As the school year winds down, many parents and teachers are discussing plans for the next school year. At Education.com, we have received a large number of questions in our online community, JustAsk, regarding the topic of grade retention. In general, the questions go something like this, “My child’s teacher is recommending that my child be retained another year. What should I do?” Given the large number of parents who are struggling with this questions, I decided to tweet about it on Twitter @ChildPsych. The tweet generated such a healthy debate on the advantages and disadvantages of grade retentions, I thought I might keep the conversation going in the form of a blog post.

To date, the majority of research suggests that grade retention does NOT positively impact children. For example, Dr. Jimerson conducted a meta-analysis (analyzing the cumulative results of previous research on the topic) in 2001, finding that “grade retention does not provide greater benefits to students with academic or adjustment difficulties than does promotion to the next grade.” Experts have theorized that the characteristics that predisposed the child to difficulty in school initially, persist throughout development, effectively “trumping” any short term gains that could be earned with grade retention. Indeed, the evidence is so strong, the National Association of School Psychologists issued a position statement (the top thinkers in the field of school psychology convened together, discussed the topic, and declared a final declaration on the topic) recommending that parents and teachers limit the use of grade retention.

Despite the evidence, I do recognize that grade retention can be beneficial for some students. Some students simply need another year of development to be “ready” in order to access the classroom curriculum. I recommend that parents do their best to  get the latest information available on grade retention, talk with their child’s teacher and school administrators, and use their gut to make the best decision possible. And, when in doubt, JustAsk!

I am a very lucky woman. I had the honor and pleasure of judging within the Social and Behavioral Sciences category at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Reno, NV last week. This year, ISEF included 1,563 students from over 50 countries who conducted independent research in a traditional “science fair” format. Intel awarded nearly $4 million in scholarships, laptops and other prizes to the top finalists.

The opportunity to engage with the brightest young minds in the world is an experience I will never forget. Graduate school and college teaching were both exciting for me, but there is something very special about discussing research with young teens who are just discovering the thrill of scientific inquiry. The looks on their faces as they discussed their research questions, their experimental methodology, and, oh, what they found! The light in their eyes and the pride they carried will forever stick with me. And, I should not forget to mention the parents! The expectant looks on their faces as they waited outside the judging hall for their children. There was little doubt in my mind that, as a judge, I was playing a very important and serious role in the experience of science for the finalists. Of course, I had a little fun with the experience, too. I started my Twitter feed (@ChildPsych), and I tweeted regular updates from ISEF. I am on Twitter now. I am official!

I would like to personally congratulate all of the finalists, but I would like to give a special “shout out” to the Young Scientist and Social and Behavioral Science Award winners. The Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award winners each took home a $50,000 scholarship. The first Young Scientist award winner is Tara Anjali Adiseshan from Charlottesville, Virginia. Tara completed a project titled, “Identifying and Classifying Evolutionary Interactions between Sweat Bees and Nematodes.” The second Young Scientist Award winner is Olivia Catherine Schwob from Boston, Massachusetts. Her project was titled, “How Worms Learn, Part III: Mammalian Gene Expression and Associative Conditioning in Caenorhabditis elegans.” The third Young Scientist Award winner is Li Sallou Boynton from Bellaire, Texas. Her project was titled, “The Use of Bioluminscent Bacteria to Detect Environmental Contaminants.” Their work will most certainly have important implications for future health and well-being of the populace.

I enjoyed the experience so much that I plan to apply again to serve as a Grand Award Judge for the 2010 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in San Jose, Ca. If you are the parent of a budding scientist, I encourage you to review the criteria for the fair, and if you are a doctoral level researcher or practitioner, I invite you to apply to serve as a judge next year. Whatever your level of involvement with this fine program, I guarantee that you will not be disappointed, and you will enjoy the experience of witnessing the young bright minds of the world.

This has been a big week, a week of gigantic, monumental proportions - we are nearing the end of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Maybe you have heard of it, maybe you haven’t, but either way, I would invite you to bring the spirit of this week into your home today, and in the future.

National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and day was established by the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health to promote positive, mental health, well-being and social development for all children and adolescents. The most recent Report of the Surgeon General indicated that about 20% of children are estimated to have a diagnosable mental disorder with at least mild functional impairment. Of all the various mental disorders, anxiety is the most common problem for children (approximately 13%). Although a substantial portion of children do “grow out” of disorder, many mental disorders identified in childhood and adolescence do persist into adulthood.

Thus, awareness and intervention is critical! It is so very important that parents and other caring adults are aware of normative development and understand the signs of emotional distress. There are a number of proven and effective treatments available (most of them do not include medication!). If you suspect your child, or a child you know, may be struggling with emotional distress, you should seek the advice and guidance of a mental health professional. 

If you are uncertain where to start, you can begin by talking with your child’s teacher and/or school counselor. They have most likely worked with a number of children who have received mental health services from qualified professionals, and they can make an informed recommendation for someone in the community. If you are like many people these days, and you do not have extra cash to pay for a counselor, there are many low cost alternatives available in the community. Look in the phone book for local university counseling clinics. Universities typically have graduate training programs for counselors, and they offer sliding scale fees (pay only what you can afford based upon your salary) to community members. The quality of the services is typically quite high given that the trainees are being supervised by very experienced counselors.

If you would like additional information on children with behavior problems, sad or worried feelings, check out the additional resources we offer at Education.com. Most importantly, do not delay if you suspect that a child may be suffering from emotional distress. It doesn’t have to be so hard!