First grade too structured?

[Karry]

Hi, this is my first post in this forum and I hoping to get some advice. My oldest started first grade a couple of weeks ago. She has been having a hard time since then. She tells me she doesn't want to go to school, that it is too long and that she wants to stay home. She did very well in an all day kindergarten last year, so it is not the length of the day that is bothering her, but more the structure to her day now.

Here is an the list of her schedule that was given to me from her teacher:

8:45-8:55 am - openings/morning work/daily language

8:55-9:20 am - phonics/working with words/spelling

9:20-10:00 am - writing

10:00-10:55 am - whole group reading/guided reading/centers

11:00-11:45 am - lunch/recess

11:45-11:55 am - bathroom/drinks

11:55-12:10 pm - read aloud story

12:10-1:10 pm - math

1:15-2:00 pm - (M-W) P.E. (Fri) art

1:15-1:35 pm - (T-Th) self-selected reading/individual reading conferences

1:35-1:45 pm - (T-Th) handwriting practice

1:45-2:00 pm - (T-TH) recess/snack

2:00-2:30 pm - (T-TH) thematic activities for SS/sci

2:30-2:45 pm - (T-TH) star student activities

2:45-3:30 pm - (T) music (Fri) art

2:00-2:10 pm - (M-W-F) handwriting practice

2:10-2:45 pm - (M-W-F) thematic activities for SS/sci

2:45-3:00 pm - (M-W-F) snack/recess

3:00-3:25 pm - star student activities

3:25-3:30 pm - pack/dismiss

I guess I just feel it is a lot of sit down busy work for a 6 year old. I've spoken to her teacher and she says she is doing her work well and is reading very well, but that she is still getting upset off and on during the school day. I'm wondering if this kind of schedule is just this teacher or if most of the other teachers in her school are similar or allow more freedom. With her being my first I am new to all this. I'm not sure what we should do first, any thoughts?

[Houdini]

Seems to be the same as what my crew had at their previous school. I think it is pretty common in public school to really start with schedules like these, so they can get everything in that they need to teach.

[CarrieMF]

When my dd was in Grade 1 they did stuff at circle time in the morning and had a morning recess and snack right after recess but other than that it looks pretty standard.

[Flor]

Wow. Printing it out like that makes it seem like a long, overly structured day. But, when I read it, it sounded like the schedule I used when I taught first grade and that the other first grade teachers used. I just would have worded it differently so it sounded like more fun (like mornings-- reading and language, after lunch-- art, reading and science) and I wouldn't have broken it down for parents on a day-by-day basis. Sounds like too much! Have you visited the class? Does it feel like too much? It sounds like they switch activities often, which is good for little minds, and they have several breaks. I recommend that you visit the classroom and hang out for a while. Your dc might be having issues that don't have to do with the schedule, like friend issues, or maybe the teacher's personality doesn 't mesh well with hers.

[alegna]

That would be pretty typical around here- EXCEPT- I see she gets recess 3 times a day! Wow- kids around here are lucky if they get one recess a day.

-Angela

[aniT]

I think it is standard, but IMHO I think it is too long a day and too much time between recess. When I was in 1-3rd we had a recess every hour even if it was only 10 or 15 minutes. While it might be common, I still don't agree with expecting 6 year olds to sit for that amount of time with no breaks.

[Karry]

Originally Posted by aniT

I think it is standard, but IMHO I think it is too long a day and too much time between recess. When I was in 1-3rd we had a recess every hour even if it was only 10 or 15 minutes. While it might be common, I still don't agree with expecting 6 year olds to sit for that amount of time with no breaks.

This is my feeling as well. Even if all that sit down busy work is needed to get in all that they need to learn, I just think it is too much for a 6 year old. I think they need more down time and play time.

My mom works at a public school in another district and she said their classes are less structured, maybe I should look into sending her there.

[2GR8KIDS]

My ds just started 1st grade in PS. I'm not exactly sure of his daily schedule, but I think it's similar to your dd's. He does have a mid-morning short recess, and the day is a bit shorter. FWIW, his kindergarten teacher told us the first few weeks of first grade are miserable for many kids, as they adjust to sitting in desks, a longer day, not as much play, homework, etc. So far my son seems OK with it but I don't think they have kicked in with all the academic activities yet.

[Silly Sally]

I am a teacher and have taught 3-5th grades. The schedule is pretty typical. I definately agree that it is way too much to expect of a 6,7,or even 8 yr old. So much pressure is put on teachers because of state and federal testing that teachers are almost forced into this type of schedule. Children this age need to be up and moving around and interacting with each other and their environment. Children that age are not developmentally ready to be sedentary for long periods of time. I now teach alternative ed and give my students as much opportunity to move about as possible. I worry about when my own ds will enter school. He only 17 mo old now but thoughts of homeschooling have already crossed my mind. There are many wonderful teachers out there but also some that are not so hot, not completely their fault. The system sucks to be quite frank. By making sure children are learning, thru testing, the gov. is, in essence, making it extermely difficult for teachers to provide the best learning environment possible. Sorry to ramble, I'll get off my box now.

[LindaCl]

Wow

I'm surprised to hear from so many that this is "typical". I knew it was getting very intense at an ever early age, but it sounds pervasive now.

When I went to first grade, we started at 8:55 and were dismissed about 1:15. Second grade was out at 2:30, Third at 3:30. There was one morning recess, and by third grade on through 6th, we had two afternoon recesses in addition to the glorious 50 minute long lunch recess.

