My school is departmentalizing kinder, first, second, and third. Does anyone have any good stories or experiences with kinder babies having four different teachers during the day? I don't teach K so I don't have a point of reference, but it seems like they are way too young for this. I don't think first and second is old enough either. There are some third graders that have trouble.
No advice- just scratching my head. I can't imagine. Although, on second thought, it would be similar to old 1/2 day programs, right? Maybe it could work...
Some kinder teachers are excited. Some are not. I'm not excited myself. I'm thinking I'll be finding another school next year.
I have never heard of this happening successfully. I worked with a team who wanted to do it (basically because the teachers wanted to only plan one subject area and thought that would be easier). Luckily, we had a change in administration who decided against it. I was ready to go to a different school-there's no way I'd agree to teach Kinder that way. I think just in assessment alone-how do you accurately know where that many kids stand, we use mostly observational/one-on-one assessments at this level. If you only have them for maybe what 1 1/2 per day....
My school has Kinders switch for some classes in the afternoons. I do not agree with it at all, I think they are far too young.
This has me shaking my head. I'm thrilled that I'll be teaching all subjects to my grade 6/7 class. I think that to many of our students have too many teachers in front of them far, far earlier than they should.
A school nearby is planning on trying this next year. One of my former coworkers teaches K there now and will be teaching the reading classes. It boggles my mind. I don't think there's much benefit to the kids at that age, just to the teachers. I think before 2nd grade the kids are too young.
Wow, I can't imagine it in Kindergarden. We just departmentalized last year in 3rd and 4th. In third we only have 2 teachers. I teach Math, Science, and Social Studies, and the other teacher teaches Reading/Language Arts. I love it, but it is a big adjustment for our students coming from self contained.
I know in a school I subbed in there were only 2 teachers in most elem grades. 3rd would do this for science and I think social studies. 4th as well. 6th grade they had 3 teachers so one taught math, soc studies, and science they rotated that way. When I was in school we did in 6th grade with science and soc studies. I can't imagine K... I student taught K and that was tough enough on them. I taught 1st and Title One teachers coming in was overwhelming...
A nearby district had the teachers rotate rooms, instead of kids at least a decade ago. I can't speak to the effectiveness, or if they continued the practice. I personally am against it. I think 5th grade is a good time, to transition to middle school. I teach 4th and we are completely departmentalized. It is really hard for some 10 year olds to stay organized and keep up with 4 or 5 teachers personalities and expectations.
Wow!!! Departmentalizing kinder??? Part of kinder is developing a solid and trusting relationship with one or two teachers...really, planning for one subject in kinder is the justification??? Wow, again.
I don't agree. A facilitator that worked with our school last year said data shows departmentalizing is NOT effective because you don't have the cross subject connections. I wouldn't like it at all. Our school used to have a science teacher but they went back to classroom teachers teaching science.
I teach grade 1 and the only way I cover all my curriculum is by integrating my science and social studies into my ELA and math. I carry a theme through the month that allows me to do this. If my peanuts had different teachers this wouldn't be effective. Students need to be taught with essential learning in mind and cross curricular connections help with this.
We had a school in Arizona that tried it. They switched classes in K,1, and 2 and the students had a total of 3 teachers. They have decided to go back to self-contained as it didn't work well. Sorry, I don't know of any positives in departmentalized Kindergarten. It is confusing to me why well educated people would try such a thing.
I just heard through the grapevine that our 1st grade classes are going to do this for Reading & Math. 2nd grade did it this year. Once they worked out the logistics of it, it was successful. One teacher taught Reading, another Math, another Science and the last taught Social Studies/Phonics. The kids made great gains, especially in Reading.
Wow, just wow. Sometimes it's hard enough to settle down 5th graders when they change classes. I can't imaging with little ones. Even if they're not changing rooms, just teachers, I think that would still rock their world. And if the are changing rooms, crazy. Beth
That's interesting... I would much more prefer to keep my kinders all day versus rotating them. Please keep us posted on how this work. If I'm not mistaken a school here did that for their kinders last year.... I don't think it was successful because they had a change in administration as well.
