How big is too big for a K class?

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03/21/2022 07:02

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

The best class my child had in ES was first grade with 29/30 kids over the course of the year. Fabulous teacher. I would have chosen it over a 15 kid class with a poor or average teacher.

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03/21/2022 07:06

Subject: Re:How big is too big for a K class?

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Anonymous

You must live in an area with the “ good schools” this is your trade off. We are at a school with the poors and lower test scores but my kid only has 14 kids in her K class. I’m happy, she’s happy, most of dcum would not be happy.

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03/21/2022 08:31

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

14 at our Focus school, wonderful teacher and bright kids.

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03/21/2022 08:36

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:My DC’s K class has one homeroom teacher and 26 kids. Is that too big? And how many do your kindergarteners have in their classes and does your homeroom teacher have an assistant? Thanks.

Ours had 16 but we're at a focus school.

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03/21/2022 09:19

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:14 at our Focus school, wonderful teacher and bright kids.

I'm so envious of this. We are at a focus school that typically has 15-16 kids per kindergarten class but this year the average is 22!! And lots of needy kids (both in terms of academics and behavior) who skipped preschool due to the pandemic. I'm not really sure what happened, if there were a lot of late registrations or if they couldn't get an additional teacher or what.

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03/21/2022 09:24

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

MCPS focus school - 15 kids. Plus many spend time in pull outs and there is sometimes an aide, so it’s rare to actually have a ratio of 1:15. The largest class in the ES is 23, and there are only two classes that big, both in fourth grade.

Differences in class sizes like that are why we chose Silver Spring over Bethesda. My kids would get lost in a class of more than 25.

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03/21/2022 09:39

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

The K class size of 26 is fine if it's a good teacher and if your kid knows how to read.

My DD didn't know how to read, and with the large class size was falling through the crack. She didn't score low enough - according to mcps - to access additional reading help. She'd still be illiterate had I not taken it upon myself to teach her myself.

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03/21/2022 09:49

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:14 at our Focus school, wonderful teacher and bright kids.

We picked an area with a strong focus school in ES with great enrichment options for MS and HS on purpose. It's a bit different than those people who go by GS ratings but seems to work fo rus.

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03/21/2022 10:14

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:My kid went to RHPS which usually has some of the biggest class sizes in the county AFAICT-- probably had 26 in his K class, but he had a great teacher and it all worked (surprisingly to me) well.

My kids RHPS K class had 29. There was a floating aid at the time.

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03/21/2022 10:59

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14 at our Focus school, wonderful teacher and bright kids.

I'm so envious of this. We are at a focus school that typically has 15-16 kids per kindergarten class but this year the average is 22!! And lots of needy kids (both in terms of academics and behavior) who skipped preschool due to the pandemic. I'm not really sure what happened, if there were a lot of late registrations or if they couldn't get an additional teacher or what.

What school is this? I’m guessing someone messed up.

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03/21/2022 18:08

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:My DC’s K class has one homeroom teacher and 26 kids. Is that too big? And how many do your kindergarteners have in their classes and does your homeroom teacher have an assistant? Thanks.

Ours had two classes of 28 and one I think of 27. Two teachers handled it fine. The third teacher had anxiety problems and could not manage the classroom. Thankfully my child was in one of the "good" classes with the "good" teachers. It took a few years but I heard they gave her additional training once they realized it was not the kids and it was a pattern and she was the thing that was exacerbating problems.

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03/21/2022 18:09

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14 at our Focus school, wonderful teacher and bright kids.

I'm so envious of this. We are at a focus school that typically has 15-16 kids per kindergarten class but this year the average is 22!! And lots of needy kids (both in terms of academics and behavior) who skipped preschool due to the pandemic. I'm not really sure what happened, if there were a lot of late registrations or if they couldn't get an additional teacher or what.

What school is this? I’m guessing someone messed up.

It happens when kids register late and they don't have enough to add another class. This is why you end up with so many calssrooms over the max. It's been harder this year than before because there is a shortage.

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03/21/2022 20:55

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

18 kids at a K title 1. A few kids get pulled here and there so I think the size varies a bit. A floating para. Very strong experienced teacher, nice mix of kids with 2-3 kids with some behavioral issues that too distract but don't totally take away from learning (this is what is sounds like from what DC tells me). I think 18 is a good number of kids because they don't get lost in the shuffle but have a good number of peers to socialize with.

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03/21/2022 21:31

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

Its a normal number for MCPS but not an ideal number without a 2nd teacher or at least a para. Particularly when the range of abilities is going to vary greatly and the curriculum isn’t covered across a range of grades so students can move on as they master topics.

IMO, the large class sizes would be fine with additional staff and if the class stayed together for 2-3 years. Then the teacher would be more flexible in what was whole group instruction vs small vs individual.

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03/21/2022 22:36

Subject: How big is too big for a K class?

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14 at our Focus school, wonderful teacher and bright kids.

I'm so envious of this. We are at a focus school that typically has 15-16 kids per kindergarten class but this year the average is 22!! And lots of needy kids (both in terms of academics and behavior) who skipped preschool due to the pandemic. I'm not really sure what happened, if there were a lot of late registrations or if they couldn't get an additional teacher or what.

What school is this? I’m guessing someone messed up.

This was pre-pandemic in Silver Spring. Our principal even said he wished he could send his own kids to my DD’s teacher. There were more students but one got transferred to another classroom and one moved early in the school year so they ended up with 14. Our school is just at capacity so overcrowding is not an issue yet. For comparison, our DS did K in FCPS and had more students(I think 18?) but also an aide.