25 Kids in K Class (Wayside)

[Anonymous]

My DS is in Kindergarten in MCPS and what struck me the most when I when I visited was how QUIET the classroom was. It was almost as if the kids were afraid to talk. It meant that the kids really did focus on their activity centers and the kids could focus on their reading. The teacher was not intimidating but she does seem to have good control over the classroom. My DS class is on the small size for MCPS so who know what the noise level would be like with 10 extra kids.

[Anonymous]

I agree, PP, a quiet K classroom would make me nervous. K should be the last chance (in MCPS anyway) to really socialize, cooperative play, imaginatively play, etc. Should NOT be sitting doing any sort of worksheet.

But then again, look at first grade. First graders are really having to step it up in MCPS. Doing 2nd grade math, daily reading groups, homework, research projects...

Class size does seem to hang around 23-27. But OP, there are some private schools that do have 23-25 in their lower level classes. They normally either have 2 teachers or a full time aide. Some private schools have smaller classes because they struggle to fill them. Other privates cap off at the high teens. If class size is important, you'll need to shop around.

[Anonymous]

So Im curious whether people are happy with their experince in MCPS despite these class sizes. My concern is that if someone told me to watch over 25 five year-olds, it sounds fairly overwhelming. We keep debating between public and private, as the private schools we saw had smaller class sizes. Would love to hear people's thoughts???

[Anonymous]

A good teacher shouldn't have any problem with 25 kids. I'm sure most of us had class sizes that large in public school.

[Anonymous]

Depends on your child and what you think works best for her. For my DS, that class size is way too big which is why we chose private over wayside. He gets a lot of personal attention, reading groups are 4-5 kids, same with math. He also thrives in science, art and spanish, which he would would not have at the same amount of time at Wyaside as at the private he is at.

He was not a self motivated learner but we found the small class setting instilled this in him. I think he would have gotten lost in a large class.

[Anonymous]

We are at ritchie park at the class size is 22. The problem in that class is there are a lot of behavior issues and the teacher has no control. She spends all her time on behavior management and very little time on teaching. I don't even know the last time I got a reading book home. It has been months.

[Anonymous]

I share the same concern. Class size seems so big now with no teaching aid in the room. Why wont they let the PTA pay for them if they so wish?

[Anonymous]

I agree!! Why can't we just pay to have professional teacher's aides in the classrooms in MOCO. I understand that they may not have allowed it back in the day when class size was low, but, let's get real, these class sizes are HUGE. We still pay TONS of taxes, but we aren't getting the teacher/student ratio others have gotten in the past. At least let us make up the difference by paying for aides. This really may be the answer.

[Anonymous]

If you start to pay for this soon resources will be redeployed elsewhere. Before you know the PTA will start to pay part of the teacher's salary as well. I believe the county needs to fund appropriate education. If we are not getting it, we should fight and complain.

[Anonymous]

Ideally do you want 20+ kids with 1 teacher - no but this is not always an ideal world.

I think things get really complicated if you look at the school in a general manner - next thing you know you are trying to change a whole school system.

OP - is your son happy? Is your son learning? Is your son frustrated?

If you answer yes, yes, no - I would just stay put. Your son is happy, learning and not frustrated.

My son was not happy, not learning and very frustrated. It ended up that "for him specifically" his class was not a good fit. Private school, 25+ kids with a full time aide. He was distracted, couldn't follow, and could not sit and do worksheets all day long. So we moved him. It ended up he did have a LD but for most kids in his school they were thriving. So for me to say that model was bad would be short sighted - but that model was bad for my son.

Now he is in a school with 20 kids in 5th grade (and his brother's 3rd grade class has 12 (by design - not lack of enrollment)) and it is expensive. But so was counseling for a sad kid.

There are lots of schools with lots of models - I found one good for my son - with the help of an educational specialist.

I think you need to stay aware of his progress and adjusted if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ideally do you want 20+ kids with 1 teacher - no but this is not always an ideal world.

I think things get really complicated if you look at the school in a general manner - next thing you know you are trying to change a whole school system.

