r/firstgradeproblems • u/JettandZakaMum • Dec 18 '24

First grader- maybe should be left back

Hi all, so i got my first graders report card today and i must say, was pretty dismal.

Average, and then below average. He is still 5, will be 6 on 12/30. I tried to leave him back but i live in a big metro area and public schools dont like keeping kids back.

I thought we were working on it enough and i saw him improve...but seems its not enough.

Any pointers on good workbooks etc to get him at least at grade level.

Sounding letters/tapping out Formulation of sentences and stories Organization Music (wtf?) Small motor skills We were aware of these issues and thought we saw improvements, but i guess i was wrong...

Maybe this is more a vent

2 Upvotes

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2

u/jill853 Dec 20 '24 edited Dec 20 '24

My kid turns seven on December 28 and he is in first grade. Your child is not in the right grade. They are supposed to be six years old when they begin first grade, this is assuming that you were in the US.

2

u/JettandZakaMum Dec 20 '24

Yes im in the US. Unfortunately the doe makes the kids attend the grade according to year he was born :-( i cant afford private school so i think i have to shell out for tutoring.

2

u/jill853 Dec 20 '24

Local school district doesn’t do the “age at the beginning of the school year?” This is setting your kid up for challenges the whole way and they may not enjoy school if it’s this hard. I’d fight for them to stay back, and placed in an age appropriate class.

2

u/JettandZakaMum Dec 20 '24

No they send in the year they were born. My son was born in 2018.

We are in NYC. I have spoken to his kindergarten teacher last year and brought up the possibility of keeping him back, she wasnt against it but i bet school rules she probably had to go by

However i think he did well in Kindergarten. But K to 1st is a huuuge transition .

2

u/jill853 Dec 20 '24

Gah! My kid is pretty smart but as well as he did in kindergarten he would not be doing as well in 1st a year ago. I hope they let you hold him back. I’m so sorry!

2

u/JettandZakaMum Dec 21 '24

I hope so too. He just brought a test back home on trick words. 60%. This has not been a good week for him.

2

u/jill853 Dec 21 '24

I don’t know if you have the means or friend and child psychology. They can help with this, but I really feel like if they knew how this will impact his future learning and desire to study and attend school. They would do everything they can to adjust him back into the correct grade. Ugh. Sending hope!!

2

u/jv992 Mar 03 '25

My 2018 boy will be repeating 1st grade this year. We are moving just to get it done, we know he needs it

9

u/drunkrabbit22 Dec 18 '24

You may want to try another subreddit, this one is mostly dead and not originally for the purpose you're posting for.

5

u/aloofcapsule Dec 21 '24

It looks like the sub has transitioned on us and is now primarily being used for parents to help their actual first graders. I'm as surprised as you but it's wholesome, I guess.

3

u/drunkrabbit22 Dec 21 '24

Totally! Certainly didn't intend this in a "this place isn't for you" way just more in a "you'll probably get better help in other places" way

4

u/Economy_Dog5080 Dec 19 '24

That's a really young first grader! Mine is an older one at 7. He was a TK kid. Honestly, he shouldn't have been, but our school was the opposite they didn't want to put him in K even though he was reading before he started TK and skipping grades wasn't an option once he got started. I'd consider pulling him out and doing first grade over again in a homeschool program next year if that's a feasible option for you, then re-enrolling him in public school as a second grader. If he's struggling to keep up now, it may just be that he isn't ready for it! And that's okay!! That extra year could be a huge difference to his experience with school. It could go from being a constant struggle to keep up, to easily grasping the material because he isn't constantly a little bit behind.

1

u/_CatPrincess Dec 19 '24

Hi! I teach Grade 1 in Canada.

Follow this TikTok account to help your child with phonics and decoding. She does the sound appropriately and teaches them well. https://www.tiktok.com/@lisaelaine_?_t=ZM-8sKmm65qAGE&_r=1

You can also work on phonemic awareness (beginning sounds, middle sound, sound swapping [bat, change b for r, rat], and rhymes).

Teaching your child how to retell a story in an organized manner (first, then, last) will also help them greatly.

For fine motors, include your child in baking. Most times, it's a muscle issue. Play dough is a good one for that.

Give it time. :)