Do teachers pick their students for next year?

[TheLittleRoo]

My mom was a teacher and I think I recall her saying that the teachers at her school did have a big say in putting together the roster in their classrooms. I'm hoping my DD gets into her kindergarten teacher's class next year for 2nd grade (the teacher started teaching 2nd this year again), and the teacher said she'd like to have her if she can.

How does the school put the rosters together? Is it the principal, the teachers, random luck of the draw, etc? I know they group kids so that each classroom has an equal share of high, mid, and low aptitudes but do they draw straws among each category, or assign them? Just curious really, b/c I know I can't influence it, other than to let her former teacher know we'd really like to be in her class, which I've already done.

Thanks!

 

[happygirl]

I have always been told it's random

 

[themilesfamily]

I asked this very question at Kindergarten roundup.

They said that going into Kindergarten, not knowing any of the students, they just randomly place them

When they are getting ready to go into first grade, the Kindergarten teachers sit down and decide who goes into which classroom for first grade. At our school they have a 3-tiered system -- high ability, average ability, low ability. So the kids are tracked at that point.

And so it goes on down the line -- each year the teachers decide who is going into which classroom the following year.

We're planning to homeschool, so it's a moot point for us. But that's how they do it here.

 

[Mom2Nick]

At our school the Teachers from the current grade and the next grade collaborate together to choose a balanced class for the next year. They base it on ability and personality - what kids work well together and what ones do not etc. Administration has the final say.

We parents can make REQUESTS but they are not guaranteed.

 

[tigger813]

I am a former teacher and the roster was made by the previous year's teacher, the guidance counselor and the principal. A letter with a survery was sent to the parents ahead of time to help in the process. Certain students can't be with each other and some teachers have SE students in their rooms. Depending on the financial situation of the district the number of assistants and SE teachers could affect this. The list is not set in stone as I had several students moved into my class or moved out due to other students in the room. Contact your school. I said something to the principal of my daughter's school to get a certain teacher this year and was granted the request. For next year I have mentioned to her teacher that she had better not be with a certain boy in her class that she has had to deal with for 2 years. I know my sister said that at her kids school that if a teacher is requested the principal will make sure you don't get that teacher. That would keep me from asking for sure!

 

[dismom2]

I know my sister said that at her kids school that if a teacher is requested the principal will make sure you don't get that teacher. That would keep me from asking for sure!

That's pretty mean---she must be a control freak, and not a very nice person. I think people who do things like that should not run schools. How can you trust someone that does things like that? Maybe some of the parents had a very good reason for requesting a certain teacher. Maybe parents don't want a particular teacher for a reason, or don't want thier kids in a class with a bully that has caused thier child a lot of stress. Kids can thrive, or go downhill depending on thier environment.

 

[Plantlady]

They changed it at our school, and it is *suppose* to be totally random.

That being said, special education teachers get to pick which teacher their students have. I figure if they can pick.. then it's in the system that ANYONE can pick.

 

[monkey68]

It wouldn't surprise me if teachers made their own rosters. They kept my best friend and I apart all throughout elementary school. We were together in pre-K, and then again in 3rd grade, I guess that was enough for them. They must have decided we were too rambuctious together. And it was no secret we were best friends, the school used to allow parents to take kids out for lunch if they gave a note in the morning, and her mom used to always take me out, and quite often picked me up from school

 

[MM27]

In my school class lists are usually made by the administration. This year, however, all of the teachers on each grade level sat together and made the lists for next year for our students. I teach 4th grade, so my grade level made the 5th grade lists. We looked at personalities of teachers/students, racial balance, gender balance, ELL are going into one class, Basic Skills students are being put in 2 of the 5 classes. It will be interesting to see if the principals keep the classes the way we made them. We did this once before and in September, the lists were all changed.

Parent requests are taken, and usually given.

 

[horseshowmom]

I've been involved with school systems for over 20 years and have never known of teachers being involved in the process. The principals make the rosters.

 

[december]

I'm surprised at the previous answers. I've taught for 12 yrs, at 3 different schools, and I've never been allowed any input into my roster (or any of my coworkers). The counselor does all scheduling. I've often asked what I did to make her mad when I get certain kids in the same classroom!

