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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Do schools assign students with less behavioral problems or fewer academic challenges to the first year teachers who may be fresh out of college? Do the more experienced, veteran teachers end up with kids who need remedial lessons or who may be more difficult to manage?

When my DD was in 4th grade (not DMV) there was some gossip that they gave the new teacher an “easy” class since he was inexperienced. At the time I didn’t believe it but now we are experiencing something similar here in our new school and I am starting to wonder. [/quote]

In my experience, in U.S. public schools, new teachers are often given the toughest class assignments. Possibly to weed the weakest ones out. Possibly because veteran teachers exercise influence over course assignments.

In my first school, my assignment was really effed up. I had three preps spread across two grade levels and my neediest class had split lunch. It had previously been the assignment of the department head, who taught only four classes rather than three. After she retired, it was given to the most junior in the department, a second year teacher who had to teach five classes. She quit 3 weeks into the school year. They had a rotation of subs for nine months. I interviewed that June and was hired for a generically described position that I was told would be mostly advanced students. When I saw my final classes in August, I was stunned.

It’s gotten better over the years. I am no longer floating between classrooms five times a day. I have only two preps. However, I always get whatever parent is threatening to sue the district and usually the most gender imbalanced classes out of the entire school. Eighty percent boys in the last period of the day is a special hell. It’s still paradise compared to what I see the newest members of our staff contending with. At least put experienced paras with new teachers if you want to must assign them the class of 30 seventh graders reading 3 grades below level.   [/quote]

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