I really need advice on split classes in elementary school!!!

[sncbird]

My DD 7 is going into 2nd grade next year. Due to a $56 million dollar deficit 1/3 of our teachers were laid off for the 2003/2004 school year. Currently there's 5 - 1st grade classes with approx. 22 students in each class. Next year there's going to be 3 seconds grades with approx. 35 kids in a class and 1 - 1/2 2nd & 1/2 3rd class with 24 (12 - 2nd graders and 12 - 3rd graders). The second graders will be children that are well behaved, can work independently, and above avg. academically. The 3rd grades will be below avg. academically. Our DD is being considered for this class and I am very conflicted on if this is the right move for her. This is the first year she's been an active participant in the classroom vs an observer. I feel if she's in a class with older kids she'll become intimidated and this will hurt her social skills. Plus, I'm not sure if I like the idea of a split class in general. Has anyone been through this or have an opinion on split classes? Thanks for your advice

 

[aahmom1]

I would do everything in my power to move out of that school district, no doubt in my mind. That is just ridiculous!!! A $56 million dollar deficit is beyond wrong. What the heck happened?

 

[ChibiJones]

My mom has a 2/3 combo this year. When she told me about it at the beginning of the year, she said alot of thought goes into the make-up of the class. They generally wanted kids who are able to work on their own & who are well-behaved, not necessarily ones who are slow.

Ironically enough, a couple of months in, they moved most of one grade (I can't remember now if it was the 2nd or 3rd graders ) out because more room opened up in a single grade classroom.

Her school district, like many others, is having budget issues, but this decision was motivated more by the fact they didn't have enough kids for another single grade room. They also can't go over a certain # of kids in a classroom either, so the combo was really the only solution.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Both our kids were in 4th/5th split. Only at their school it was different. All kids in those grades were in the mixed grade classes. They stayed with the same teacher for 2 years, which was really nice. Half the class graduated each year and the other half was around for another year.

My kids loved it. I don't know how I would feel about it under your circumstances. I do know it would take a really strong teacher to make it work.

 

[CookieGVB]

Could be a learning experience for all involved.

I do tend to think there will be some abuse of the 3rd graders by other 3rd graders "You're so stupid, you have to be in the 2nd grade class." They won't understand the budget reasons, only that they're slower.

 

[tar heel]

My concern is about the two very different types of children they are looking at. Your description suggests to me that most of the teaching is going to be to the third graders. Shouldn't they also want third graders who work well independently?

My oldest child was in a well-intentioned but disasterous K class made up of roughly half kids repeating K and half new 5-year-olds who were ahead academically. Before long, he absolutely hated school. Although he is exceptionally bright, he never really got over his dislike of school.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

My DD is in a 4th/5th split class this year. She is in the 4th. I was a little leary of it at first...but I really like it now. She loves it too and gets a little "taste" of what 5th grade will be like. The teacher is really great and he actually told me at conferences that he is going to try and get Morgan in his class again next year.

 

[Disney Doll]

I did a split 4th/5th grade as a kid, and I don't recall it being traumatic.I was in the 4th grade at the time.

 

[December99]

I would think they will put the kids together based on their "potential". They see how the kids have grown over this year and should be able to see which kids will be "excellers" and put them together and put the other kids that need more time and attention together. This could be a good thing for all involved. This happens in my dd's school except it's a single grade class. But because we have 2 classes of each grade level - they put the more excelled kids together and those the need more one on one and time to work together. That way they aren't holding up the ones that are ready to go on and aren't moving too fast for those that need to go at a little slower pace. It actually works very well. Hopefully that's what they are doing in your school's case too but like aahmom said - how in the heck did they get to such a horrible deficit? I know with a district to the north of us they had a $30+ million deficit and they looked at closing schools, etc. It was due to a lot of different things, including a court case.

 

[sncbird]

Thank you all for your advice. Last year our school district's superintendent retired with what we thought was a $12 million dollar surplus. The new superintendent came on board and had auditors come in only to find we're $56 million in the hole. We're the 2nd largest school district in Illinois only behind the city of Chicago. Our town has been trying to disconnect from it for years. It's simply to big and very mismanaged. At least our town's trustees are willing to take another look at disconnection. What's very upsetting is the School Board has taken no responsibility and no one is being held accountable for this mess. They are very evasive if not down right rude when asked questions about the deficit. They blame it on growth, not mismanagement of funds I feel if this was a corporation, people would be going to jail. Though I'm happy my daughter is being considered for this split class I'm very apprehensive. I too worry about the slower 3rd graders getting more attention. I would think they would rather have the same type of kids for the 2nd or 3rd graders. Thanks again everyone for your thoughts. I would welcome any more opinions!!

 

[momof2OH]

My DS was in a 4/5 class. Had the same teachers for both years. He is in a 5/6 class this year (he's in 6th) and was in this same class last year. For him and us it has worked out great. I really think it all depends on the school, teacher and the child.

 

[nativetxn]

Cross age grouping is a strong principle of the Montessori method and works very well. The older children guide the younger ones.

My son attended Montessori school through grade 4 and then entered 5th grade in public school.

The principle called me and asked me if I would mind if he was placed in a 4/5 split. He wanted him specifically because he was used to the cross age grouping of Montessori.

It worked great. He loved it, the teacher loved it and all of the students loved it. They didn't want the school year to end.

It was a wonderful experience for all involved, especially me, because my son had been in Montessori since age 18 months and I was very worried about his transition to public school.

Good luck with this.

Katholyn

 

[disykat]

Splits are common here, but they usually have about the same number of students as the regular rooms. If I read you right, you have a choice between a regular class with 35 kids vs. a split with 24. I'd take the split in a minute!

 

[RitaZ.]

My DS#2 is in a multi-age class (1st and 2nd graders). It has worked out very well for him. He has the same teacher that DS#1 had in 1st grade and she is WONDERFUL. I have seen her in "action" teaching DS's class and she does a great job! The kids really like her, too.

DS is able to do more advanced work and she encourages him and the other students to do it. As far as the social aspect of it, I think it depends on the child's personality. DS#2 is very sociable and wanted to make friends with the older kids right away. Sometimes, the 2nd graders told him things like, "You're only a first grader". Pecking order, I guess. But, that didn't keep DS from trying to make friends. I think it really challenges the kids to excel academically. His teacher also has regarding groups according to the child's reading level. Another advantage is that DS gets to be with the same teacher for another year.

I just wanted to add that the class size is the same as any other 1st grade class in the school.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[piratesmate]

My comments are on a completely different tangent, though I agree with what has already been said.

It's been years since I taught, but my last job was at a small private school. My class of 25 was grades 1/ 2 the first 2 years & 2/3 the 3rd year. The difference was that this was the entire population of children that age at the school. We had a really mixed group - ranging from several gifted children to a child who really belonged in an MR class. It worked well for the children, but had me "run ragged!" Each child was able to advance at his or her own pace. . . the gifted weren't held up waiting for the others & the slower children really benefited from being with the others.

I would be concerned about the makeup of the class - advanced 2nd & slower 3rd. I would think that there's a strong possibility that at least some of the 2nd graders will pass the 3rd graders mid-way through the year. What happens then? They end up holding the 2nd graders back to the level of the class again?

Deb