Why starting school young may be a mistake

The most difficult part of my teaching career has, by far, been convincing parents that their ‘three-turning-four year old’ child is, in fact, not ready for formal schooling, or that their child who has just passed grade two cannot simply skip a grade-level because he was in the top three in his class last year, or that their darling child in grade six has, in fact, failed the year even though they, the parents, were informed about his progress early in the year, were initially in denial regarding it, and have pledged to undertake additional measures (usually extra tuition) but have not undertaken the initiative. Most of the learning issues I have experienced may be attributed to the child starting school young. In fact there are so many disadvantages of starting school at an early age that I don’t recommend doing it at all.

Quick disclaimer before I continue: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author, (me, Waheeda) and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

As a teacher, and as a parent myself, there are a few things I wish other parents realised before Karen-ing their way into school, demanding a change that is, to the best of my knowledge and expertise, NOT in the best interest of their child… and I am sure there are other teachers that are with me. Now, there may be many other reasons that your child is not progressing at school, but this is definitely the most common.

So, here is a collated list of things I would love parents to know:

1. Your child is not developmentally ready

“But he knows how to write his name”

“He can count to a hundred!”

“Her sister started school at this age, and now she’s flying high, so…”

School readiness does not depend solely on your child’s ability to count and hold a pencil, and it certainly does not depend on the age their sibling started school. Consider that the advised age for Grade R in South Africa is five-turning-six. This means that the curriculum, whether we agree with it or not, has been developed to cater to a child who has passed certain milestones – physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.

In addition, this ‘five-turning-six-in-June‘ rule has meant that, summer-born children are disadvantaged. They are younger than their peers and they have, therefore, had less time to develop and grow before they begin their schooling career. In this case, the oldest child in the class or cohort is up to 1 year older than his youngest classmate! The academic difference is usually most prominent in the earliest years of schooling and this, unfortunately, sets an unstable foundation on which to grow an academic career.

What research says about starting school young

According to one study, children who start school too early have a higher risk of developing special needs, or carrying an unwarranted ‘slow-learner’ label, than their peers who start school a year later. In fact, the chance of receiving such a diagnosis or label increases to around 14%. This means children born immediately after 1 July are approximately 14% less likely to have a special needs diagnosis than their peers born before 30 June, if they find themselves in the same cohort, and this is just one of the examples of struggles in school.

Developmental psychology explains this phenomenon. One prominent reason for such a discrepancy is level of maturity. Although children are ready to learn at all ages, not all of them are ready for formal academic education at the same time. Starting school young may inhibit their true potential.

• Tip: Consider your child’s age and development in relation to his peers. Be honest with yourself and remember, the race is not between your child and others. The race is truly between your child and himself. It is his own progress that matters most. In the long run, it is usually better to wait a year.

2. Is your child really ready for school?

This article by School Guide is the most comprehensive list I have found on this subject, however to answer the question in short, keep in mind three points:

• Your child’s age in months in relation to the average of his cohort
• Your child’s social development – How does he interact with other children? Is he willing to play along with others, and help others? Does he experience excessive separation anxiety?
• Language development – Has he passed beyond ‘baby language’? Is he able to express himself sufficiently to a teacher?

Should your child really be starting school young?

In all honesty, teachers are not impressed that a child ‘knows their ABCs’… In fact, we prefer that they don’t as it becomes more difficult to un-teach lessons taught by parents than it is to teach the correct phonics (schools teach phonetically using sounds, not alphabet names).

• Tip: Avoid being ‘bullied’ or coerced (by well-meaning friends and grandparents) into sending your child to school early. Peer pressure among parents is a real struggle, and many parents fall victim to it. Stand your ground.

3. Early childhood education is not babysitting

One of the greatest insults for a teacher is to have it assumed that, as an early childhood educator, she is a designated baby-sitter. While formal schooling begins in Grade R, there are many early learning centers which offer options for children of working parents. These centers follow a loose curriculum which involves learning through play and, in my humble opinion, are usually ‘manned’ by a team of the most passionate and incredibly patient women in our community. In fact, the level of patience required to teach any child under the age of 7 or 8 is saintly!

4. Let’s normalise average

Your child is probably not a genius. In fact, a score of 140 on the IQ scale is considered a high-level IQ (not necessarily genius-level). It is estimated that less than 1% of the world population fall into this elite category. That’s 1 in 6 million people and it’s probably not your darling munchkin.

It’s okay to be average.

As teachers, we are professionals who have studied education and teaching and we are aware of the academic and social requirements for each grade. Remember, teachers are concerned about your child’s holistic development, not just their academics. So, rest assured that if we suspected your child were a genius, we would have told you… and if we suspect your child may have a developmental delay, we’ll tell you this, too.

And, one last piece of advice:

5. It’s not meant to be so difficult

On many an occasion, I have had the unfortunate experience of meeting parents in the first term to let them know that their child is under-performing. When this happens, the usual response is to send home more practice exercises, or that the child would be attending tuition to overcome the issue – both solutions sadden me as a teacher and as a parent.

Dear parents, school is not supposed to be SO difficult.

Your child is not meant to struggle so much so early in his academic career. That level of stress is not meant to be on his shoulders. Since the curriculum has been created with age and developmental milestones in mind, had the child been at the correct age at the get-go, classwork would have been a good challenge for him, not a series of impossible tasks that slowly drain his motivation. For your child, starting school young may lead to life’s biggest regrets.

Remember, starting school young and putting your child under undue stress is no celebration. It’s not a matter of failing to try. It boils down to what is best for your child at that time in their lives.

So, if your child has started school young, and they’re already in the system, what is the solution?

Well, depending on the child’s age, grade and performance, you could:

• (Grade R) opt to pull your child out of the school for now and re-enter the system in the next school year.
• (Grade 1) allow your child to continue the year and accept that he may have to repeat the grade next year when he is more developmentally ready. Keep in mind, though, that should your child subsequently ‘scrape a pass’ at the end of the year, it it may not be a reason to celebrate, for surely the gaps usually become cracks, and even craters, early in the following grade.
• (Grades 2+) Create an immediate and sustainable change in your child’s routine and this will slowly form a change in his mindset. Remember, no good will happen if you do not make a change. Begin a consistent reading and numeracy program as soon as possible. (Your child’s teacher will likely let you know what to work on. The important thing is to work WITH the teacher and, if possible, allow the teacher and tutor to communicate directly.) Consistency is KEY. Find what works for you and invest in your child’s future. As a parent, you are expected to steer the recovery process. Your child’s school will only be able to help to a certain extent. The rest is up to you.

Well, that’s all I have today. You’re welcome to comment or ask questions in the comments section below.

Stay well, inside and out

Waheeda, a.k.a Waydi

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