Classroom placement

My girls are currently in kindergarten at a private school and I put them in separate classrooms. They have handled it fine, however, I have noticed a few problems. First they always have parties/events at the same time so it is very hard when I try to volunteer to go back and forth between two classrooms. But the biggest issue is with friends. One of them doesn't seem to enjoy any of the girls in her class and prefers to play with the girls in my other daughters class. However, when it comes to parties, she is never invited, just the one in that classroom is because there is a school rule that you have to invite all of the same sex in the class to the party or the entire class. Well my daughter that is not in that class is never invited and keeps getting very hurt feelings because she feels these are her friends too.

Next year, for first grade we are transferring them to public school due to the expense, and I am wondering if it might be better to put them together. They did just fine together in pre-school and neither is dependant on the other one. Has anyone switched placement of their twins back together after being separated? Also, if they have to go to a new school, which they don't know yet because I know how upset they will be, I thought it might make for an easier transition.

I do appreciate any advice.

 

When I was talking to the school counselor at the school mine will be going to, she mentioned putting some twins back together. They have been building new schools and remodeling some of the older schools, so some of the kids will have gone to 3 different buildings in 3 years. She said some of those twins they have placed back together to help them through the building changes and it went fine. Those particular sets were in 4th grade. Luckily, next year all the schools will be open so we won't have to do the shuffle.

Marissa

 

My children are separated and if I found that it wasn't working academically and thought them being together would improve things then I would not hesitate to request they get put together but I will not do it because of social issues like you describe. Sure one of my children will get invited to this party or that party and one has this friend or that friend but to me that is part of life's experiences and part of growing up.

In regards to the same things happening in the classroom, I take turns and trust me they know when it is their turn lol!!!

 

Is she playing with those other girls because she likes them or because her sister is playing with them? Either way they will be in a different school with different children next year. For me I would think the question is whether or not you feel they would be better off together or apart. Part of school is making friends. Normally this happens inside the class room. You daughter (and my sons for that matter) have the option of making more connections outside of their class through their sibling. "normally" the sibling would be older or younger and there would not be the same interaction. "Normally" sibs want distance from family when at school. Good luck with your decision We will be there soon. I am leaning to seperate rooms, eventhough it would be more convenient for them to be together.

 

At our school, the number of parents that come to any function is limited--unless you are a room mom. So, it really isn't a problem to have the boys in different classrooms, I just make sure I sign up for a different party for each of them, and make sure I come in the same number of times. I think going to a new school, both girls will have the opportunity to find new friends within their own classrooms. Yes, sometimes the birthday logistics are tough, but if they were in different grades, you would have the same issue anyway.

I totally agree with ehm's assessment here.

 

QUOTE(ehm @ Mar 20 2009, 06:59 PM) [snapback]1237451[/snapback]
My children are separated and if I found that it wasn't working academically and thought them being together would improve things then I would not hesitate to request they get put together but I will not do it because of social issues like you describe. Sure one of my children will get invited to this party or that party and one has this friend or that friend but to me that is part of life's experiences and part of growing up.


I also agree with this. My guys have been separated for K and now 1st, but I am in thought process now of wondering if placing them together next year would help. I have one twin who is having trouble being motivated and starting his work, and seems to wonder around room with various stall tactics (needs a pencil sharpened, a drink, to go to bathroom, etc) we have been talking with his teacher and will be talking with school councilor if they feel the boys would benefit being together. But I would not consider the change for social reasons they know many of the same kids from lunch time, playground, childcare, and Karate class that it really hasn't been an issue.

 

I choose to place my girls in the same class and it works very well for us. They were in Junior Kindergarten (age 4) together and now they are in Senior Kindergarten together. It works well socially and academically for us. They are in French Immersion and I have some French, but not much so they rely on one another a lot for practice. They learn a lot through songs and rhymes and repetition. They constantly bounce these songs and rhymes off each other and encourage each other as well. They don't have homework yet, but I imagine that they will be a great help to each other with this as well. They actually do have different favourite friends in school, but the entire class is quite close and they do get invited to the same parties. So far, all of this works well. The teacher has also said how they motivate each other and help each other in class. I wouldn't be worried about putting them back together at all.