This class size is crazy, right?

[Anonymous]

No longer in the DC area, but in our state, K-3 class sizes are limited to 18. Son(6) is adhd and has had increased anxiety/sensory stuff since starting K, but did really well in his mainstream K. His school has a full time gifted class starting in 1st grade. Last month, I found out from a neighbor that last year's gifted class was 28 kids but two teachers. That had us really nervous given our son's profile, so we started looking into privates but preference was to keep him in the otherwise excellent gifted program in the public. Now the school office just opened and i found out the gifted class this year is 36 kids with two teachers. I'm going in this afternoon to find out a bit more about how this will actually work in practice, but i'm assuming they didn't split it into two classes either because they don't have a physical class for it, or because only one of the teacher's is certified to teach gifted.

This class size is absolutely bonkers, right? So many voices. So much chaos. I'm assuming there are a lot of 6 year old kids -- NS or neurotypical -- who will struggle in a class with 36 kids and two teachers. This would be a terrible idea, right? and i shouldn't even be debating private versus public at this point, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No longer in the DC area, but in our state, K-3 class sizes are limited to 18. Son(6) is adhd and has had increased anxiety/sensory stuff since starting K, but did really well in his mainstream K. His school has a full time gifted class starting in 1st grade. Last month, I found out from a neighbor that last year's gifted class was 28 kids but two teachers. That had us really nervous given our son's profile, so we started looking into privates but preference was to keep him in the otherwise excellent gifted program in the public. Now the school office just opened and i found out the gifted class this year is 36 kids with two teachers. I'm going in this afternoon to find out a bit more about how this will actually work in practice, but i'm assuming they didn't split it into two classes either because they don't have a physical class for it, or because only one of the teacher's is certified to teach gifted.

This class size is absolutely bonkers, right? So many voices. So much chaos. I'm assuming there are a lot of 6 year old kids -- NS or neurotypical -- who will struggle in a class with 36 kids and two teachers. This would be a terrible idea, right? and i shouldn't even be debating private versus public at this point, right?

Sounds terrible, especially for a child with ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Wait, so they are going to have 36 1st graders in a typically-sized classroom? That doesn't even seem safe, fire hazard-wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so they are going to have 36 1st graders in a typically-sized classroom? That doesn't even seem safe, fire hazard-wise.

OP here - i think it's a larger-than-typical classroom because it's typically been mid-twenties and two teachers. I also hear they have amazing resources with several special centers in the classroom. So no, not jammed in a single small classroom. But regardless.....

[Anonymous]

It's really a tradeoff. My ASD/ADHD kid does well in a gifted classroom with 27 students and just 1 teacher because the material is stimulating. Private school offers smaller class size, but might be boring.

Make sure the teachers understand and follow the IEP.

[Anonymous]

I think you need to learn more about how the class works in practice before making decisions. I went to an elementary gifted program like that, and we effectively were split into two classes, there was a divider in the room to create separate spaces, and the two groups switched between the teachers throughout the day to work on different content (one was math/science-focused, one was language arts/history/social studies-focused). It worked pretty well for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you need to learn more about how the class works in practice before making decisions. I went to an elementary gifted program like that, and we effectively were split into two classes, there was a divider in the room to create separate spaces, and the two groups switched between the teachers throughout the day to work on different content (one was math/science-focused, one was language arts/history/social studies-focused). It worked pretty well for us.

OP here. This is exactly what i'm going in to ask about this afternoon. This is the only possible way i think this works for us. The two privates we are considering are all pretty well regarded on academics but aren't technically gifted, though we have many friends who keep their gifted kids in them in lieu of the public gifted program. Our public system has an extremely rigorous well regarded full time gifted school starting in 2nd grade, and given our son's profile, our specialists all think he would thrive in that starting next year. So whatever school he goes to this year doesn't have to be a forever program -- though obviously it would be wonderful to find a private school now that we loved enough to keep him in long term if we so wanted. Because more choices are always better.

[Anonymous]

I can't say that class size has ever been a factor in my son's success. If he is having a bad day or his medication wore off, he could be in a class of two and not function. If his medication is effective and he gets the identified supports, he can work in a room with an unlimited number of people. The key is finding the right supports and then implementing them.

One of my son's supports has been to be able to leave the class and work in the hall or move to a different part of the room if he needs to.

[Anonymous]

People worry so much about class size but there are so many other factors that go into a successful classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People worry so much about class size but there are so many other factors that go into a successful classroom.

For kids with sensory issues, class size can be crucial. Larger classes mean more noise. If your kid is very sensitive to noise it may difficult or impossible for him to function in a large class.

[Anonymous]

36 is crazy for that age.

[Anonymous]

I'm a kindergarten teacher and this fall I have 35 kids on my roster. No aide, no co-teacher, no help. I've had as many as 33 in the past. If we get to 40,they'll split the class, but it will likely take 6-8 weeks. 35 is not ideal but I have super strong classroom management and will ensure that 90% plus are reading by year's end. Of course I'll also need anxiety medication too but that's my district!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a kindergarten teacher and this fall I have 35 kids on my roster. No aide, no co-teacher, no help. I've had as many as 33 in the past. If we get to 40,they'll split the class, but it will likely take 6-8 weeks. 35 is not ideal but I have super strong classroom management and will ensure that 90% plus are reading by year's end. Of course I'll also need anxiety medication too but that's my district!

Where is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a kindergarten teacher and this fall I have 35 kids on my roster. No aide, no co-teacher, no help. I've had as many as 33 in the past. If we get to 40,they'll split the class, but it will likely take 6-8 weeks. 35 is not ideal but I have super strong classroom management and will ensure that 90% plus are reading by year's end. Of course I'll also need anxiety medication too but that's my district!

That's an insane class size for elementary.

Op, find a different option if you can. Don't worry about giftedness. That won't go away. Your kid needs a class size that won't sink him socially or from a sensory perspective.

[Anonymous]

36 6 yr olds with 2 teachers is crazy, yes, even if they are "gifted." At this age, socialization is just as important as the academics and for a child with ADHD and sensory issues, the class size is going to cause a lot of stress and anxiety. I would find another smaller more nurturing environment that will make for an enjoyable K experience.