 

[Pin Wizard]

I am a former teacher and the roster was made by the previous year's teacher, the guidance counselor and the principal. A letter with a survery was sent to the parents ahead of time to help in the process. Certain students can't be with each other and some teachers have SE students in their rooms. Depending on the financial situation of the district the number of assistants and SE teachers could affect this. The list is not set in stone as I had several students moved into my class or moved out due to other students in the room. Contact your school. I said something to the principal of my daughter's school to get a certain teacher this year and was granted the request. For next year I have mentioned to her teacher that she had better not be with a certain boy in her class that she has had to deal with for 2 years. I know my sister said that at her kids school that if a teacher is requested the principal will make sure you don't get that teacher. That would keep me from asking for sure!

That's pretty much how it went when DS was in grade school. The teachers got together with administration and discussed how the current year went. Any conflicts, friends, chit chat problems, etc. They made sure to split friends up the following year. They also did not accept "requests" for specific teachers. And if they heard of you being interested in one, you could pretty much count on NOT getting that teacher.

 

[M5ward]

My daughter is a 3rd grade teacher, and she has no input into who gets put in her class...or where kids from this year's class go next year.

 

[teacherforhi]

In my school, this year's teachers rank each student from 1-4 in academics and behavior. Then the administration tries to put a good mix on each team. However, it is limited in some ways in that the AIG kids have to go on the same team, the resource EC kids go on the same team, and the EC inclusion kids go on the same team.

The only say that the regular ed teachers get is that they get together and decide who wants to teach each of those groups.

 

[Caradana]

I'd throw on a business suit and heels and some confidence-building lipstick , make an appointment and go meet with the principal. In your classy and positive way, ask for what you want. You have nothing to lose, everything to gain, and if he agrees to consider it while you're meeting in person, I'd be absolutely shocked if your request wasn't granted.

 

[disykat]

Most of the schools I've taught at, the teachers from the previous year make the lists. However, they group the kids - the teacher assignment to each group gets made by the principal. The reason for the teachers doing the list is for their help in separating possible issues and making the classes somewhat "balanced" academically and behaviorally.

I've never been given any say on who I get in my class, but I sure appreciate it when the previous year's teachers balance the class lists! At my first school, there was a marked difference in the classes when this started happening. Prior to that, it was random and it always seemed like someone got socked!

 

[lajones81]

At our school the Teachers from the current grade and the next grade collaborate together to choose a balanced class for the next year. They base it on ability and personality - what kids work well together and what ones do not etc. Administration has the final say.

We parents can make REQUESTS but they are not guaranteed.

This is what our school does.

 

[happygirl]

I hate to think the kids are divide by learning ability. Wouldn't you hate to have a kid in the low learning ability class

 

[Mikelly1221]

I hate to think the kids are divide by learning ability. Wouldn't you hate to have a kid in the low learning ability class

On the surface I'd agree with you. However, as a mom with a child with a LD, it is very hard on him when he can't keep up with the rest of the class. Possibly, having a child like my son in a class with others in his ability range could make the difference between his passing the grade or being held back.

On the flip side, my DD is on grade level-above grade level. It would be great to have her in a class where she would be challenged to stretch her mind and see how far she could go.

When I was in school (back when the crust of the earth was cooling ), classes were grouped according to ability. Everyone knew which class was the "smart" class, and it went from there. I don't remember any huge deal about who was in which class.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

I hate to think the kids are divide by learning ability. Wouldn't you hate to have a kid in the low learning ability class

Other than an all gifted class, I've never seen a class of all one ability in elementary school. Wouldn't you hate to be the low ability kid in the high ability class?

At my school, the official policy is that you may NOT request a specific teacher. I strongly believe the principal would then make SURE you did not get what you asked for - - so making an appointment and trying to impress her would be an epic fail. We have a new principal (her 3rd year next year) and she is such a disaster following the previous one, who was a total dream for motivating and retaining her teaching staff, and in turn having happy kids. But I digress. We lost about 50% of our teachers after her first year, and I'm betting we're going to lose another 25% over the summer.

It makes sense that the current teachers make the lists/groupings for the rising classroom configurations, and then the teachers and principal ought to sit down together and determine who gets each class. My hopeful teacher that we're wishing for told me she hopes she gets my DD too, so she must not have very much input.

The only time I *ever* got a special request was with the divine principal and my rationale was (I think) valid: my son was adjusting to a recent move away from his dad and his stepdad was deployed, so I asked the principal to please place my DS in the only classroom taught by a male teacher so he could have some bit of male influence in the absence of any other family.

(^^ might help someone else get their request too... I got an immediate yes.)