Do you believe retaining students is or can be beneficial?

1. 79

   arizonataylorposted 11 years ago

   Do you believe retaining students is or can be beneficial?

   replyreport
2. 60

   dianetrotterposted 11 years ago

   I think a case-by-case basis should be used.  Many students are transient and fail because there is no continuity in their education  Retention, with the opportunity to do accelerated work, might work in some cases.  Perhaps passing student on with additional school time could be an option if the home environent is not conducive to study.

   replyreport
3. 92

   Paul Kuehnposted 11 years ago

   Yes, I think it can be beneficial if there is a suitable plan for addressing students deficiences and action is taken to help students improve.  The option of not retaining students might be socially accepted and politically correct, but in the long run a big disservice is being done not only to the student but also to society.  For example, higher schools and businesses have to to invest too much in retraining.

   replyreport
4. 77

   Kathryn L Hillposted 11 years ago

   This is a non-issue in Montessori' s system which encourages children of various ages to be in the same classroom.  The older help the younger. the younger learn from the older.
   For regular schools, retention might be better than putting a child in "Special Education" classes where he identifies with being sub standard. 

   replyreport
5. 92

   donnah75posted 11 years ago

   Yes.  In fact, I don't think we do it enough.  It seems to be a standard to promote students from K through 8th grade, at least where I work.  Students are not held back and therefore not always held accountable.  We get a few students entering high school who don't have much of a work ethic and who can't read. I know parents who have insisted that a school holds their child back.  In a few cases, the schools refused and the students continued to fail.  In another case, the child repeated kindergarten, as he wasn't ready to go foward.  He is now thriving a few years later.  We can't feel bad for doing the right thing in giving some students more time.

   replyreport
   1. 60

      dianetrotterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      "a few students" is an understatement.  I teach high school.  Ninth graders come with the thought that failing is not a big deal.  I teach choir.  They say they don't have to pass it because it's just an elective.  This elective is required to gradua

      replyreport
6. 0

   AndriyRposted 11 years ago

   I think it depends on a cultural background of a region: for example in the US and Western Europe this could be a good idea because the society there is based on ratings in all aspects of life (competition is everywhere). However, in post soviet countries - kids don't care much about ratings and are more teamwork oriented.

   replyreport