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Kathleen - Hi there! Are you all here to discuss the practice of looping?
Treefrog - Have you ever looped before?
Nancy - No, but I am going to 1st grade with my students in the fall.
Kathleen - I have not experienced looping but have observed it from afar.
kidbiz - Yes, I taught 1st grade this year and will go on to second with my class
Treefrog - I've looped from 6 to 7 and 7 to 8
Kathleen - Oh, Nancy, did you teach full day k this year?
Nancy - It will be my first experience with looping
Nancy - Yes, It was all day K
Treefrog - In my experience, if you get a good group of kids it can be wonderful
kidbiz - Several teachers i work with have completed several loops and I too have been an observer!
Kathleen - Did you all receive the link to an ERIC Digest I sent through some of the mailrings eaerlier this evening? Just in case, here it is so you can bookmark it for reading later: http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed429330.html
Kathleen - kidbiz, did you have a favorable impression as I did?
Kathleen - Nancy, I asked because I wondered whether you had 2 sessions and would be selecting one to loop with, but that is not the case.
kidbiz - I think it will be a great experience. I am already grateful for what i know about my kids starting in the fall. Yes my impressions are favorable.
Treefrog - it is nice to be able to get right down to business in August
kidbiz - I agree...
Kathleen - For those who are not certain about the definition of looping: "Looping" is the practice of advancing a teacher from one grade level to the next along with his or her class. At the end of a "loop" of two or more years, the teacher begins the cycle again with a new group of students.
Kathleen - For those who have impressions already, what benefits do you see for students involved in the looping situation?
Nancy - I am nervous, I have never taught first, but spent the last 13 years in K
kidbiz - Learning problems have been identified, relationships with parents are established and comfortable.
Nancy - One benefit I see is the students all ready know me and my expectations for behavior and work
Kathleen - Nancy, you know the kids though so you will just pick up where you left off. And of course you'll have the support of hundreds, thousands of mentors through Teachers.Net ;-)
Kathleen - Rountines are familiar
kidbiz - Nancy, I too taught k for 12 years. Then I taught second for 3 years and now first. You can do it.
Kathleen - that would be routines, not rountines *-/
Treefrog - The kids already know what you expect and what they can expect from you
Nancy - Thanks, for the votes of confidence
kidbiz - Right, routines, rules and expectations are in place.
Kathleen - stability and sense of community are mentioned as positive aspects of looping in the ERIC digest I referred to earlier.
Kathleen - nancy, will you use the same classroom?
Nancy - It amazes me what my K's can do at the end of the school year, I cannot wait to see what they will be able to do at the end of first grade.
blondie - I will start at 2nd and then in 2001 will go to 1st and loop up to 2nd with that class. Clear as mud?
Nancy - No, I will be moving classrooms, plan to do that next week once school is over
kidbiz - Do any of you do a summer picnic with your class or other activities? I gave my students each some postcards to stay in touchh during the summer.
kidbiz - In my school we stay in the same classroom but switch desks/tables and curr. materials.
Nancy - I like the postcard idea. Do they send them to you or each other?
Kathleen - :-) blondie, so you will loop down? ;-) Actually, you won't begin looping until you join the grade one class, right?
blondie - yes
Kathleen - Nancy, that's a disadvantage, having to move each year. You will have to move back after the coming school year to pick up your next k class?
kidbiz - Postcards are sent to me...will create a display in the fall. Postcards say here's where I've been hanging!
kidbiz - Where are you all from? I teach in Iowa
Nancy - That is the biggest downfall all the moving. And it's just two doors down.
Kathleen - I'm in Connecticut
Kathleen - Nancy, why must you move?
Nancy - I'm in Ohio
blondie - I am kinda nervous. I will begin Reading Recovery training when I go to first grade. Any suggestions or comments on R.R.?
kidbiz - Could you try just switching materials?
Kathleen - blondie, Reading Recovery teachers meet twice each month here, on the 2nd and the 4th Mondays of the month
Kim - My looping partner and I leave all of our grade level items in the room and take out personal items with us.
kidbiz - How will you do r.r. and teach first grade?
Nancy - Because the rooms are grouped by grade level my current room is a K room and the principal does not want me to stay there and have one first grade class divided by a K class, make sense?
Kathleen - Studies show fewer discipline problems and special education referrals, and reduced retention when looping is implemented.
blondie - We have floating teachers that teach math and science while we do our rr students. Get it? I will only be teaching my class reading and language arts.
kidbiz - I see...
Kathleen - nancy, I understand it, but maybe the reasoning isn't strong enough to put you through all that work. Does it seem like an awful lot of work to you?
Nancy - Sorry, for all the logged on. My screen keeps disappearing
Kathleen - I know of 2 teachers who do as Kim does, leave the room intact, just switch teachers
Nancy - Yes, it seems like a like of work. But, maybe I get a system down for packing and moving.
Kathleen - nancy, LOL! you will be able to present workshops on the art of packing and unpacking!
