They gave us 3 unmarked lists to choose from for next year's class!

[paigevz]

All the lists were equal in the types of children on them, and we all looked at them and agreed upon who got which list. It was such a nice way to do it.

Then today, the lists were changed. I can't go into detail, but they were changed because "you did such a good job with X this year, and now we have Y who was supposed to be on Mrs. S's list, but we just think Y would do so much better with you". "Okay, but did you forget I also had Z this year, and all the Vs?" "Oh, yes, and we are giving you all the Vs this year too, and there may be a Z, after all."

I love all my students, down to the last XYZ, but there ARE other teachers in the second grade after all!

Of course, they did ask me, and I did say okay. How could I not? I don't even know these little ones yet, why turn them away because of what someone else couldn't handle?

Ah, well, I knew it would happen. If it hadn't happened now, someone would've looked at them over the summer and decided to make the changes then.

Just a slight vent to my DIS friends.

On the bright side, looks like the bill has passed and the Governor is about to sign for us to have 2,000.00 pay raises!

 

[Daxx]

I can commisserate w/you ... only b/c, at my school, everyone gets the ABC's and the XYZ's and everything in between since there's only 1 class for each grade. We have no choices, no options, no nothing. We take them and are grateful to have them since enrollment isn't where it should be!

Good luck in the fall!!!! I know you'll do fine w/your variety of the alphabet!!

Warmly,
Daxx's Wife

 

[nataliz]

I'm sorry you're frustrated. I'm sure that you'll be a wonderful teacher to those kids- otherwise they wouldn't put them all with you.

But I definitely understand your frustration. That happened this year to a 4th grade teacher. She had her hands full.

I am envious that you get to have some knowledge about your upcoming class before school lets out. We have to wait until the first day we get back to find out who will be in our class.

 

[T1130]

That used to happen to me all the time. One year I had a horrible 2nd grade class. ( taught in a very bad area.) A couple of weeks into the school year The A.P. comes up to me and says "your getting a couple of more kids in your class". I said do you see who is in my class I don`t need anymore trouble makers. He says MS. M. cannot handle them and you are doing such a good job with your class. Think of it as a reward.

So everyear as a reward I got a bad class. And the teachers who could not handle their classes got the good classes. It really made me mad.

 

[paigevz]

Thanks for the commiseration...........I am happy to know who, we didn't get to with our last principal.........this one is more open about that, although we have to keep mum with the kids/parents. I am also happy to have them, as there are only 16 per list.........I am sure there will be more coming in, but if we fell below that, we'd lose a teacher.

I just wish I wasn't always punished for doing my job well! Although, I am proud of how far the kids progress in my room, and very happy that my administration has such confidence in me.

I feel very lucky that they didn't move me to 5th grade! There was a lot of trouble up there, and they've already appointed two of the stronger lower grade teachers to do it next year. I have a 5th grader, it should be a rule never to teach within two years of your own child's age..................it gets to be like an overdose of 11 year olds (or whatever).

 

[momof1princess]

i'm not sure how the class lists are chosen at my DD's school, but i do know i won't find out who her teacher is until about a week before school starts we've had the same teacher for 2 years-i was delighted last year when she decided to move back up to 2nd grade and asked to keep her same class, so saying goodbye to her will be difficult. but i digress...congrats on the raise, you definitely deserve every penny and MUCH more!

 

[sjh801]

That used to happen to me all the time. One year I had a horrible 2nd grade class. ( taught in a very bad area.) A couple of weeks into the school year The A.P. comes up to me and says "your getting a couple of more kids in your class". I said do you see who is in my class I don`t need anymore trouble makers. He says MS. M. cannot handle them and you are doing such a good job with your class. Think of it as a reward.

So everyear as a reward I got a bad class. And the teachers who could not handle their classes got the good classes. It really made me mad.

Although it may be good for the students, sometimes, it definitely wears on us. I see the same thing. In fact, some of us have talked and we can accurately predict who the students will definitely get and not get each year. They go from grade to grade with the teachers who can "handle anyone". Yes, that is the reward for being the good teacher who can teach well. And of course the "others" get the same pay and accolades. Go figure!

 

[RitaZ.]

Paige, I just wanted to say that based on your previous posts/replies to threads that deal with school problems/ issues and also the way you speak about your students, you must be a really special teacher. For what it's worth, IMO, that's how you come across.

Anyway, I've been wanting to say that for a while and this is the perfect opportunity.

 

[paigevz]

Gee thanks. What a nice post, you gave me a smile.
Of course, it's easier to advise than to do, but I try.

Can I give a little brag on my kiddos? Only two of my students this year came to me on grade level in reading. Now only two are leaving me NOT on grade level.............one is in resource, and so has progressed well as per his plan, and the other is actually staying with us in second grade.

Now, math is a different story...........

