MCPS practice of not assigning K students a teacher until today? (Poll)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fallsmead does this their reasoning is that its better for student/teacher needs. Total load of crap.

If you don't believe them, what do you think the real reason is?

I imagine this is a staffing and logistical headache, why go through it if it's not beneficial?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just a bit of info, new K parent at a school that doesn't do this.

- ours had an orientation day where they did a bit of 'testing.' they didn't call it that of course, but they had each kid write their name, tell a story, answer some questions about colors and shapes as the teacher read a book ("what was your favorite part? do you remember what color that dragon was?") and draw a picture. One K teacher was doing this with the kids on the rug and another was taking notes. They were definitely doing that IMO to see who could write / remember / etc.

- my kid is an anxious type and would have HATED this. He's doing amazing in K and we are so pleased, but a lot of that is being comfortable with rules and routines. He knows his teacher, classroom and classmates already and is excited about going - can't imagine it'd be the same in this situation.

- how on earth do the teachers "pick" kids? There will obviously be kids every teacher wants - the cutest ones, the sweetest ones, the funniest ones. That seems like a recipe for disaster. Does a third party select them?

- Seems to add a lot more pressure/stress on the teachers and would be better for them to jump right in getting to know their class

I'd like to hear what teachers think of this.

[Anonymous]

Flora Singer and Highland View have started doing this. Supposedly Singer is doing it because there were too many disruptive boys in one K class last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have a MoCo K'er this year who is going through this. My $0.02:
-fwiw this is our oldest child so I do not have experience with the "meet the kids during the May orientation, snap judgement, hope for the best" model.
-DC has been in center based daycare/preschool/pre-K for 5 years, with all activities being done in one room per age group (ie the 4YO preschool class learned, ate, played, napped all in the same room).
-the way it was explained to us, 45 mins during orientation the May before K, is not nearly enough time (nor is it the right time) to get to know all these kids and their abilities, etc. Other schools have (we were told) implemented this draft model with great success... ie leads to an overall better K experience because the classrooms are more balanced.
-DC has a "homeroom" teacher this week... first thing in the AM, last thing in the PM, and spent all day with them on Monday. They rotate through the other teachers one/day, and stay together as a class. Tomorrow, the teachers basically do a draft and the kids are given their permanent assigned teacher, report there on Tues, no more rotations.
-they mentioned that they want classes balanced by race and gender, but also ability (so that there's not a lone kid in the class, way ahead or behind). The intention does not seem to be creating classes segregated by ability, but rather balanced abilities across all classrooms (so not a "smart class" and a "not smart class").
-There has been A LOT of communication around it, so absolutely no confusion on our part.
-DC has reported back on two days of rotation (plus the first day of no-rotation) and did not seem bothered AT ALL. The kids stay together as a class, and she actually remembered a few of the teachers from open house ("she's the purple lady"). Also, for the first time ever she is also rotating through different rooms... cafeteria, computer room, classroom... so the teacher rota is just another "difference" from preschool.
-I anticipate that on Tuesday we'll have to remind her a couple of times that she now goes to Ms Whoever's class. But the school seems really on top of that and has said that teachers and aides will continue to be posted in the halls for before/after, etc.
-understand that this is not widely done, but seems likely to become more widespread practice at least in MoCo. Ask me again at Christmastime, I guess.

Interesting perspective. I'd like to hear other parents post on this!

I have a DD in K this year at a school that is doing this. However, DD has 2 older siblings, so she is aware of how they do things. Both older siblings were 'assigned' teachers, and she was a little bummed about that not being the case.

I'll say that with my two older kids, both of them got to know ALL of the teachers anyway throughout the year. They go to the other teacher's classrooms for parties, etc and by the end of the year (even with my first kid), all the teachers seemed to know her by name.

Our ES did not assign classrooms until today (Thursday), so there were 3 full days of uncertainty. Honestly, it's a long time for a 5 year old. She had a few girls in her 'class' the first few days who she became friendly with, who are not still in her class. Tough deal for a 5 year old girl.

I also doubt that they can determine 'problem kids' within one day, which is what it sounds like your ES did? How is that so much different than the few hours at orientation?

I don't like it, but agree that maybe I'll feel differently mid-year.

I'd like to add that having read the other posts, and comments about 'problem kids', I don't see how this solves that issue. I'm not a teacher, but with two older kids, I can understand completely how having several tough kids in a class make it a terrible environment for the other kids. We've dealt with that over the years, for sure.

But, sometimes it's the combination of two kids together that leads to problems. And, some years, a kid may be a 'problem kid', whereas the next year, with a different teacher, the kid is fine.

After two days of rotating around, do the schools that do this find that there are less behavior issues during the year? Wonder if there are any studies on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe East Silver Spring is doing this for the first time this year. I think the reason is that last year the K classes ended up being very unbalanced in terms of children that demanded extra attention from their teacher. A few teachers had much more challenging classes. In addition every K teacher is new to teaching K in the school this year. Seems like a good idea.

