Does your elementary school "platoon"?

[vettechick99]

Platoon is the name for when schools departmentalize. Instead of the kids being with one teacher all day long, they rotate and see multiple teachers. Sometimes they see just two (one for reading/ELA/grammar, one for math/science/SS), or they can see a different teacher for each subject. Apparently there are many benefits but a lot of people are against.

This is not a debate but more of a, "If platooning is working at your school, can you tell me why?" If it doesn't work, what do you think the problems are? But I'd really love some positive comments.

Thanks!

 

[janabananas]

My boys school does this for all 6th graders for math and English & reading and for all 5th graders for math only. Mostly so they can be with the group that best fits their abilities. Higher level math vs lower math, etc.. This is also to prepare the kids for switching classes in middle school. They do not do it for the younger grades though.

 

[hereyago]

When DD12 was in elementary, the only year they "platooned" was in 4th grade and that was only going between 2 crappy teachers (sorry sometimes they are crappy) the other grades it was just 1 teacher teaching everything. SO I' m honestly not sure why it was that way.


As for it working, it did get DD and other students "used" to how things are run in the other higher grades.

Now DD is in middle school, she has a different teacher for each course.

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

I did that many years ago in elementary school [7 years ago... ]
and it was a 3 way rotation.
English, rotate to science, lunch, writing, rotate to math.

Second half of the year was history instead of science

 

[m&m's mom]

I did not like or dislike it but the reason they start here going to different teachers for a couple of subjects is to get them ready for Middle School.
The kids start in 4th grade going to one other teacher for a couple of subjects. Since that teacher's kids do the same, I am not sure it is of a huge help. I guess it does get them used to bringing books and supplies from one place to another so I guess that probably helps since they have to do this is MS.

 

[hereyago]

I

Second half of the year was history instead of science

DD has been doing this since 6th grade, my only arguement about it is that they "cram" a years worth of the 2 subjects into a few months. and they will even say at open house, it is very fast paced, as we are cramming a year's worth into a few months.

 

[golfgal]

In "middle school" the kids elementary school did this (k-8 Catholic School). In the middle school we moved into when we moved to a different town they did this starting (6-8). They were called "houses". They had pretty much self-contained areas-open a door to a commons area and 4-5 classrooms off that commons area. The kids moved from class to class in that one area, the off to the "specials" classes like PE, Woodshop, Home-ec, art, etc.

Our kids seemed to like it. They liked all their teachers, they really got to know the kids in their house well, they did "house" activities, etc. Each house for the 6th graders had a "spokesperson" as teacher and that teacher did most of the general communications with the parents-upcoming events, big projects, etc. DD still goes back to visit her 6th grade teachers. It was a great set up--especially when the kids were new to the school and knew NO ONE.

 

[Michelle67]

Our school does not, but the school my daughter went to when we lived in the city five years ago did something that sounds kinda like what you are describing. They had a program called "Walk to Read." They assessed the kids' reading skills and then assigned certain teachers to certain reading levels, and moved the kids around at reading time so that the kids were working at their level---not above or below. It worked very well. It kept the more advanced kids from being bored and stagnating, and helped the kids who were struggling---and those for whom English was not their primary language---to catch up without feeling embarrassed and behind the group.

 

[MnMomtoboys]

Our 3 older boys had this set up in different years all through elementary. The only reason they had this is that teachers would pair up and switch subjects based on what they preferred to teach. I've never heard any complaints about it.

 

[vettechick99]

Thanks for the comments so far. Any experience with grades as young as 1st?

 

[trip]

I think it would be great. Students could be ability grouped especially for Math and Reading. It might even work with a Kindergarten class, now you have might have a class with students who might not know their letters/sounds combined with ones that can already read.

 

[golfgal]

Thanks for the comments so far. Any experience with grades as young as 1st?

110 years ago when I was in 1st grade we did this for reading and math. It was the "tracking" system so the top students were the in the "puppies" group and they got to go with one teacher for reading. The "kitties" went with the other. We did the same for math. This, however, would not "work" today because even as a lowly 6 year old, everyone knew the puppies were smarter kids . Educationally, it was a great idea because the puppies got to work at a faster level. If you were beyond being a puppy, you went to the 2nd, 3rd whatever grade class to do your math and reading. I went to the 3rd grade class for reading. I was thrilled not to be reading Dick and Jane books that I had been reading for 3 years already but the 3rd graders were kind of mean .

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Our schools started this in the 5th grade, and it worked very well.

Our boys (for different reasons) took specialized subject matter in different classes earlier in elementary school, and it also worked well. I think that started in the 2nd grade for my oldest (advanced program), and in the 1st grade for my youngest (development program).

 

[MoonFaerie]

They start it in 3rd grade at my kids' school, I believe.

 

[Michelle67]

Thanks for the comments so far. Any experience with grades as young as 1st?

I know our thing was only with one class (reading) but it was when my daughter was in first grade. She took very well to it. She felt very grown up and responsible taking her book and going off to her class, and she enjoyed interacting with a different group of people and different teacher that one part of the day. It was sort of a little break in her day that she liked.

I think it would be great. Students could be ability grouped especially for Math and Reading. It might even work with a Kindergarten class, now you have might have a class with students who might not know their letters/sounds combined with ones that can already read.

I agree. I really wish they had done something like that when my oldest was in kindergarten. She was reading the year before in preschool and was sooooo bored and frustrated with reading/letter time at school. She used to come home and say "MOM! Those little kids can't even spell their own name!!!"

 

[bombygriz]

We 'platooned' in fifth grade between two teachers-one did English/SS, and the other math/science. It worked out quite well. They were preparing us for middle school (6-8), because we had different teachers for every class just like the high school. Both teachers were lovely.

 

[kacaju]

I think it would be great. Students could be ability grouped especially for Math and Reading. It might even work with a Kindergarten class, now you have might have a class with students who might not know their letters/sounds combined with ones that can already read.

we ability group starting in 3rd grade (3rd, 4th and 5th) I personally like it...having had 3 girls who were at all different levels of reading and math. I do know there are many against it. Personally I see the issue in our school as more of a parent issue...no one wants to admit their child is in the *low math* or *low reading* it is shameful so they agrue the kids should not be grouped like this.

 

[ilovejack02]

FOR Ds9 Grade 1 and 2 we had two teachers, Grade 3 and 4 (in now) we have three teachers. My oldest is 22 he had one teacher at all times.

It is going well , the teachers work as a team it seems. When I conference with one, I get all three . DS9 is doing extremely well . Our school is top rated in the state and the highest rated in our district.
They also group by ability . higher , middle and lower is how the kids are grouped.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Our elementary does this but they call it "team teaching". They do it in 3rd , 4th, and 5th grades.

For example, there are usually 4 homerooms in each class at our school, so there would be 2 "teams" with 2 teachers. 1 teacher would teach math/science to 2 homeroom classes and the other would teach reading/social studies. Each teacher would teach writing to their own class.

This year, I heard that each teacher is only teaching 1 subject. So, my 4th grader will rotate between 5 teachers and have a homeroom teacher for enhancements, lunch etc.

 

[piperdown]

Thanks for the comments so far. Any experience with grades as young as 1st?

DD has "platooned" from 1st grade through 5th grade. This was in two different elementaries in two different school districts. Teachers would work in pairs. It was my understanding it was based on the teachers' specialities. One would teach math and science, and the other reading and language arts. In most cases social studies was handled by the homeroom teacher.

I had no problem with it as it made sense to me that the teacher that had specialized training reading, would teach reading, and so on.