What is your opinion of having your planning bell first and lunch fairly early instead of later? For 6th graders, I believe their specials and lunch should be at the end of the day, but I have been unable to convince my colleagues of this! Thanks for your input.
I didn't mind having my plan first- on days I didn't have morning duty- because I wasn't worried about getting caught in traffic and being late. It's also a good time to get copies run or use the laminator. I hate early lunch though. So much. Having both makes the day lopsided in an unpleasant way. I'd rather have a busy morning and easier afternoon. For the kids, that age is tired and cranky in the morning and I don't want them first thing. By late afternoon, they're mentally fried and generally compliant. I hate having 5th right after lunch/recess too because they're all worked up and rambunctious. As a specials teacher, I want middle grades early, the itty-bitties late morning or after lunch, and the big kids in the afternoon. Right now I'm on a 3-day rotation and last period is 6, K, 7. Having K at the end is not good for anyone.
If I taught 6th grade and was only looking at what was best for the students, I'd want their specials very early morning and very late. Unfortunately, this is also true for 7th and 8th grades so they probably want those times. No students sit at a desk well in any (K-8) grades last period of the day. Every classroom teacher wants specials like PE and Music that are more active that last period of the day. Because of this, I personally think it is most fair to not have the same grade level have all their planning periods at the same time, but divide up the schedule more equally among grades.
