high student-teacher ratios

[Anonymous]

I like the FCPS school system but the large class sizes are worrisome. I think my son might get lost with 35 other students in elementary school. Any thoughts?

[Anonymous]

For me, that is the question. Lots of self-motivated kids (and, I'd say, "typical" FCPS kids) do fine and many excel in whatever classroom setting their placed. I had one child who was like this. My second really got lost in the mix, so we moved her to a private with smaller classes. It really depends on the situation. Also, it may help to get the facts -- it may be that only one or two grades of the elementary school has 35 students and those kids all change classes all day with different teachers, some go to GT, some go to other special services -- there a lots of "pull outs" so the class may rarely be at its full 35 students. Also, I don't know that FCPS can be singled out as having large class sizes -- I think that goes for lots of public school systems. Again, it may help to get the facts (I don't know).

[Anonymous]

I've never heard of a FCPS with 35 kids in a class?

My first and second graders classes are 22-23. Kindergarten was 27-28 with an assistant.

[Anonymous]

I seem to recall that classes are capped at 28 students. My daughter's class last year had 27, with a few real hellraisers that made it seem like 35. My son's class had 26, but all the kids were relatively well-behaved so it seemed like a small class. I think that the number of, shall we say, "spirited" students in the class is more relevant than the absolute number of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I seem to recall that classes are capped at 28 students. My daughter's class last year had 27, with a few real hellraisers that made it seem like 35. My son's class had 26, but all the kids were relatively well-behaved so it seemed like a small class. I think that the number of, shall we say, "spirited" students in the class is more relevant than the absolute number of kids.

As a teacher, I totally agree with this. It is amazing how just one or two "bad" students can change the entire dynamic of a class. Students who are normally well-behaved will act out when these kids are around, making it hard for everyone.

[Anonymous]

And my guess is, that is true whether you choose private or public. That's the Luck of the Draw. P.S. In Fairfax, you can send a letter to the principal at the end of the year requesting certain qualities in a teacher (never asking for one by name) for your child. I did this for my daughter, and got the teacher I was hoping for. But, perhaps because she is such a good teacher, she seemed to have gotten more than her share of "problem" children placed in her class. In retrospect, I think my daughter would have done better in one of the other classes, with more well-behaved students. So, for what it's worth, be careful what you wish for in those end-of-year letters requesting certain teachers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I seem to recall that classes are capped at 28 students. My daughter's class last year had 27, with a few real hellraisers that made it seem like 35. My son's class had 26, but all the kids were relatively well-behaved so it seemed like a small class. I think that the number of, shall we say, "spirited" students in the class is more relevant than the absolute number of kids.

It is not capped at 28. At our kindergarten orientation the principal told us that "28 kids was ideal but the class could have as many as 32 kids". This is with a teacher and assistant. This seems very high to me. We are on the waiting list for two private schools where the cap is 24-25 kids and will send our child to the private even if we get called at the last minute.

The principal wants to hit a "magic number" of 115 enrolled, I think, so that he can hire the 5th teacher.

And we are in one of the very best districts in Fairfax County. I was shocked when the principal told us the class size.

[Anonymous]

This is meant to make you feel a little better... but it might not have that effect....

IMO, they don't really do that much in kindergarten. So, while I thought 28 was plenty, I don't think having 30 will ruin your child for life. So much of the day/week is spent with lunch, nap, gym, music, library, computer lab, etc.

First grade is a totally different story. I think 30 is WAY too many in a first grade class with just one teacher b/c first grade is all about learning to read and that requires a lot of direct teacher/student interaction. I posted above that my child's first grade class had 22 and will probably have the same next year in second grade.

I wouldn't be excited about 30 in kindergarten, but I think it will be o.k.