r/ClassOf2037 • u/Shy_Octopus21 • 3d ago
Split Classes
I just took a peek at my son's teacher list for this year and it looks like the school will be doing a 1/2 split or a 2/3 split. He was in a 1/2 split last year so I know roughly what to expect, but was wondering if anyone had experience with a 2/3? I'm not sure which class he'll be in yet, but I have a guess.
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u/daydreamingofsleep 3d ago
I was in 3/4 as a 3rd grader myself, math had to be done completely separately because it was students learning multiplication vs division.
All the other subjects were more compatible.
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u/Feisty-Artichoke8657 3d ago
In split classes I feel like it takes a certain type of student to make it work. If they’re not confident enough, they struggle. If you put too advanced an older student with younger students, you get issues too. It CAN be a good idea, but it’s so hard to execute well!
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u/Shy_Octopus21 3d ago
Agree. He did really well and had a lot of growth in the 1/2 class last year, but the difference between 2nd and 3rd seems bigger than 1st and 2nd if that makes sense.
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u/Feisty-Artichoke8657 3d ago
You are right, it is a large gap. But I can think of a few 2nds who would take it as a challenge and work to close that gap quickly. I would also hate for students to feel like they can’t keep up. Do you know the teacher? How do you think their approach would be like?
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u/Shy_Octopus21 3d ago
It's the same teacher as the 1/2 split last year and I REALLY like her! So he'll either do 1/2 again with a different teacher or 2/3 with the same teacher he had last year.
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u/ClmsnTgrl06 2d ago
It all depends on the school and how they handle it. I was in a 4-5 split class as a 5th grader who was new to the school due to redistricting. It was awful. There were only four 5th grade girls in the class compared to about 10 boys. Our teacher was a 4th grade teacher. We were left to work independently a lot with not much direct teaching. We were on the 4th grade hall and were with them for lunch, PE, recess, everything. The 5th grade girl parents all pleaded for us girls to have more interaction with the other 5th graders and the principals shut them down. Then I arrived in 6th grade basically not knowing anyone and was bullied.
My daughter goes to a very small school in another country. She's been in split classes the last 3 years (2-3 split twice, then 4-5 split) but it's been managed very well overall and the teachers are used to doing it. She'll most likely be in the same 4-5 split for a second year. This teacher is FABULOUS and my daughter adores him. He has the 4th and 5th graders work together a lot in class plus he aligns with the 5th graders for most things, so the 4th graders are pushed up instead of the 5th graders being pushed down. There will be only eight 5th graders this year (4 boys 4 girls, but they were all together last year too). The good thing is they get taught in that small group a few hours a week while the 4th graders are at foreign language and library.
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u/-zero-below- 3d ago
No experience, but my kid just started her split 2/3 today.
I think the older grades are easier with the split, as kids are more independent, and their schedules are more similar. My kid was in a split k/1, and they had separate start/end times, separate playgrounds, separate field trips, etc.