+1 I'm an ESS parent and one of my (mild) criticisms of the school has been that they don't really pilot a lot of initiatives, preferring to rely on "tried and true" methods. I'm glad to see them trying something new, to be honest, and hope any bugs will work their way out. I also think you're right that it was partly because they lost two teachers to retirement and one to another part of the country last year, so it was a good time to start afresh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have a MoCo K'er this year who is going through this. My $0.02:
-fwiw this is our oldest child so I do not have experience with the "meet the kids during the May orientation, snap judgement, hope for the best" model.
-DC has been in center based daycare/preschool/pre-K for 5 years, with all activities being done in one room per age group (ie the 4YO preschool class learned, ate, played, napped all in the same room).
-the way it was explained to us, 45 mins during orientation the May before K, is not nearly enough time (nor is it the right time) to get to know all these kids and their abilities, etc. Other schools have (we were told) implemented this draft model with great success... ie leads to an overall better K experience because the classrooms are more balanced.
-DC has a "homeroom" teacher this week... first thing in the AM, last thing in the PM, and spent all day with them on Monday. They rotate through the other teachers one/day, and stay together as a class. Tomorrow, the teachers basically do a draft and the kids are given their permanent assigned teacher, report there on Tues, no more rotations.
-they mentioned that they want classes balanced by race and gender, but also ability (so that there's not a lone kid in the class, way ahead or behind). The intention does not seem to be creating classes segregated by ability, but rather balanced abilities across all classrooms (so not a "smart class" and a "not smart class").
-There has been A LOT of communication around it, so absolutely no confusion on our part.
-DC has reported back on two days of rotation (plus the first day of no-rotation) and did not seem bothered AT ALL. The kids stay together as a class, and she actually remembered a few of the teachers from open house ("she's the purple lady"). Also, for the first time ever she is also rotating through different rooms... cafeteria, computer room, classroom... so the teacher rota is just another "difference" from preschool.
-I anticipate that on Tuesday we'll have to remind her a couple of times that she now goes to Ms Whoever's class. But the school seems really on top of that and has said that teachers and aides will continue to be posted in the halls for before/after, etc.
-understand that this is not widely done, but seems likely to become more widespread practice at least in MoCo. Ask me again at Christmastime, I guess.

Interesting perspective. I'd like to hear other parents post on this!

I have a DD in K this year at a school that is doing this. However, DD has 2 older siblings, so she is aware of how they do things. Both older siblings were 'assigned' teachers, and she was a little bummed about that not being the case.

I'll say that with my two older kids, both of them got to know ALL of the teachers anyway throughout the year. They go to the other teacher's classrooms for parties, etc and by the end of the year (even with my first kid), all the teachers seemed to know her by name.

Our ES did not assign classrooms until today (Thursday), so there were 3 full days of uncertainty. Honestly, it's a long time for a 5 year old. She had a few girls in her 'class' the first few days who she became friendly with, who are not still in her class. Tough deal for a 5 year old girl.

I also doubt that they can determine 'problem kids' within one day, which is what it sounds like your ES did? How is that so much different than the few hours at orientation?

I don't like it, but agree that maybe I'll feel differently mid-year.

I'd like to add that having read the other posts, and comments about 'problem kids', I don't see how this solves that issue. I'm not a teacher, but with two older kids, I can understand completely how having several tough kids in a class make it a terrible environment for the other kids. We've dealt with that over the years, for sure.

But, sometimes it's the combination of two kids together that leads to problems. And, some years, a kid may be a 'problem kid', whereas the next year, with a different teacher, the kid is fine.

After two days of rotating around, do the schools that do this find that there are less behavior issues during the year? Wonder if there are any studies on this.

I think that's the idea. Remove any known issues. Of course KG class lists don't define 1st grade ones. Kids are resorted with input from teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never want my kid "tested" like that - it sounds awful. She should not have any pressure like that or have to read on demand. Horrifying.

Then you should probably not send them to school..

Yeah. Pp, you know all kindergarten teachers do reading assessments right?

[Anonymous]

Lakewood Elementary did this for the first time this year, and my oldest is in tears all over again tonight after I had to explain that she won't have the teacher she liked best, and won't have the same girls in her class. I am not an educator, but it seems like a horrible idea for a group of kids already dealing with a tough transition. All week she has been anxious not having any certainty about what was going on in what is already a huge new place for her. I REALLY hope they don't continue doing this since I have two more kids to go through kindergarten there.

[Anonymous]

^ Beall parent here. So sorry to hear that. I hope you let the administration know that this is not going well.

[Anonymous]

This system did not cause any anxiety for my kindergartner. The school told us back in June that they'd be trying this for the first time this year. I talked with DC periodically over the summer about what would happen -- that he would get to meet all the different teachers and then find out which class he was in on Friday. Apparently they did a little ceremony for the class assignments on Friday afternoon, and he liked that. Selfishly, I am incredibly happy because his homeroom teacher that he'd been assigned to this week is a first year teacher and at Sneak Peek I didn't get the sense that she had a good rapport with kids. Instead my son got the teacher who had my older child too, and I think the world of her.

[Anonymous]

I'm the long post PP. DD received her permanent teacher Friday afternoon (some kind of ceremony / assembly... Something about the olympics?... She had trouble describing it probably bc it was her first ever assembly lol). She is excited to start in her "real" class with her "real" teacher. There were a couple kids that she had buddied up with who are in different classes - and she is not sweating it AT ALL. The whole thing was barely a blip on her radar. And i figure the "sort" couldn't be too significantly different from the old school way, so i can't imagine any lasting effects either way. I will say that DD is very go-with-the-flow, so of you have a more anxious child there might be more worry. But Truly NBD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This system did not cause any anxiety for my kindergartner. The school told us back in June that they'd be trying this for the first time this year. I talked with DC periodically over the summer about what would happen -- that he would get to meet all the different teachers and then find out which class he was in on Friday. Apparently they did a little ceremony for the class assignments on Friday afternoon, and he liked that. Selfishly, I am incredibly happy because his homeroom teacher that he'd been assigned to this week is a first year teacher and at Sneak Peek I didn't get the sense that she had a good rapport with kids. Instead my son got the teacher who had my older child too, and I think the world of her.

Re your last sentence - every school does that. Not coincidence.

[Anonymous]

I think the rotation could be very useful if it is done well. You can use the rotation to help the kids get to know each other and the school while still taking notes about which students need extra support for various reasons and use those notes to balance the classes.