August babies - disadvantaged?
- Thread starter ParadigmShifter
- Start date
Verarde
Pondering Wearing A Hat
August birthday here..when I went to public school, I was one of the shorter people in my class...now I'm taller than some seniors. Otherwise, hasn't really affected me.
Not if the cutoff is Dec 31.
Early January birthday here where the cutoff is Dec 31.
I definitely believe it. I was 5 years, 8 months old when starting school. People 4 years 8 months started alongside me. I was over 20% older than them and 10% older than the average student (assuming birthdays are evenly spread.
To an adult one year does seem pretty insignificant (and is), but with the rate of development of children and that year representing a significant proportion of their lives, I am not surprised that the older children wouldbe more mature and capable.
That doesn't mean the difference is large enough that it can't be easily overcome, though. Or that there aren't more important differences.
It also isn't like this is the first study. In Canada there was a study reported a few years ago regarding athletics teams (which also use a Dec 31 cut off) where the physical and mental advantage early (when 6 or 7) gets reinforced as these individuals are selected for the top teams and extra instruction.
Not really, though it is commonly cited. At least in Ontario the school year overlaps with most of the planting and harvest. If that were the case it would make more sense to have June and September off than July and August. It is more likely just that it is because it is the hottest part of the year..
Monsterzuma
the sly one
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how is it an advantage to grow up among peers that are younger than you? the argument is easily made that the opposite is true due to a "pulling up" or "osmotic" effect, i.e. you learn from have people around who are better at stuff than you.
Because you are more capable of learning due to maturity. And such an osmotic effect would require some of your peers to be more advanced than you (it may be easier to follow than to lead, but a follower can never be at the top). It could minimize any impact, but this idea is how those few who are pulling up the others get a headstart to become the leaders.
What is probably more important, the people that do better initially usually have more opportunity to get further ahead.
Here schools often have split grades for younger students, where the studentswith better results previously are in a class that is half the grade ahead of them and people with poorer results are in classes half filled with people a grade behind them. Myschool used it for all classes from grade 2-4 and some grade 5.
What is probably more important, the people that do better initially usually have more opportunity to get further ahead.
Here schools often have split grades for younger students, where the studentswith better results previously are in a class that is half the grade ahead of them and people with poorer results are in classes half filled with people a grade behind them. Myschool used it for all classes from grade 2-4 and some grade 5.
Odd that the cutoff is halfway through the year in the northern hemisphere. That's where it is here, but our school year starts at the beginning, so it means an extra half year of development before being thrust into it. Does this mean that if someone was born August 2007 they would've just started school?
Anyway, I'm an April guy, which made be young for my year. A couple of friends from my year were born in April the year before, but there's never really been any disadvantage. If a kid's not ready to start school, then there should be (and is here at least) enough leeway to hold them back.
I had a friend who didn't turn 18 until the end of first year at uni, which probably was a little awkward socially, but it's not really that much of a disadvantage.
Anyway, I'm an April guy, which made be young for my year. A couple of friends from my year were born in April the year before, but there's never really been any disadvantage. If a kid's not ready to start school, then there should be (and is here at least) enough leeway to hold them back.
I had a friend who didn't turn 18 until the end of first year at uni, which probably was a little awkward socially, but it's not really that much of a disadvantage.
It isn't based on the hemispehere, but the individual system. The standard English school year begins its term at the start of September. As such an August cut off ensures that all students are at least a certain age. In Ontario, even when starting in September a December 31 cut off is used having all students born in the same calendar year.
It's based around the fact that during Summer, people take long holidays/vacation, to take advantage of the smidgen of good weather they're likely to have. For example, in the UK, these "Summer Holidays" are six weeks long and very easily the longest of the year (by a factor of 2 or more). So it makes sense to have this long potentially disruptive break outside the school year and not inside it. Thus the school year starts immediately after and ends immediately before.
Huayna Capac357
Deity
I was born in late August and I am having plenty of academic success.
Of course, I could be an exception.
EDIT: The cut-off used to be like December 31, but they changed it to August 31 not that long ago I think.
Of course, I could be an exception.
EDIT: The cut-off used to be like December 31, but they changed it to August 31 not that long ago I think.
That part makes sense, but having the cutoffs there seems to mean that kids start when they've only just turned 4, which strikes me as too early. Leave it half a year and you've got a bit more development, and a bit less disadvantage. Probably just what I'm used to, though.
That part makes sense, but having the cutoffs there seems to mean that kids start when they've only just turned 4, which strikes me as too early. Leave it half a year and you've got a bit more development, and a bit less disadvantage. Probably just what I'm used to, though.
When I was at school, the minimum age under this system was 5 (not 4). School started (for the children at least) on the first Tuesday in September. If you were 5 on that date, then you started school. This meant there were also children starting who were nearly 6.
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