Elementary School parents - how would you feel?

[tiggerlover]

I am looking for your thoughts on the following situation. My child is in a 2/3 grade combo class and at the end of this month the 3-8 graders will participate in Terra Nova testing (standardize testing). Since the 2nd graders do not participate in such testing the school is putting them in with the k/1 class for the whole week. We just found this out after we were told that the school is closing one week early at the end of the school year. Am I wrong to feel a bit upset, we are losing 4 days of teaching at the end of the year and now I am told my child will lose 5 more days and be put in with kindergarteners? What are your feelings?

 

[lrmillen]

Wow, I would be upset too! Is it a public or private school? I grew up in parochial school and my mom would absolutely hate when the school took unnecessary days off. She felt like she was paying for nothing. But either way your child is losing out. What type of instruction will she/he be getting at this lower level?

I'm working toward my education degree and learning about curriculum and the like and it's a shame how much pressure is put on both students and teachers alike to perform well on standardized tests. A lot is given up because of the importance put on these tests and it looks like your situation is a great example of this. Why can't a substitue be brought in for the 2nd graders? That seems like the most simple explanation to me. I know it will cost your school some money, but it's worth it, a lot can be taught in 4 days. Don't underestimate your power as a parent here.

 

[figment95]

I think if it is handled properly, an older child can learn a lot from children in lower grades. If all the children are put together in the same class to do the same work, it would be a waste of time. If, however the older children are given roles as mentors to the younger ones it could be a valuable experience.

It's such a shame that standardized tests are creating such tension in schools all over the country.

 

[disykat]

I wouldn't have a problem with it either - unless the second graders were going to be doing kindergarten curriculum while they were in that room.

 

[RUDisney]

Can't they just move the 3rd graders in with the 4th graders for that week so the regular teacher can continue to teach the 2nd graders?

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

I agree about it possibly being a good thing. Remeber one-room schools? My mom says the best thing was the different grades. The younger classes were reviews for the older ones, and the older ones were previews for the younger.

 

[Serena]

Most likely the teacher will have made up assignments for the kids to do while they are in the kindergarten room.
Also, helping the kindergarteners will be a good lesson in itself.
I see it as merely a shift in how they learn for a week, instead of not learning at all.

 

[TEENEE]

I agree that it, if it is handle properly it can be a wonderful experience for all the kids involved. When older children are given the chance to mentor often times they will gain self confidence. They will realize that they have learned a lot in school and feel good about themselves. The younger children will be amazed at how much the older kids already know and may look up to them in a positive way. This can be a win win situation.

 

[tkd lisa]

I'm guessing this is private school, because that's usually what I associate with Terra Nova testing.

And yes, I'd be upset in this instance. There's a big difference between K and 2nd grade. Since the testing group is going to be disrupted, I think it would be better to have all the tested grades together, with the 2/3 teacher retaining the 2nd graders and staying on their plan.

Adding the reduced days at the end, with I'm sure no corresponding reduction in school fee (and now you have to pay for full-time child care that week too), I would be upset and would take it up with the school. This type of thing is one of the things that led to us moving our kids back to public schools.

 

[mudnuri]

Did nobody read that its a K/1 grade? Everyone keeps saying in with the kindergartners but what if they are in with the 1st graders?

I have both a 1st and 2nd grader, and I can tell you that it's wonderful to watch them work together at homework....if thats how this is going to be it will be a good thing....

But- even if it's not...............its only 5 days!!! how much damage can it cause a childs education??? My DD6 has missed 5 consecutive days of school due to sugery, and she's still doing well above the 'standard'.

Also- as for closing 5 days early...we have 5 snow days- should private schools refund 5 days worth of tuition? Or reimburse those parents who then need to find daycare?

I really think some of you are reading way to far into this.

Brandy

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Is this a DOD school?
Actually, it is more important that they keep the 3rd graders in a normal environment for testing. I am sure they don't want to disrupt that and cram them in with another grade. I think it will be ok for a week and I am sure they will have materials available for them. It may even be a good teaching experience. I would not worry about it for 1 week.
My son took Terra Nova at the Public school here the first year we were back in FL (3rd Grade), plus FCAT (new then). Now they do FCAT only starting in 3rd and SAT 9 for 1st-2nd. He says it is way easy compared to FCAT. Interesting, I did not know private schools used that.

 

[tiggerlover]

To clarify a little, this is not a private school, it is a Department of Defense school (DoDDs - Dh is in the military). I guess the main reason I am upset is that the 2nd graders are being disrupted and the fact that the K/1 teacher is the same k/1 teacher DS had for both k and 1 and she does not care for DS and DH and I do not care for her. I didn't want to offer that bit of information at first so that I could get uninfluenced answers from other parents. She is a very prissy "princess-type" who has a hard time teaching to two grades as it is, I can't imagine how it will be with another grade thrown in there. We had difficulties with her while DS was in her class and it wasn't until this year that he is with his new teacher that we determined a lot of the so called problems were her, not DS, so I really don't want a repeat of all that.

And I agree, if handled properly it could be a good thing, but I don't anticipate that based on the two years DS was with her. As for moving the third graders, I have been told that students do better on the standardized testing if they are in their own familiar classrooms.

And as for the school closing early, the base here is closing and the teachers petitioned their union to close school early so they can move on to their new assignments the second week of June as opposed to the third (it's not like they don't have the whole summer and it isn't like all the parents of all the kids aren't moving too.)

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate all of your opinions.

 

[Serena]

Yikes, I remember you talking about that. That changes things. Hopefully the week will go fast.

 

[Mskanga]

Originally posted by tkd lisa
I'm guessing this is private school, because that's usually what I associate with Terra Nova testing.

Terranova tests are performed in public schools, I know because my daughter has been tested and she's in public school. This year she will also tested for PSSA.
Debbie, I guess it all depends on how the school approaches this, our kids every year in kindergarten are disturbed from their regular academic time , pulled out of their classrooms and placed into other classrooms because they have the kindergarten registration for the following year, this happens daily for about a week, but that week, the kindergarteners get placed in the first grade classes to give them a feel of what first grade is like. The first graders are allowed to help the little ones, and it works wonderfully, the little ones feel like grown kids and the first graders feel like the mentors. They just started doing the reading buddies program again in preparation of this, my dd this year gets to be the mentor and she likes it. I think it could be a possitive experience as long as the school has a plan, not just the daily routine.
I think it could be a possitive thing, and I will also tell you , at the end of the year, most of the times the kids do not do much academically speaking.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

How about asking if your child can participate in the testing with the 3rd graders? Could be a good experience.

 

[cati]

Depending on how much school your child has missed this year, why not just let him stay at home that week. Get the homework to do at home. Especially if there is a teacher problem. Just a suggestion.