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I'm going to bat for DD...

heyitsmeheyitsme member
in School-Aged Children

DD struggled last year in K to keep up with her peers socially/emotionally/maturity-wise. Academically she's always been on track, though.

This year she started a new school and I was SO worried about her struggling with the transition, but she did beautifully. And then 10 days into the school year she was moved into a combination 1st/2nd grade class. I was surprised that a team of teachers (who didn't know her, since she was new) plus her old teacher (supposedly, I'm not sure I believe that--I think if anything she would have voted AGAINST DD in a combo class) determined that the combo class would be good for her.

Still, I wanted to try it... and we have been trying it. I thought things were going well, although DD has shown signs of struggling emotionally (not wanting to go to school anymore, saying her new class is too hard, saying she isn't making new friends, etc.)... academically she's been going great.

But a note home from school about her talking too much in class evolved into a heart-to-heart with DD and a lot of tears about how unhappy she is.

In the end I've decided I'd rather have a happy child in a class with her peers than an unhappy child in a class where she's doing great academically but is struggling to connect with others. It's been 3 weeks now, and I'm seeing that this isn't a good fit for her.

Monday is our parent-teacher conference and I plan to start the process of discussing with her teacher moving DD to a 1st grade-only class again (whether it be her old class or a different class).

 

Mom to J (10), L (4), and baby #3 arriving in July of 2015
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Re: I'm going to bat for DD...

  • blueshirt2003blueshirt2003

    I believe I remember you posting initially about her transitioning into this combo-class and you were worried. I'm sorry to hear that it's not working out but I'm so glad that you are going to try to fix things. FWIW, I've never heard of combo-classes and I can almost say that my 6 year old (1st grader) wouldn't fair well in one either. 

     

    Best of luck to you and your daughter!  

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  • littlemermaidlittlemermaid member
    I would definitely talk to the teacher.  Personally I am not a fan of the split classes, thankfully my children's school does not have that(Catholic school), but my local school district does.
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  • indigo91804indigo91804
    I didn't want Logan in split classes either. I think you are a good mama going to bat for your DD especially if she is so unhappy. I hope they can do something for you. You want your kids to love school not come home in tears. Logan's school told me that the 7 kids who got placed in the spilt class this year either their parents requested it or they just got put there not really for any specific reason. 
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  • neverblushedneverblushed member

    I can SO relate to this general issue.  I think you're doing the right thing.

    My son is also a young 6 y/o, and we waited for him to start kindergarten until this year.  Like your DD, he is fine academically, but not as strong in terms of independence/emotional maturity/social with-it-ness.  My son is at the head of the kindergarten class academically, but just about average in terms of maturity.

    I cannot imagine my kid in a class with 2nd graders (who are getting ready to turn 8), even though his testing so far indicates he's at a 2nd grade level for both reading and math.

    I think if you request that she moves back to a regular 1st grade class, you'll both be very happy.

    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
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