OP - is your son happy? Is your son learning? Is your son frustrated?

If you answer yes, yes, no - I would just stay put. Your son is happy, learning and not frustrated.

My son was not happy, not learning and very frustrated. It ended up that "for him specifically" his class was not a good fit. Private school, 25+ kids with a full time aide. He was distracted, couldn't follow, and could not sit and do worksheets all day long. So we moved him. It ended up he did have a LD but for most kids in his school they were thriving. So for me to say that model was bad would be short sighted - but that model was bad for my son.

Now he is in a school with 20 kids in 5th grade (and his brother's 3rd grade class has 12 (by design - not lack of enrollment)) and it is expensive. But so was counseling for a sad kid.

There are lots of schools with lots of models - I found one good for my son - with the help of an educational specialist.

I think you need to stay aware of his progress and adjusted if needed.

I respect and understand your position and decision for your family. That said, it is unreasonable for the school system to allow such large classes (which are clearly not in the interest of any child) and then expect parents to opt for private school if they are unhappy. The system should work for the children (and for the parents who fund it with tax dollars). Not everyone can afford private school tuition. We shouldn't allow the system to become: public=large and bad, private=small and good. Talk about recreating the old system of the the haves and the have nots. This is not the society we should want nor is it the school system our kids deserve. The MOCO system needs to be changed (smaller classes, now). We cannot allow these large classes to break the gold standard that MOCO schools have represented for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:25:1 is the MCPS standard for K.

I think 25:1 is actually the gold standard - next year I think it's not considered overcrowded (and in need of a new teacher) until 28:1. Many elementary schools had K classes of 27:1 this year.

[Anonymous]

Just wait til HS. DD has 37 kids in a freshman honors chemistry class. They have only done 1 or 2 labs. Teacher says it is unsafe given the number of bodies in the class. There's your tax dollars at work. It is not going to get better anytime soon. I think we are on the slippery slope to a major crisis.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know whether class sizes are going up next year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I respect and understand your position and decision for your family. That said, it is unreasonable for the school system to allow such large classes (which are clearly not in the interest of any child) and then expect parents to opt for private school if they are unhappy. The system should work for the children (and for the parents who fund it with tax dollars). Not everyone can afford private school tuition. We shouldn't allow the system to become: public=large and bad, private=small and good. Talk about recreating the old system of the the haves and the have nots. This is not the society we should want nor is it the school system our kids deserve. The MOCO system needs to be changed (smaller classes, now). We cannot allow these large classes to break the gold standard that MOCO schools have represented for years.

See you want me to comment on a whole school system and well I don't think I am completely qualified nor am I in a position to change a whole school system.

So I am not sure if you knew me you would describe me as "a have". Two full time working parents, plus part time jobs, financial aid, draining bank account, no vacations, old carpet, etc. - has made it possible. (and I am not complaining - really I am not - I am happy with my Target purse)

Do I think it is ideal - no - I would love for the MoCo school system to be able to handle all my sons special needs - to the extent the private school and the private therapist and the private tutor can. While I don't have the option of meds and IEP I took my square peg and went to a square schoool and for that I am greatful.

But I think if my son were round then the round school would have been fine and I have lots of friends with round kids. I think when you take a kid out of a school it even stings your friends - like you are saying that the school is not good enough. When it is really a great school and kids are thriving. (Just not my kid - not because he is better - not because he is worse - but because he is different.) I think that 1 school being able to handle the needs of ever single type of child is not realistic. (But I don't have a solution on a whole.)

Smaller classes are better for some kids and unnecessary for others and so there is the rub. At this point I think MoCo schools probably go beyond what even the constitution protects so you can knock any single school because nothing is perfect - including the school my son goes to - but it is better - but only for him - maybe not your son.

Maybe your (not your's specifically) son is super smart and MoCo will have so much more to offer - or has special needs and then there are free therapies and reading specialists, etc. But my son is somewhere in the middle - and those are the kids that sometimes get lost.

Not sure I answered your question - but I am not sure there is an answer.

That is why I think for the poster it is best just to look at her son and her situation because - I am not going to be able to change the school system.