it is best to avoid this situation.

If your child is at risk of repeating a class, ensure your child attends class regularly as being absent can have a negative impact on reading patterns and assimilation especially at the elementary level.

You may also need to seek expert help to evaluate your child psychologically and educationally. This could help in the diagnosis of learning disabilities, language disorders, neurodevelopmental and emotional issues.

Also make sure to strengthen learning at home. Spend more time reading and researching about school curriculum in different ways and encourage your child to read on his own too.

Deliberate on the alternatives to repeating a class and to improve his academics look towards multi-age grouping. Mixing children from different grade levels in the same classroom could help your child develop socially and emotionally. This will be done while your child receives age-appropriate academic work.

Consider if the thought of repeating a class is more of a defeat for you as a parent. Are you worried about what others will think? Think about whether you really believe it is a bad decision or if it’s just difficult for you to accept.

Your child’s level of interaction with his peers will tell how mature he is. It can also affect her academic performance and he may be relieved to repeat the year and feel more comfortable from then on.

Listen to your child’s teacher to know the necessary interventions needed to help your child. It could be speech or remedial therapy; hence you should be present enough to adhere to the needs of your child. If these interventions are put in place as early as possible, they can often prevent repeating a year, especially if the child is responding and making fast progress.

As a parent, if you feel your child has struggled in a class and you want him to repeat, weigh the advantages and the disadvantages and do what is best for your child. What is most important at the end is to ensure that your child’s confidence and morale is not affected. No one should understand your child better than you do, so consider all the factors before making an informed decision.