Biggest Difference Between First and Second Grades. . .

[Anonymous]

I know that it can depend on a variety of factors but I just wanted to get an idea of what DD might expect next year. She's LOVED first grade and her school is fantastic, so I'm hopeful for next year.

What was the biggest change for your child(ren) when he/she moved from 1st to 2nd?

[Anonymous]

more sitting, no spelling tests, although I heard that varies from school, less carpet time and more seated work. No centers. 2nd grade felt like real school. Ironically way less homework, but more projects.

[Anonymous]

We had spelling all the way through 5th grade. We still had centers in second grade. Yes to more projects. Overall changes are incremental. I never saw a huge jump between the grades aside from losing the toys between K and 1. I guess all MCPS school are not the same!

[Anonymous]

Bethesda ES here.

DS was bored and as a result rather rambunctious in Grade 1 - practically no homework, lots of repetitive tasks, disorganized centers...but of course the poor teacher could not cope with that many kids (packed classes).

Now he's much happier in Grade 2, they still have centers, the lesson moves along a little quicker, the children are quieter and the teacher more organized. Math packet every weekday apart for Friday and occasionally a project, with lots of advance notice. But best of all, DS loves the fact that he is now allowed to read if he gets to class early! A big incentive for hurrying in the morning and popping a book in his bag!

[Anonymous]

Biggest leap is from Pre-K to kindergarden (no naps, big school with big kids) and then from K to 1st (different friends, more mature language--in a good way--and higher expectations for homework, mastery of material, and even career ambitions!) A lot more, "That's baby stuff" or "that's for babies" and slavish to fashions (I have a daughter).
First to second grade--more of the same. Not half as big a leap, in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

My kid just finished 2nd-DCC school.

-More homework
-More projects
-Better spelling/vocabulary words (they were related to what they were studying in class)
-More tech projects (research presentation on a public figure of DC's choice)

Basically...it seemed more like school.

[Anonymous]

A lot more writing. More homework. Higher expectations on behavior.

[Anonymous]

Very little homework. More focus on reading and literature..poems, writing, basic grammar etc. The math is incredibly repetitive. You will see almost identical worksheets and activities as they did in 1st grade. I also have a K in 2.0 and was surprised that her math work is very similar to her older's sisters. They just repeat and repeat.

2nd grade is basically just a year long review of 1st grade.

There is a bigger change in activities from K-1 and then from 2-3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very little homework. More focus on reading and literature..poems, writing, basic grammar etc. The math is incredibly repetitive. You will see almost identical worksheets and activities as they did in 1st grade. I also have a K in 2.0 and was surprised that her math work is very similar to her older's sisters. They just repeat and repeat.

2nd grade is basically just a year long review of 1st grade.

There is a bigger change in activities from K-1 and then from 2-3.

DD just finished second grade in Silver spring. Our experience was different. Second grade was a lot more writing, math homework every night (and the math was more challenging than first grade), challenging spelling/word study, grammar, more involved projects. As a PP said, it was more like real school.

[Anonymous]

OP here- Thanks for your responses!

I'm hoping that things do get more challenging for DD next year. In 1st- she would get a HW packet on Monday, complete it as soon as she got home and move on to other things for the rest of the week. First grade wasn't challenging for her so I had to supplement a lot at home. I love the idea of more projects- that will be exciting for her.

Have a great summer!

[Anonymous]

Second grade was not more challenging for my kid. The projects were not challenging. They were fun but not challenging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Second grade was not more challenging for my kid. The projects were not challenging. They were fun but not challenging.

DD's projects were open-ended enough to allow her to challenge herself.

[Anonymous]

Second grade also not more challenging for my kids, and I have twins. First grade was wonderfully busy and new; second grade felt mostly like a rehash. There were definitely more projects and I would say perhaps more writing. Expectations for behavior were higher. Math was very similar to first grade and they never formally started multiplication. I'm hoping third grade offers more.

[Anonymous]

Very boring and not challenging. Its partly the age and partly the curriculum but the love of discovery and learning is going out the window. DD is more interested doing the bare minimum with the exception of one or two subjects that she still really loves because its not interesting and what does it matter anyway. Its amazing how quickly they pick up on the reality that they can do a lot and get a P or very little and get a P so why do more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very boring and not challenging. Its partly the age and partly the curriculum but the love of discovery and learning is going out the window. DD is more interested doing the bare minimum with the exception of one or two subjects that she still really loves because its not interesting and what does it matter anyway. Its amazing how quickly they pick up on the reality that they can do a lot and get a P or very little and get a P so why do more.

You are describing an implementation problem, not a curriculum problem. I have a high achieving DD, and she was very excited by what she learned in second grade this year. Doing very little did not get a P in her class. P's were hard to get, and no one got ES.