teacher ?

dexspsandqs · June 2010

Do any of you know/have experience with split level classes?

Miss P's school is splitting the S/K class next year with app 5 JR/K's since their enrollment numbers do not warrant a full class onto themselves. Their overall numbers are still small (under 20 students) but I am concerned about how this will impact their development at such a young age.

As of right now she attends a wonderful academic program 3x a week in the afternoons and I am continuing with that- but, I am also debating pulling her from the morning school and just keeping her in the afternoon program full time. I feel it would be a lot in addition to all her other activities to have full days of learning 5x a week at 2 programs, plus athletics and artistic lessons. Any experience or insight as to how a split level works at this young age would be appreciated as parents haven't received much in the way of concrete answers from the principal.

MelVic · June 2010

We have split classes at my school, how it is normally done, is all the children are screened academically to see what their abilities are, and than for example if it was a 4th/5th grade split....we would take the high 4th graders and low 5th graders and make a class out of it, so therefore the ability level is still about the same level, which is what I assume would be done in your situation...Since it is a Kindergarten class, I would think those students in the Jr K (I assume that is below the S/K- I am not familiar with two different K classes, we only have one at most schools here)..anyway.. they would all be tested perhaps on letter/sound recognition, and concepts of print and possibly even reading ability and then the class would be formed accordingly....I would not think they would put a K child in the class that can read as well as a K child that does not even know their letters yet.

Did you get any notice about your daughter getting a prescreening?

I hope this helps a little, but I would not be concerned at all. If it is done the way it is here, you should have no worries...

jebuell · June 2010

How old are the two groups? I taught Pre-K and K together (4, 5, and 6 year olds) together once and honestly there wasn't much of a difference from kid to kid. You could tell the youngest kid (the one who just barely turned 4) from the oldest (the one who should have been in first grade but who's parents held him back because he wasn't ready yet) as far as their development and motor skills go, but that's a 2 year age difference. At that age, if it's only a year, I wouldn't be worried at all.

Also for the older child I referred to early we made him a "helper" a lot and he got to show the younger kids how to use scissors and was able to explain rules to games to them which really helped him out, so even the older kids can benefit from being with a younger group.

spiritenergy · June 2010

I am not a teacher, but my mom teaches split level classes for a small private school. Their enrollment numbers are also low. She basically breaks the students up into groups for each of the different subjects based upon ability and where they are academically, so she has some students that are in the highest level for all subjects and some that can be in a high group for math and science but a low group for reading, english, and history. She usually sets up the groups with their different activities and floats around the room to help each of the different groups. The group as a whole does have some activities that are done together like art and religion. Overall, the parents are happy with the set up. Last year my mom had an aid to help her out in the classroom, but I am not sure with budget cuts if she will have an aid this year. Will Miss P's class have an aid to help the teacher? If the teacher has an aid, then I would not be as nervous. How do you think Miss P is progressing academically? If she is progressing well and does not need the extra help, then I would consider pulling her out because that does seem like a lot of activities for a young child. Free play is still wonderful for a child's development at that age.

dexspsandqs · June 2010

I appreciate all the thoughtful responses- thank you!

Miss P is on the higher end of the academic scale but I attribute that in large part to the hands on teachings of her pm classes and her instructors. There's discrepancy between some students from what I've seen- but she's doing fractions/math/graphs with her pm class so they delve into so much more I get that they may even out eventually..

Her reading skills are phenomenal! She loves to read her Eloise books..to the best of my knowledge they'll be no assessment or screening but her teacher has told me she is in the highest level in her reading class, ect..math skills are taught at her pm school and the structure of the day at her am class has music, religion, drama center, circle time, reading..art, gym, ect..for this reason alone- and, the level and depth of subject covered at her pm school I hesitate to give that up.

I know her teacher has an aid, and- parental involvement is strongly and actively encouraged so I suppose I will see for myself in September.

I'll be paying attention to her once we start up and appreciate the feedback re: creative and free play. I feel sometimes as if I under schedule compared to other parents but I will actively encourage her to pick one sport per semester (usually gymnastics) and maybe one other activity so we can focus on more play dates and sibling play.

MissMex · June 2010

I don?t see anything wrong with ?under scheduling?. I was a child who had very little free time. I was in lots of activities and a professional children?s show choir. Every afternoon & weekend, I was doing something. Granted I was always with other children, but I never really got to do things like go to the park with the neighbor kids. It?s helped me have a balanced life and the ability to have a full schedule and multi-task effectively as an adult, but I still wish I could have known Barbie & Ken better. I also think its made me shy in a lot of ways because I missed out on forming those organic interpersonal skills on my own. I don?t have a problem speaking in front of 500 people, or leading a group, but one on one is always harder for me.

spiritenergy · June 2010

Wow, it sounds like Miss P is one smart cookie! I also "under schedule" compared to a lot of moms around here, but it has allowed my son discover some of his interests organically than if I structured him a lot. Plus, I wanted him to figure out how to socially adapt to a lot of changing environments since it looks like we will be moving a lot with our chosen path. Our move last October really socially impacted him.

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