[bajj]

Hello everyone. This is the beginning of my 7 yr old's 4th week of 2nd grade and he was changed into a new class today. I think he officially might have been yesterday but he was out sick.

His teacher is going to be teaching a split class and since he is "advanced" and doing 3rd grade work, he was moved to the "advanced" teacher's class. OK, this sounds fine, but he comes home upset.

Now we have to get used to a new class, new procedures, etc.

Poor kid is not happy. He said she is the "yelling" teacher. I guess I need to go meet her. I loved his old teacher.

[kretzklan]

They did this without parent consent? I find that crazy. Was this mentioned at the beginning of the year - that is was a possibility. I would be questioning the school further. Can't his first teacher give some differentiation to keep him challenged. I'm guessing that leaving those friends and routine is why he is upset and I don't blame him!

[bajj]

No, they didn't consult me first. They would have sent home a letter yesterday,b ut he was out sick. I did talk to the principal. He's not hte only kid that was moved, but he is only one of 2 who moved to this class.

The other teacher will be teaching 1st grade students and 2nd grade who are on 1st grade level, so she really wouldn't have much for him.

[ProspectiveSingleMom]

I definitely sounds a little strange. Maybe they had a teacher quit at the last minute and found themselves short-staffed or something. Regardless, they should have at the very least SAID something more than one day ahead of time so that the kids would have time to talk about their feelings and prepare for the change. At that age, kids tend to get really attached to their teachers, and they don't really have the capacity to understand "well, I know you like so-and-so, but you're too smart for her class now."

[crick]

Is the move to a completely new teacher/class all day and he's not having the original one at all? (confused what you mean by Split)

My kids have split classes where they have a "main" teacher but for math they might have a different teacher and reading they'll have their "main" teacher. Typically they have one teacher for math & science and another for reading & social studies. They do seem to divide the kids up so most are on the same "level".

So didn't know if it's like that or if he's just moved into a completely different classroom/teacher.

I think when you don't have the chance to prepare them, it's harder to deal with the adjustment. The school really needed to let you know in advance that this was going to happen.

[bajj]

They do pull some kids out for math, etc. But no, he has a new teacher all day.

His old teacher is doing a split class as in she has both 1st and 2nd graders in her class all day.

New teacher, new rules, etc.

[sayoko7]

Sigh...as a school administrator and a mom, I can speak from both sides. In this day and age of tightened budgets, principals are often forced into moves like this. The school is more cost effective when each classroom is filled to the max. It often takes a couple of weeks for enrollments to steady, and then we have to let parents know the bad news. The impact of these moves can be softened if students can visit the new rooms before the actual move takes place. Maybe there was a transitional activity the day your child was absent.

[bajj]

Fortunately he already went there for Math. He has, unfortunately, been having behavior problems since the move. He didn't before, and not even one time last year did he change his color. This year, well, he's not off to a good start.