How is it decided which kid will get what teacher?

[Neera]

Maybe teachers would know this. I am curious. How is it decided who gets what teacher and which friends will be in their new grade?

[LuckyMommaToo]

In our public elementary, at the end of the school year, the current teachers assign their students for the next year. My son just started 3rd grade. So the three second grade teachers got together after school ended in late May. Each student's name is written on a card, along with any important info about them (do not place with kid xx, needs lots of structure, etc.). The teachers deal them out and reshuffle and reshuffle until it seems like they have the mixes right.

At our school, you may request that your child NOT be with another child, but they generally don't take friend requests. That said, my son's second grade teacher was very aware of friendships and made sure that each child had at least one buddy for third grade.

-e

[rnra]

I have a friend who teaches at a public school.  In their school--all the names for one grade are randomly placed into classes (75 kids, 3 teachers = 25 kids per class).  Then, after the random part, the principal reviews the lists and makes changes as needed keeping parental requests, special accommodations, etc. in mind.

[One_Girl]

I have seen it go a few ways. At the school I student taught at the teachers sorted the kids in their class according to their needs based on what they knew about the next teachers up and their teaching style. They also tried to spread the difficult kids out so no one teacher was burdened with all if them. The principal had the final say and sometimes regrouped kids. Under the first principal my dd had the principal allowed parents to request a type of teacher but not a specific teacher and everyone else was randomly sorted. Under the new principal the same system seems to be in place but she is more flexible about listening to parent concerns and moving children.

[tinuviel_k]

At our school we fill out a questionnaire at the end of the school year listing our child's traits, particular friends, children they have challenges with, and how we feel their learning will be best supported. We are not allowed to request a certain teacher, though. Near the end of summer a committee meets, goes through all of the forms, and assigns each child a class. No teachers are allowed: in fact, they cover the windows so the staff can't see in! We are in a public school. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness that goes in to our children's classroom placements.

[mamazee]

At my daughter's school, the current year's teachers meet with the next year's teachers and they decide among them. They try to keep kids together who work well together, separate kids who have trouble together, but mainly they try to find teachers who best meet kids' learning styles.

[ollyoxenfree]

My kids have attended schools with somewhat different systems.

One system was a clear-cut streaming system. The kids were assessed early on for achievement and the school sorted them into classes based on their test results. I disliked the system for all sorts of reasons, not the least because it promotes stereotyping between the students. I didn't like the emphasis on achievement over ability. It seemed to miss the point of a good educational system. It wasn't a North American school though and we were not permanent residents so we tolerated the situation. 

In most schools that my kids attended, at the end of the school year the teachers tried to sort the students with a range of abilities so that each class had a nice balance and one teacher didn't have all of the "easy" kids to teach and one teacher wouldn't have all of the "tough cases". They also considered:

- special needs (English as a second language, IEPs, etc.)

- gender balance 

- independence and maturity level (especially important if there were split grade classes in the next year)

- social issues (split up students who had difficult relationships, toxic groups, bullies and victims, and kids who tended to cause disruptions or distractions when they were in the same classes, eg. the BFFs who giggled and talked constantly instead of paying attention)

In most schools, the administration considered parent requests but there had to be some good rationale to support the request. "Teacher A has strengths in this area and my child connects really well with that kind of teaching" was more likely to succeed than "Teacher B is an awful old crank and I don't want my child near her", even if true.

[philomom]

Originally Posted by mamazee 

At my daughter's school, the current year's teachers meet with the next year's teachers and they decide among them. They try to keep kids together who work well together, separate kids who have trouble together, but mainly they try to find teachers who best meet kids' learning styles.

This is what we experienced in out children's elem. school. They sit down and have a pow-wow. Parents get to write little notes of input but they may or may not be followed depending on how the classes are "shaking out".

[JudiAU]

I'd love to be a bug on the wall during the discussion. At our K, the kids rotated between the two teachers the first week. Then the two teachers and the principal had a meet and sorted them out. The kids keep the teachers two years and the kids are regrouped across K-1 for reading and math so they are regrouped often. The school is a (highly sought after) charter and has a more interesting mix of kids than usual. Everything from very wealthy/play based private preschool/lots of enrichment to free lunch/academic head start plus I am sure plenty of IEPs along the ways. I imagine they want some of each group in each class.

[meemee]

Originally Posted by mamazee 

At my daughter's school, the current year's teachers meet with the next year's teachers and they decide among them. They try to keep kids together who work well together, separate kids who have trouble together, but mainly they try to find teachers who best meet kids' learning styles.

that's in our school too. sometimes the higher grade teacher also has the right to request a particular group of students.

in our school, presonal requests are frowned upon unless the child is having a  REALLY hard time.

[Neera]

Thanks. I guess it's different for different schools. And will have to find out how our school does it.

[~cassie~]

As far as I have known, our schools do a random mix.  BUT our current parish schools(total of 4 elem schools) have had some issues with segregation due to the fact that somes schools were 80% white, another 90% black, and so now the they are also trying to make sure that not only the schools represent the correct ratio but the classes as well.  They also try to do a good ratio of boy/girl.

We did a specific request with my kindergartener and were allowed to give the principal a list of acceptable teachers(yes we do have 1 very horrible one that destroyed my now 7 yr old in kindergarten) so we avoided her at all costs.  We will request next year as well and they are a lot more lenient with us and choosing bc my son does have some special needs AND bc we had to go through a horrible kindy teacher and will do everything possible to not have her again.

[Neera]

Originally Posted by ~cassie~ 

As far as I have known, our schools do a random mix.  BUT our current parish schools(total of 4 elem schools) have had some issues with segregation due to the fact that somes schools were 80% white, another 90% black, and so now the they are also trying to make sure that not only the schools represent the correct ratio but the classes as well.  They also try to do a good ratio of boy/girl.

We did a specific request with my kindergartener and were allowed to give the principal a list of acceptable teachers(yes we do have 1 very horrible one that destroyed my now 7 yr old in kindergarten) so we avoided her at all costs.  We will request next year as well and they are a lot more lenient with us and choosing bc my son does have some special needs AND bc we had to go through a horrible kindy teacher and will do everything possible to not have her again.

Sorry to hear. That must've been hard. Glad you are able to request.