Learning and School: Skipping a Grade

Most of the issues that you will consider will probably fall into the social category. If your elementary schooler has been given the green light to skip a grade, her teachers are probably confident that she will be able to handle the academics. However, if she does skip a grade, she will most likely be the youngest in her newly adopted class.

The class that she will enter into will have already formed social groups. Therefore, it is important to consider whether or not she is confident enough to be able to enter those groups and make friends.

Her maturity level is another consideration. Does she tend to like being around older children, or does she gravitate toward the younger children when she is with multiple age groups?

As she gets older, she will face "older" dilemmas: she will probably be the last to get a bra or a driver's license, or to be legally allowed to drink. She will also face peer pressure earlier. In order to handle these issues, she will need to have confidence in herself and in her ability to make decisions. These are some of the hard things to consider before making a decision that will have such a long-term impact on your child's learning and school experiences.