Questions on Split 1St/2nd Grade Class

My daughter's school has two lunch periods. In the first one, 1st, 2nd and one 3rd grade class eat together. The second period has the other 3rd grade class and 4th and 5th grade classes. It seems to work just fine. We've seen no problems at all with the interactions. I wouldn't worry if I were you. I don't think it will be a problem.

I have to ask this question. What happened to advanced classes for students who needed them in certain subjects and still remaining in the class and time schedule with their normal grade level? Is our educational system so broken it can't handle this instead of creating havic for the students?? Can't we hire qualified teachers anymore? What happens when they hit high school and are taking "advanced college" classes that are a different location (a situation we have in the town I live in" and the parents are supposed to provide transportation to the other location because we can't bus the students and they may have one class at the other location at 10 a.m. and another one at 1 p.m. but have to be back at the high school for lunch?
Seriously. I am glad your child is able to participate in the advanced classes but he should be having recess with the other children in his first grade class if he is in first grade.
When people get college degrees and get elected to school boards all of their common sense fails to go with them.

I have been in this same situation. I LOVE it. My kids did as well. It is a great way to interact with new kids and make some new friends. I would not be worried about the fact that your son will be interacting with 2nd and 3rd graders at lunch time. Have a good day! :)

Hi Dawn,

I think he'll probably be fine at recess. I'm not sure you'll have any 9 year olds, wouldn't that be 4th grade?

If you are still concerned, ask whether the school has done this before, if there were any issues, and how those issues were handled.

There's a wide variety of maturity levels, I'm sure he'll find some compatible buddies. Plus he will have his classmates to play with.

K. Z.

Hi Dawn! I wouldn't stress too much about the split class or even him being with the older children at lunch/recess. Typically the schools take the childs maturity/ academic capabilities into consideration when placing them into a split class with older children. I, myself grew up in split classes from the time I went into 1st grade clear thru 5th grade. I was always in a split class with myself being in the younger grade of the two. (k-6 was considered elementary back when I was in school at our district) I absolutely loved it! The way that I've seen / heard of these split classes working ( I also have a teaching degree) is that the 1st graders in the class will be paired up w/ a big sibling.. meaning a 2nd grader in the class to help them adapt and for special projects. Being in a split class he will be challenged to become an independent worker/ thinker. As some things are taught together such as art class, music, etc.... other times they will be taught lessons seperately meaning that while the teacher is working with the 2nd graders on Math the 1st graders will more than likely have an assignment that they will be working on independently and vice versa. I know that I personally remember learning a lot from watching / listening to the older children's lessons once my work was finished. Looking back at my classes and the students that graduated at the top of our class.... most of us were in the split classes. Don't know if that will make you feel any better or not... but like I stated I honestly don't think the school would have put him in the split class if they didn't feel he could handle or adapt to interacting with the older children. Relax, I'm sure he'll do just fine!