Debating first grade placement

My girls are together this year in K with an amazing K teacher who also happens to be a mom of 5 year old twins. If I had singletons, I would have wanted both to have this teacher. She teaches classes for K teachers as well as parents in the district and is highly respected. I debated whether or not it was best for the girls to stay together and asked the preschool teacher and aide for their thoughts. Both felt the girls would do well together and being together never caused issues in preschool. So, we went ahead and kept them together for K with Mrs. M.

I had planned to split them in 1st grade. They have been at the school I teach at for three years now for preschool and K. We will likely move them to our home district for third grade and I'd like them to be used to being apart prior to the move. There are 3 first grade teachers. One was placed there for various reasons and there is no way this person will have either of my girls. That leaves me with two choices. I had planned to have Mrs. B. for Jessica and Mrs. H. for Katelyn. Well, their K teacher is telling me she would place both girls with Mrs. B. She feels Mrs. B. will be the best fit for both of their personalities and there could be issues with Mrs. H. The K/1 team works together a lot, so the K teacher is in a better position to know teaching styles etc. than I am. I teach 3rd and work mostly with the 2/3 teams. The K teacher says they are independent of each other during class time, have different social circles, and there are no issues having them in the same class. Both girls like being in the same class, neither is dominant socially. Would you take the K teacher's advice and keep them together?

 

I would keep them together. And that is coming from me who decided to split them since 4 year old preschool. They are in kind this year and one has a fine teacher and the other has a crabby old teacher who puts no effort into anything. My son who has her has cried himself to sleep a few nights. If I knew how this year was going to be and that one of the teachers sucked, I would have kept them together and asked that they be placed in one of the other classes. My boys stick together like glue which is why I separated them. They still find each other at recess and play only together and neither of them have really bonded with anyone in their class this year so looking back, if I may have kept them together my one son would not have had such a negative experience at the beginning of his school career. Now next year we have a great 1st grade team and I will be having a meeting to demand the placement I want for them after such a horrible year. So I guess all that to say I would go with the good teacher overall to be sure they have a positive 1st grade year. SInce they are not dependent on each other and have different social circles, I would lean towards taking the kind teacher suggestion. I have learned 1st hand what a horrible teacher can do to a chid. I taught 1st grade for 6 years and saw some teachers who were burnt out but never really thought about how much damage they really were doing to the children.

 

I would keep them together. If the teacher sees no reason to separate them, I would give them the opportunity to be together again and have the best fit for a teacher.

Nicole, I'm so sorry! :hug: That is one of my biggest fears if I choose to separate my boys (I already know I won't for kdg., but not sure about after that). I hope next year is better for your boys!

 

Nicole, I am so sorry your son has had such a terrible K year. I hope you get the placements you want for next year and that he has a much better experience.

Thanks for the replies ladies. I think I just needed to hear from other moms that its okay to keep them together even though my long term plan was to seperate them. There are good choices in second grade as long as staffing stays the same, so we will revisit seperation next year.