My district has a cap of 24 students in grades K-3. However, summer school doesn't have a cap. When I looked at my roster for Monday, I noticed that I had 32 kids on my list. Yes--I had 34 kids when I taught middle school, but they were less needy than students in primary grades. Thankfully, I'm starting up right where I left off (curriculum wise, I mean) and I'm going to have 9 of my own students. The rest of the students are coming from other sites, so hopefully, they'll have the same foundation that my own students have. Side note: Summer school is not intended for intervention purposes. It's only for ELL (English Language Learner) students because we get special funding for them.
You have non special ed summer school?! And a class size cap of less than 35 in public school districts?! Maybe I should move to the Central Valley... That said, I'm sorry! Our cap is 20 (I am at a charter), and going up to 32 in the summer (especially since it's the summer!) would be very hard for me!! But it is really cool that you'll have 9 of your own students! That seems like a lot of it's a districtwide class - did they sign up because you're teaching it?
I've been with my district for 8 years and this is the very first time I've seen them offer summer school for non-SPED students. There will be four 2nd grade summer school classes. A few of my kids' parents were on the fence about sending their children (I think the words "summer school" have a negative connotation), but I assured them that it wasn't for remediation purposes. Yes--they knew I'd be teaching it. In fact, a few of my students were in TEARS because they're not ELLs; therefore, they can't attend summer school.
I had 32 my last two years of teaching in the general ed classroom. Several classes at my school have up to 33 students! Luckily when I taught summer school I had under 10 per class, but it was for reading intervention. Do you get to choose the curriculum or is it given to you?
Forgive my ignorance (there is just a tiny population of ESL students here), but what do you teach over the summer? I am accustomed to summer school being used for remediation or enrichment. And that's a lot of kiddos! I went through a period of having forty-five second graders. When you run out of chairs and bean bags, the classroom if officially FULL!
Not only do I get to choose my curriculum (a freedom I don't get during the regular school year), but we're getting ready for Common Core, so all summer school teachers will be piloting the use of iPads in the classroom. Each student gets to use an iPad (no sharing...everyone gets their own). They can't take it home, but they get to use it every day during class. Fun! Here in CA, all English Learners take something called the CELDT (California English Language Development Test) each year. Our goal for summer school instruction is to get them ready for the test (they take it during the fall of every year). We want our students to score high enough so they can be "redesignated" (reclassified as fluent English proficient). Fun Fact: We have over 1 million English Learners here in CA (in grades K-12).
YoungTeacherGuy, I have a question maybe you can help me with. Parents in my program are complaining that a local school (not mine) has classified all students with a Hispanic surname as English Learners, even when their parents filled out the forms saying their children speak English, not Spanish in the home. They have repeatedly asked for re-designation, but the school is ignoring their requests, probably because they get more funding if they have more English learners. What can they do?
Wow...our summer school is intervention only and classes are capped at 10. The regular school year is capped at 24. I couldn't imagine summer school with 32.
When a parent enrolls their child in school for the first time (normally in Kindergarten), they fill out a "Home Language Survey." This survey asks parents what the primary language spoken at home is. If they choose anything other than English, they're automatically considered an English Language Learner. However, if they chose English as a primary language, then they won't be considered an ELL. The criteria for redesignation in each district varies. Generally, a child has to be considered a C4 (Early Advanced) or C5 (Advanced) on the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) and have Proficient scores on the California Standards Test.
I am teaching the ESL class for summer school at my school as well! I am used to having third graders, but was asked to teach kindergarten for summer school since they needed one more teacher who was ESL certified to teach it! I have surely decided that I miss my third graders after just a week with kindergarten, but they are quite an adventure!
Wow, what a great idea for a summer school program!!! I wish my school had something like that! And iPads - Cool!!!! That sounds like it would be really fun to teach, even with the class size! At our school, MANY Spanish speaking parents choose English on the Home Language Survey. I have a few kids in my class who are designated as EOs and clearly speak Spanish at home since their parents do not speak English. There seems to be a stigma about it around here.
Perhaps put some of them on learning sites like ABCya or RoomRecess. That way they are practicing math or word type stuff while you can tend to others. Good luck!