Have children really changed that much that they need less rest and play? Or have reading or doing 2+2s become so much more complicated since those days that schools have forced them to focus so much longer much earlier?

Are the children really coping with this much school in first grade?

[midstreammama]

This is exactly what I am going through right now!

Dd came home today and was talking about her day and saying that she wasn't having a good time this morning but, that by the end of the day she was having fun. She gets home tonight and starts talking about how it is too long a time and that there are all these rules(she came from a montessori school)

TBH, it really freaked her out that she coulnd't get up and go to the bathroom when ever she wanted.

She is so afraid that she won't get check-plusses on her progress sheet, which I told her is nothing to worry about because she is smart and nice...all those things. She is still totally freaked!

She was bawling tonight going to bed, saying that she wanted to be homeschooled(which I would think about except that it would drive me bonkers!) and that she didn't want to go to school anymore...I really am at a loss. It makes me so sad. She used to love school.

[lauren]

I agree that it is getting a little worse. Just in the 5 years I've had children in public school there is gravitation toward more and more testing and more to be covered in the curriculum. I see this as a direct result of No Child Left Behind and other federal mandates.

[BusyMommy]

:

As a teacher, I totally agree. And, it is wrong. Mandatory but wrong. Thankfully, we have charter schools and that's where I'll send my own kids.

[Karry]

Originally Posted by midstreammama

This is exactly what I am going through right now!

Dd came home today and was talking about her day and saying that she wasn't having a good time this morning but, that by the end of the day she was having fun. She gets home tonight and starts talking about how it is too long a time and that there are all these rules(she came from a montessori school)

TBH, it really freaked her out that she coulnd't get up and go to the bathroom when ever she wanted.

She is so afraid that she won't get check-plusses on her progress sheet, which I told her is nothing to worry about because she is smart and nice...all those things. She is still totally freaked!

She was bawling tonight going to bed, saying that she wanted to be homeschooled(which I would think about except that it would drive me bonkers!) and that she didn't want to go to school anymore...I really am at a loss. It makes me so sad. She used to love school.

My dd was crying this morning telling me she didn't want to go to school as well. This is pretty much a daily event. Her teacher asked me this morning when her birthday was, I think she was wondering if she was still 5, but she turned 6 in July. Her being so emotional and upset about school is such a change in her, she loved kindergarten. Maybe I should look into a charter school or even homeschooling her for awhile. I want her to like school not hate it.

[meemee]

karry that is what i have been always told. k is fun, grade 1 is side down and focus work (i can see grade 1 teacher telling me my dd has ADD which is one reason i want to hs. sitting down with so few breaks is not something my dd can do easily because she is v. high energy). if ur dd is not hysterical give her maybe a couple of weeks more and then start hs or charter.

how about volunteering in her class. do they allow that?

[Karry]

She is doing much better now, I'm not sure what changed though. I was beginning to think it was that a boy was bothering her, but she said no one was bothering her. I dropped her off today and she didn't do her normal crying and saying that she didn't want to go, she just went in.

Thanks mamas for your suggestions.

[hkeller27]

When you type out every last thing that is included in your child's day, it certainly does seem like a lot! But as a teacher myself (now former K teacher, to be a mommy instead), I can tell you that it seems not only a standard first grade day, but a good one at that! Teachers are under tremendous pressure to adhere to ever expanding curriculums, which means lots and lots of teaching needed to be done in what's not always a lot of time. That said, try to look at it from this point: your child is changing activities about 20 times in a day! That means that she is being exposed to many different kinds of activities in her day, and it makes the day go by fast and exciting. I'd be more worried to see a 3 hour block in the afternoon that said "seat work". The length of her day also means she is getting a lot of time to learn social skills with her peers, which is so incredibly important to her success in life. Also, if it makes you feel better, the "daily schedules" that teachers give parents are rarely adhered to There's more downtime in there, but never let the administrators see it. Good luck. First grade is by far the hardest for a child, but so rewarding!

[Viola]

Here is my daughter's first grade schedule:
9:00-10:30 Reading Block
10:30-10:45 Recess
10:45-11:00 Snack
11:00-12:00 Calendar and Language Arts
12:00-12:45 Lunch
12:45-1:00 Storytime
1:00-2:00 Math
2:00-2:15 Recess
2:15-3:00 Science, Social Studies, Art, P.E. (I guess it alternates)

Music: Wed 2:15-2:45, Thurs 11:30-12:00
Computers: Thurs 2:15-2:45, Fri 10:00-10:30
Library: Fri 2:15-2:45

My daughter also attended a full day kindergarten and she's been having a hard time adjusting, so I can totally understand why your daughter is having difficulties.

[ayme371]

The fact that teachers are even expected to adhere to this type of schedule is disturbing. NCLB has completely forgotten to look at what is developmentally appropriate for a child,test scores are the focus, not what is best for a child.IMHO

[Karry]

Well, she was crying again this morning. I'm still not sure what is really bothering her, but the more I look at her schedule it just seems like way to much busy work in the morning. She doesn't have a recess or break until lunch at 11:00.

Viola, I see in your dds schedule that she has a morning recess. I remember having recess in the morning as a child, I don't understand why my dd doesn't have it. I'm sorry to hear your dd is also having a hard time adjusting.

I think it's time to talk to her teacher.