 

[rlovew]

We make our lists from the cards we recieve from the previous grade. It is funny to hear us I am sure as we try to spread out all the ADD and problem children as well as give everyone the same number of high, medium and low level children. We are sitting in a room calling out things like I have a low, white, girl with good behavior and I'm looking for a high black boy with poor behavior. Once we have each class as equal as possible we each draw a class and that is the one we get. A couple of students are added over the summer but we rarely have students moved from one list to another except if the student is a teacher's child and the administration aproves a late request. All requests are required to be in by now for list making. Our lists have to be turned in before we get our final paycheck. It takes forever to make fair lists but it is worth it to have an even split. We have 7 teachers and all of us our good with management so we don't have to worry about too much as far as 1 person being stuck with all the bad kids unless they just happen to be placed on the list coming in from other schools because of numbers.

 

[MinnieM3]

Although it may be good for the students, sometimes, it definitely wears on us. I see the same thing. In fact, some of us have talked and we can accurately predict who the students will definitely get and not get each year. They go from grade to grade with the teachers who can "handle anyone". Yes, that is the reward for being the good teacher who can teach well. And of course the "others" get the same pay and accolades. Go figure!

I can relate!! I also can predict which kids I'm going to get. It doesn't help that one of my teaching partners is attached by the hip to two of the second grade teachers (who happen to be twins...she's like the missing triplet.). I am always only a few kids off as to who I'll end up with. I don't really mind, as I feel for kids who are "labelled" before they get to me. I'd just like a lighter group every so often, too! Sometimes it's not even the kids, but I get the parents who are known as, shall we say, uncooperative. That's even worse than the "tough" kids.

 

[disneymom3]

This used to happen to my sister all the time. She taught 5th grade and year after year she was getting all the really tough kids because her principal told her she was so good with them. Unfortunately it also burned her out. She went to a private school and took a 40% paycut, but she is so incredibly happy as she now has 11 kids on average in her class, all of whom want to be in school and all of whose parents are involved. Can you imagine the difference??

 

[Becky2005]

Can I just say Thank You for being able to handle those kids - although I know it's rough!

My DS is one of those tough kids since he has some learning disabilities, I always cringe as to who he's going to get (I wish this year's teacher would loop - but alas the teacher is staying in 3rd grade (he's taught 5th & 4th at our school before too!)) but next year will be helpful for the teacher he's getting a shared aide so at least some of it will be taken care of.

I just sent my daughter through the school system first so they would learn not all my kids are difficult (she's the one that always got the "I wish I had more just like her" I figured that was my saving grace since both my kids ended up with the same 1st grade teacher! There hasn't been a repeat teacher since Hmmm.... )

Our teachers rotate so much though we are never quite sure who is teaching what grade though (unless they have been at a certain grade forever, then you can pretty much think that's where they will be). My 3rd graders class went down to 3 sections this year even though it was 4 before. I don't know if it will be back up to 4 next year or still be 3 - which means that one of the 4th grade teachers will probably move to 3rd, since the group behind us has 4 sections.

We find out about 2 weeks before school starts. The way it's told to us parents is they make up the class list and then the Principal assigns the teacher that fits the make-up of the class.

Sorry they were switching things around on you after everything seemed worked out.

 

[Val]

We had my DD8's annual review and IEP meeting today- so I know who her teacher will be for 3rd grade. My DD is hard of hearing, wears aides and uses an FM augmentation system. I am SO thankful for the teachers who willingly take her and help her- allowing her to remain in parochial school. I try so hard not to make special requests for my others- unless there is a darn good reason (I did request that my son NOT be placed with another child because the two just get in so darn much trouble together- and yes, my son is at least 50% of that problem).

Thank you teachers for taking the difficult kids, the kids with special needs and everyone else. My daughter had a disastrous kindergarten year and ended up repeating because the teacher wouldn't deal with her hearing loss. She had an angel and then a saint for first and second grades- she is working above grade level in all areas at this point and loves school again. I know the new teacher in the fall (two of my older DDs had her)- and I know my DD will be successful. God bless all you teachers!

 

[mytwotinks]

As a mom of a 2nd grader I have to say that I can feel your pain. My DD has had a mentally ill (spent 2 weeks in a mental ward/diagnosed schyz.) classmate for the last 2 years. Needless to say she has had wonderful teachers who have had so much talent handling troubled children. The problem is that it is sooooooo stressful in these classes that are full of troubled children. I don't know how teachers do it. I know that it must be a special gift from God. Even being the class mom for the last 2 years has been a pain. 10 high need kids in a class of 20 !

I have requested not to have my dd in with this group next year. I understand their thought process. My dd is fairly advanced and doesn't recquire a lot of direction so it won't matter if the teacher doesn't have much time for her. As a mom it is frustrating me to feel like she isn't getting the attention she needs to reach her full potential. The squeaky wheel you know!

Good luck next year! What I was really trying to say is that the parents do notice the hard work and the stressful situation that you are in and they appreciate what you do!