Young Children Mature During Kindergarten

I read about the kindergarten child whose teacher wanted to send him back to preschool to learn to listen, sit in circle time and stand in line. I often encountered the same problem as principal of an elementary school. In the majority of cases, when we waited until March to either recommend promotion or retention in kindergarten, the child's developmental clock had kicked in and the original problems were no longer present. I am suggesting that, in some cases, just waiting could be the answer. Also, having the child repeat preschool is a de facto retention. -- Elementary School Principal
Answer: You are absolutely right about young children maturing during the course of the kindergarten year. While it might happen overnight in some cases, it is still important to work at home and in the classroom on improving the child's behavior at school. And as our readers know, we rarely support retention.