Loudoun has charter schools? That's interesting. I didn't think there were any charter schools in NoVa.

I taught in a school that did this from time to time due to the balance of numbers. For example, third grade had ten too many and fourth had ten too many, so a combination was formed. (For example, two classes in each grade had five over--district would only allot one more teacher......

When this occurred where I taught, the combination had the best students from both grades. Some people think you would take the slow from fourth and the smartest from third--but that is not the way it works. The best students were chosen because they could adapt and work more independently.

Language arts and Math (as I understand) were taught as in any classroom--there may have been a wide span, but there is a wide span in all classes. I'm pretty sure that SS was taught according to the grade. I'm not sure how Science was handled.

I think it worked pretty well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how they do it around here, but splits weren't uncommon where I lived in the 70s/80s. There was some differentiation but some areas were common (e.g. Social studies).

I was in a split 3rd/4th grade class in MD in the mid 80s. There were 2 rows of desks for 3rd grade and 2 rows for 4th grade. They faced each other and the teacher was in the middle. So we would make faces and screw around while the teacher was facing the other grade. I did a lot of copying dictionary definitions that year. It is not ideal but it is hardly the end of the world.

PP -- that sounds awful. My split class experience was so positive -- perhaps because our teachers weren't beholden to such strict grade standards/ciriculum. We did not repeat the same topics the second year in the split. In fact we were ahead of many other classes in our cohort. It was the most engaging 2 years pre-college.

Anonymous wrote:I think it would be tough for science and social studies science the standards are so different.

Also for the 'specials' like music and art ... my kid repeated the same stuff 2 years in a row. Very poor execution.

I think it would be tough for science and social studies science the standards are so different.

Our school did it one year due to overcrowding. The teacher hated it, but got tons of support to manage the full curriculum for two grades. On the good side, my DC was basically bumped up a grade for that year. On the down side, he repeated everything the next year because they wouldn't move him to the next grade officially (the split class teacher did it unofficially). They also missed out on many grade-wide events with their peers because the teacher had to choose which grade's events to attend and couldn't do both.

On balance, I'd avoid if you have a choice, but it isn't the end of the world.

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how they do it around here, but splits weren't uncommon where I lived in the 70s/80s. There was some differentiation but some areas were common (e.g. Social studies).

I was in a split 3rd/4th grade class in MD in the mid 80s. There were 2 rows of desks for 3rd grade and 2 rows for 4th grade. They faced each other and the teacher was in the middle. So we would make faces and screw around while the teacher was facing the other grade. I did a lot of copying dictionary definitions that year. It is not ideal but it is hardly the end of the world.

They are called combination classes.

FCPS has this in some schools. The ones I have seen are either lower ES, or AAP.

Popular in flyover land.

Not sure how they do it around here, but splits weren't uncommon where I lived in the 70s/80s. There was some differentiation but some areas were common (e.g. Social studies).

I've heard of this too in FCPS. Kids will be in a mixed grade. I have no idea how it works but am interested.

Anonymous wrote:Do you mean at the same time or just during the same day?

For example we have teachers who have 3rd in the morning and then 4th in the afternoon or 5th and then 6th. They aren't combo classes though.

I am not sure. The School MY DS is attending this year is now a charter School. Its a small school in LCPS.. Before they became a charter school they would have 4th/5th grade Class.

Do you mean at the same time or just during the same day?

For example we have teachers who have 3rd in the morning and then 4th in the afternoon or 5th and then 6th. They aren't combo classes though.

I know some schools have some teachers teach Split grade. For Example grade 4th/5th grade? or 1st/2nd grade?