non-skipping students. Potential problems Many school administrators and the general public carry misconceptions about grade skipping, believing that children are often harmed by being placed in an environment for which they are academically ready but emotionally or socially not. For the majority of gifted students, grade skipping is beneficial both academically and socially. Knowledge gaps The time that the student skips may create a knowledge gap if the child has not self-studied the material already taught to the students in the grade being entered. While the student is bridging this gap they will likely find the new material challenging. It may be demoralizing to leave a situation in which they are top performers into a situation where they are struggling with the material. Knowledge gaps are smaller in earlier school years. Students almost always successfully catch up to match their peers. Social concerns Unless the skipped students are already in a multi-grade class, students entering a new grade after being in school are usually taken out of their existing classes and put into new classes, with different students. Similar to what happens to students who change schools due to moving to a new home, spending less time with former classmates may disrupt some social ties, and there may be a period of stress while the students integrate into their new classes. Although this change is perceived as a potential problem by adults who think it is normal for children to only have friends of exactly the same age, many gifted children find it easier to make friends with children their age. Students in the new class may view the skipping student as being different. This may result in additional social problems, such as teasing about being the teacher's pet. Aggressive teasing is less likely to happen to boys who are taller and athletically oriented. There is also a concern that a student could be ostracized for being accelerated. Alternatives Alternatives to grade skipping include: Ability grouping – Putting students in small groups according to their achievement, while staying in the same class. For example, a small group of young students may be taught reading skills above their official grade level. Ungraded school – A school system that rejects age-based grade levels and teaches students in mixed-age classes, based on their individual achievement in each separate subject. For example, a class that teaches writing at what would normally be considered a