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 Retention, Guilt, and Power!!! 
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Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:34 pm
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Location: Whitnel
As I was reading the Delpit article, the section on power at the beginning made me think of the students that I have retained over the past 15 years. When we retain a student, we do it because we feel that retention is what's best for the child. I don't know about you, but I lose sleep wondering if I'm doing the right thing. Will retention help this student? Am I destroying a child's self-esteem? I feel so much guilt over this issue. As teachers, we have the power to take a year out of a child's life. This is an enormous amount of responsibility, and something that can't be taken lightly. :roll:

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Tami Carter


Sun Mar 21, 2004 1:49 pm
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Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:43 pm
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Location: Balls Creek
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Tami I totally agree. I remember my first year teaching. I had a student who tried his best, but he just couldn't read or write well enought ot go on to 2nd grade. I got upset and it killed my to see the mom get upset. I was only a first year teacher telling this mom her son needed to be retained. I was in control. I retained him and I think it was for the best. He gets along fine now and I think he had more successes in 2nd grade because of it.

Now I make a conscious effort to look early and the parents in, I'm sure as all teacher do. I tell them upfront what could happen. Last year I had a student who was in danger, but parents worked hard and she worked hard from Christmas on. Im not sure she was ready, but I sent her. The effort was there and I head she is doing fine. So you can never know.....

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Kellie Batten


Sun Mar 21, 2004 8:16 pm
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Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:32 pm
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Location: Bethlehem Elementary
I have the same problem when I decide whether I should retain a child. It is very hard in first grade because if they can't read, add, or subtract they are missing all of the building blocks for the rest of their schooling and will struggle. After reading about the problems with children's self esteem and lack of benefits to retention I decided not to retain one of my students. Now he is struggling in 2ng grade, hates school, and will be retained next year. I have worried all year if I made the wrong decision in not retaining him.

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Bridget Horn


Sun Mar 21, 2004 10:26 pm
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Location: West Lenoir School of Technology
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I dealt with this subject last year after the EOG tests. I had a conference with a parent last year about possibly retaining her daughter. She came from another school after 3rd grade and did not pass the EOG test the previous year (1 Reading 2 Math). Mom had agreed that she would benefit from another year in 4th grade, so my mind had been made up....so I thought! Low and behold, she scored a 3 in Reading and a 3 in Math on the EOG's. Yes, I was happy for her, but at the same time, I knew that she was not going to be as successful in 5th grade if I passed her own. Before the EOG's I taught my students what to do if they saw they were not going to get finished with the test. She simply did follow directions on the last 25 questions of the test. She had gotten very lucky and did some wonderful guessing. But how could I justify retaining her when she had lived up to the expectations set by the state? I just couldn't do it! She went onto 5th grade and still continues to struggle. I still question whether I did the right thing. IF ONLY...she hadn't made a 3 in Reading and Math. I know that sounds awful, but how could it have be justified to retain her when her scores stated that she passed? I hate the tests and wish so much empasis was not placed on them!

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Amy Roop


Mon Mar 22, 2004 8:59 am
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Location: Burke County--Glen Alpine Elem.
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Amy I know just how you feel. That's why I hate this test. When we do have students in the fourth grade that cannot read above a second grade level, they struggle through the entire year. When they cannot do simple applications problems in math they struggle as well. However, they pass the EOG's and are passed along into fifth grade, where they fall further behind. It's just not fair. How do we help students who truly need the help?

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Heather Smith


Mon Mar 22, 2004 4:53 pm
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