I know I'm going to sound like a terrible person/teacher, but I just got seven new kids in my room due to us losing one teacher to another school and a class being broken up, and already I don't feel like they're "my" kids and almost feel a little resentment. I don't want to feel this way, but can't seem to help it. I had a heavenly class, only 15 kids, all very well-behaved, probably the best class I've had in years, and we were doing so well for the first two weeks of school, then we get fruit basket turnover with the addition of the new students. Several of them are pretty active and egging on the few kids with behavior issues I already had. I'm having to reteach all the routines, which I know can't hurt as a reminder to my original kids. I hate that I feel this way - maybe it's just an adjustment period? I've never been in this situation before. I'd love advice from anyone who has. Thanks.
It's always hard when there is a shuffle of kids. BTDT too many times!
It's hard for those kids who have moved so I try and feel empathetic towards them. Last year I had 3 new students move into my class at the end of October, 2 of the 3 had behavior issues and it totally changed the dynamics in my classroom (UGH). It was hard but we went back to the beginning to reteach procedures and expectations. Eventually I grew to love them as much as the rest. Give yourself some time and try to make those new students feel welcome and a part of the class.
That's why I love when I have a completely full class on day one! The changing and moving can really throw off the dynamics. But since we've never been close to 15 I would have been worried that I'd be the one moving if my class was that small!
I was just thinking about this type of situation today. It's never happened to me, but it did happen to my niece in elementary. They added another class because of large numbers and every teacher gave up 4 students for the new class. My niece was one of them and she felt so sad. She took it personally and hated going into a new class that was already established. What made it worse was that her original teacher took her name tag, some papers, and a photo of her that was on some board of each student and threw it in the trash right in front of her before she left. Very hurtful. I know we all hate interruptions to our class but they didn't make that decision. I bet after a week or so they will be just one of your kids like the others already are.
I keep telling myself it is hard on everyone, kids included. I also felt so sorry for the teacher who was moved - a brand new teacher, and she had worked so hard on her room all summer long. Poor thing. Readwithme, in your niece's teacher's defense, if the situation was anything like the one at our school, she was given hardly any time to take the room apart. I bet (hope) your niece's teacher threw that stuff away without even thinking, just in the rush to get done. I suppose we will all make the best of it, but it really feels like our routine has been disrupted (of course, I know the kids' routine definitely has been as well). We will see how the next couple of weeks go.
I know I'm going to sound like a terrible person/teacher
You don't sound terrible at all! You are basically in mourning for the class you had and it will take time to adjust to your new class. And it is a new class complete with new interpersonal dynamics. I've never experienced this, but there is a certain adjustment that happens every time I get an individual new student, too. So this must be a hundred times harder.
You've had great advice here already. Just wanted to say "hang in there" and I'm sure things will fall back in place soon.
we just had a shuffle... 3 students got moved into one teachers class, and 2 got moved out from hers to mine (a numbers dance!). Of those 2, one was new to the school anyway, so it didn't impact as much, but the other - I know she moved him because she didn't like him - she told me so And when the K teachers had made up our classes, he had been specifically kept from 4 kids in my room because he majorly bullied them in K, but he thought they were his "best friends." The new P didn't know, I didn't know, but the PARENTS sure did, and didn't I get an earful. One parent said it all in front of the class..wowee! It took some serious community building to get us past THAT one.
Wow, Cheerio and OUDucks, I do kind of think you are not rocking the sensitivity at the moment. You seem to be missing the point here, which is not that she has 22 students, but that she is experiencing a major disruption to her class.
I have had larger classes at other schools and I feel confident in managing groups of kids. At the moment I am teaching in a school that caps their classes at 15. My current roster is 14. (We are an inclusion model school with a lot of behaviorally/emotionally challenged inner city kids.)
Teaching in a smaller class is a totally different thing. You develop an intimacy with each kid and family that simply isn't possible when you have 30 people to manage. OTOH, the expectations are different and the classroom dynamics are very intense. (I once had a class of 12 which I thought was infinitely harder to teach than the 25 kid classes I taught in other schools, mostly because of the mix of kids and their "special needs".)
Each class is it's own community building challenge.
Wow, being another Duck here, I was really disappointed in your post. When you use UO or Ducks in your handle, you should realize that you are somewhat representing the school. In my opinion, you didn't do that very well. The OP was concerned with getting 7 new students at once and having a hard time bonding with them. Also an increase of 7 students all at once increases a teachers work load by a lot!
To the OP, last year I started with around 30 students. A couple didn't show up of course. Then the new ones started enrolling. Every couple days I was getting a new student. I felt the same way. Well, at the end of the school year we have to record the students start and end date on their perm. record cards. I remember being surprised by the fact a few students were late coming to my class. I thought they were there the whole time. I have more of a problem with new students coming after January and bonding with them. At my school we have a large turnover. I can expect to have at least 6 new students per year. This year I'm starting with 32, if they all show up we might be looking at adding another class in a month or so. No room in the grade level for new students. I've never had to give up any kiddo's for a new class, I'm not sure how I will handle it, if it comes to be.
Here's hoping for a great school year for all, GO DUCKS!!!
...doing some team-building activities? Almost like starting over. Make those kids feel like you are so excited to have them ( even if you have to pretend for a little while) so they don't feel like the outsiders. It stinks to have your "perfect" group disrupted, but since there's nothing you can do about it, you need to re-start and make this new group your perfect group!
I think I'm representing the Ducks in a truthful and mature way (unlike Mr. Blount). Are we not allowed to disagree? I was not disrespectful or out of line. You even mentioned in your post that getting new students in January can be challenging. I agree. But new students 2 weeks into the school year? Even 7, although is a lot, is very doable in light that the class is now at 22 students.
Really, though, if disagreement is not allowed then PT would sort of be a cult, right?
Of course we're allowed to disagree, so therefore KMH is allowed to disagree with uoducks, right?
I now respectfully choose to disagree with your perception of what the original poster was venting about. Nowhere did he or she actually complain about the number, just about the disruption. Sure, he/she said
Quote:
I had a heavenly class, only 15 kids
but he/she has the right to miss what is gone while adjusting to the new situation.
A side note on class size...the best class I've ever had contained 27 students, the worst had 15. It's not the quantity but the quality--of the students AND the parents.
I understand your situation. It's difficult when the dynamics of a class are changed, especially when that many new students come in at one time. BTW the worst classes I've ever had were small - two students in one (an honors class) and 12 students in another. The class with 12 was a wonderful class until a student returned from alternative school and changed it completely.
Yes, two weeks into the school year can be a challenge. Adding and setting up for 7 additional students would be a lot to deal with. Also what is doable to one person may not be to another. We are here to offer support not to judge. The school certainly should have had this worked out before classes started.
I have no problem disagreeing with you. My problem with your post was you were representing my school with your name and you came across very smug and actually pretty whinny. I guess I'm not seeing the maturity in your first post. Plus we are mostly women around here and we LOVE drama. We also like to give advice and help others. Telling someone to quit complaining and suck it up just isn't fun.
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08-19-2010, 04:12 PM
And when the K teachers had made up our classes, he had been specifically kept from 4 kids in my room because he majorly bullied them in K, but he thought they were his "best friends." The new P didn't know, I didn't know, but the PARENTS sure did, and didn't I get an earful. One parent said it all in front of the class..wowee! It took some serious community building to get us past THAT one.
