Post by ashinyla on Sept 14, 2013 10:47:17 GMT -5
I'm interested in your thoughts.
My school, for the past 2 years, has done a rotation system for grades 3-5, and this year for 2 as well. Basically, a group of 3 classes rotate on a 90 minute per class schedule with lunch, specials, and a 30 minute intervention block mixed in. One teacher is reading, one is math, and the last is LA/SCI/SS. I was that last one, though it's not important to the topic really. The kids rotate with their class, which is groups by previous years test scores initially as to a low/avg/high grouping. We then can make a few classroom changes. My school did AMAZING in scores this past year, raising our school grade from a C to an A and becoming 7th in the district. I believe that in addition to our many badass teachers, it was this system that helped. Many of the students really seemed to thrive under this system.
This year, as I mentioned, we are also doing it for 2nd graders. I am now in 2nd grade, where I was previously 3rd grade for 7 years. After 3 weeks, I am doubting this system. I simply do not believe that a 7 year old can handle it. I was asked to help pilot this system for the 2nd grade team, but I am stuck working with 2 very non-badass ladies who are just simply too stuck in their ways to change much of anything. They do not want to do any of my suggestions, although they are all things that worked successfully with my previous 2 years in this system. One of them is also very good friends with the reading coach, so no help on that front. The other is good friends with the assistant principal, so again no help. It's making this system that much harder to deal with. I have already been yelled at, both in front of kids and not, by both of them for doing things they perceived made us look bad, or for interrupting her lunch time. On the kid side, I can't even believe how many criers I have had this year. I never thought that a one level grade drop would be this much of a maturity change. They are struggling to keep up with all the classes, no matter how hard I try to keep them organized and try to do similar things to the other 2 so it's easier for the kids. I've been yelled at by a parent just this week for apparently "not doing my job" when her kid failed a test.
Where do I go from here? Do I go to the new principal, who doesn't know me or them, and already start complaining the 4th week of school? Do I stick it out and just keep plowing forward? It would be bad to have these 2 ladies against me, since they have such influential friends. With brand new curriculum and a new grade level for me, all the CCSS, ect. my nerves are about shot.
My school, for the past 2 years, has done a rotation system for grades 3-5, and this year for 2 as well. Basically, a group of 3 classes rotate on a 90 minute per class schedule with lunch, specials, and a 30 minute intervention block mixed in. One teacher is reading, one is math, and the last is LA/SCI/SS. I was that last one, though it's not important to the topic really. The kids rotate with their class, which is groups by previous years test scores initially as to a low/avg/high grouping. We then can make a few classroom changes. My school did AMAZING in scores this past year, raising our school grade from a C to an A and becoming 7th in the district. I believe that in addition to our many badass teachers, it was this system that helped. Many of the students really seemed to thrive under this system.
This year, as I mentioned, we are also doing it for 2nd graders. I am now in 2nd grade, where I was previously 3rd grade for 7 years. After 3 weeks, I am doubting this system. I simply do not believe that a 7 year old can handle it. I was asked to help pilot this system for the 2nd grade team, but I am stuck working with 2 very non-badass ladies who are just simply too stuck in their ways to change much of anything. They do not want to do any of my suggestions, although they are all things that worked successfully with my previous 2 years in this system. One of them is also very good friends with the reading coach, so no help on that front. The other is good friends with the assistant principal, so again no help. It's making this system that much harder to deal with. I have already been yelled at, both in front of kids and not, by both of them for doing things they perceived made us look bad, or for interrupting her lunch time. On the kid side, I can't even believe how many criers I have had this year. I never thought that a one level grade drop would be this much of a maturity change. They are struggling to keep up with all the classes, no matter how hard I try to keep them organized and try to do similar things to the other 2 so it's easier for the kids. I've been yelled at by a parent just this week for apparently "not doing my job" when her kid failed a test.
Where do I go from here? Do I go to the new principal, who doesn't know me or them, and already start complaining the 4th week of school? Do I stick it out and just keep plowing forward? It would be bad to have these 2 ladies against me, since they have such influential friends. With brand new curriculum and a new grade level for me, all the CCSS, ect. my nerves are about shot.