To Fail or Not to Fail a Grade

Posted by admin on Mar 29, 2011 in Math Tutoring | 7 comments

By: Ernie Bilodeau, Regional Director

Club Z! In-Home Tutoring Services

 

Some parents are being asked to answer this question as we near the end of the school year:  Is it better for the student to suffer the stigma of flunking out, or to promote them onto another year of further struggles?  It doesn’t have to be this way. There are usually options that can be considered if parents would take a moment to review them with school.

• Get a Tutor – Start tutoring early, but Summer Tutoring can help students in a myriad of ways; often resulting in kids making the grade. Getting a reading tutor or math tutor are our most common requests for summer.   The benefits include improved self-esteem and confidence, increased academic skills, additional emotional support, exposure to positive role models, development of better attitudes toward school and learning, and improved social skills. I’ve had several cases where the school agreed to pass the student as long as he received intense remediation.  Another great summer tutoring option might be to work on study skills.
• Get Tested- Schedule the student for a diagnostic screening. Lots of students mask their learning problems by misbehaving.  They don’t get the material, so they disrupt class. Then they get sent to the office, miss the class, and often on the homework, fail the exam and the cycle begins again.  Have the child tested for learning disabilities; she could simply need special education.
• Get Analyzed- Find a child psychologist or request one at school. Administrators may have a list of professionals who specialize in kids who are going through tough times. An expert could uncover emotional problems that are contributing to the student’s deficit.  Once you know what the problem is, you can deal with it.   The child’s F’s could become A’s.
• Get Reading- There are many different types of schools and curriculums. Your child’s particular learning style may not fit with the established philosophy. Find out how your child learns best, and whether the school meets her needs. If you’re not satisfied, schedule a tour at other schools with expanded learning options. She may do better at a place with smaller class sizes, more opportunities for self expression, or that’s not so dependent on standardized testing.

The implications of failing a grade and being retained are both immediate and long-term.  An article by the National Association of Social Workers cites that often the bad outweighs the good when it comes to grade retention.

• Research indicates there are benefits to grade retention but they are typically only short term. The child gets another chance to strengthen academic skills. He could catch up emotionally to his peers. The consequences of his poor efforts will become crystal clear.
• The benefits of grade retention are proven to wear off within 2 to 3 years. As new material is introduced, the student struggles once again. The social stigma of flunking overpowers any self-confidence gains.  Studies show holding a child back for social immaturity does absolutely nothing to address the problem.
• Then to make matters worse, if a child has already been retained multiple times, often times the student is just “pushed” from grade to grade to grade without being on level.

Take at look at the numbers:

• Approximately 15% of students nationwide are retained in school each year.
• Boys are more likely to fail a grade than girls.  Economically disadvantaged, Hispanic and African American students are more likely to be retained.
• 78% of high school dropouts failed a grade at least once before.

Don’t let your child become statistic.   There are alternatives available to create positive outcomes and successful students.  Let us help you analyze the situation and get informed about the options.  We come right to your door if you want to tutor privately in your home.   Call one of our Education Specialists today for additional ideas, then if you would like to schedule an in home consultation with our Educational Consultants to develop a custom plan for your child to get back on track   Working together, we can watch your child’s renewed enthusiasm and self confidence after just a little time with Club Z! In-Home Tutoring Services.