Nancy - How true LOL
Helene - I teach in Phila & we are supposed to loop next year. My concern is, I have a class this year that is 3/4 boys, and they are a tough group. While I have got them to where I want them to be, I am looking forward to a new class next year. I think that's one of the most exciting aspects of teaching. You get to start fresh every year.
kidbiz - It is a good chance to weed out stuff you don't need, Nancy.
Kathleen - Those of you who have looped, or watched it in action: Are there policiies in place that allow parents AND teachers to opt out of rigid grouping? If there are personality conflicts, etc. can any one of the parties elect not to participate in the subsequent year/s?
blondie - That is what is scaring me about looping. I also had 17 boys and 3 girls this year. I might have to slit my wrists if I had that class again. LOL
Nancy - Kidbiz, good point. I have started weeded a little bit it's amazing the stuff we teachers cannot part with.
Kathleen - Helene, that is a good point and I think there are situations in which a particular group needs a bit of re-grouping in order for the looping to be successful for all. 3/4 boys is an imbalance.
kidbiz - I think parents and teachers need to have the option of not having a child for 2 yrs if there are problems and it is in the best interest of the child to not loop.
Nancy - 17 boys and 3 girls, WOW what a class, the poor girls. What grade?
Kathleen - 17 boys and only 3 girsl? WOW! What was in the water 5.5 years ago?
kidbiz - One of my partners also had many boys and few girls.
Kathleen - LOL Nancy and I thinking alike!
Denise - hi from Ct,I am looping from 2 to 3
Helene - I like what all of you are saying. When you have a class that has major personalities, or such a great imbalance, provisions should be made. However, we have to do what the principle says
Kathleen - Hi Denise, just jump in, the topic tonight is Looping.
blondie - first grade. It didn't start out that way. I had many withdraws because our school is next to the crisis center. So I had the revolving door class--I always got the boys.
Nancy - Kidbiz, I agree teachers and parents should have an option. I feel lucky in that respect. I didn't have any real problem students or parents this year
Kathleen - Denise, is this your first experience with looping?
Denise - I will only be looping with 11 out of 22
Denise - yes
kidbiz - I am lucky to have and equal number of boys and girls.
Nancy - Denise, are you saying your class will only be 11 students? WOW
kidbiz - How big are your classes? I had 29 first graders this year.
Helene - For the ones who have looped, how did you fair learning the new curric. for the next grade?
Denise - our whole 2nd gr team is being looped and none of us has taught 3 before
Kathleen - 22 kindergartners, half day
blondie - 29??? I had 20. Our biligual teacher had 32 this year. I felt so sorry for her. She now has major burn out.
Kathleen - (I'm not looping)
Kathleen - 29 is too many first graders
Nancy - I will have 16 first graders. We have a grant for class reduction size for K-1. We are not suppose to have more than 16 students per teachr.
kidbiz - I have taught second so I know the curriculm. It was the first grade material I was unfamiliar with. I faired fine but it was a busy year! It will be easier the next loop around.
blondie - Opps! Can't spell tonight
Denise - no, I will have 22, repeaterf form third and new kids I guess and other peoples prom kids
Helene - In a Phila classroom, we average 30. Last year I had 33
Kathleen - Good question, Helene, especially the first time one moves to the next grade, getting accustomed to the new curric.
Denise - 30 thats ridiculous
blondie - Helene, do you have aides?
Nancy - I worry the most about teaching reading.
Helene - 30 & me. No aides
Kathleen - Has anyone witnessed what it can be like for a new student arriving in a looping class which has been together for more than a year?
Nancy - Your a saint Helene!!!!!!!!
blondie - I praying a short prayer for you right now..oh wait..maybe a long one!1LOL
kidbiz - I had an associate/aid in the room only because I had 3 autistic children who were with me all day.
Helene - Actually, reading was our strong point. I had children who increased 8 reading levels. Thank you Nancy for calling me a saint. I needed that.
Denise - I am worried about the cmt ct mastery test
kidbiz - There have been new students arrive in our school and they are accepted and fit in even though the others have more time together. The teacher needs to belp build commumity so that kind of situation will be successful.
blondie - Helene, what reading program are you using? 4 blocks? SFA?
kidbiz - I was pleased at how well my class did learn this year even though it was a big class. I am trying to do 4 blocks on my own. Our reading series is Macmillan
Kathleen - kidbiz, it seems important that teachers learn strategies for that community building to benefit students who enter a group which has been together for a longer period.
blondie - I will be trying 4 blocks as the "Lone Ranger" this year
Nancy - I used the building blocks in K and will be using 4 blocks in 1st. I hope and think it will be an easy transition for the students.
Kathleen - Jacobson, Linda. "'Looping' Catches On as a Way To Build Strong Ties." Education Week (October 15, 1997): 1, 16, 19.
Kathleen - Lincoln, Robert D. "Looping in the Middle Grades." Principal 78, 1 (September 1998): 58-59.
Kathleen - Steiny, Julia. "A Class Act: 6 Extra Weeks of Learning." Providence Journal (October 5, 1997): H1-H2.
swerky - I have looped twice. Gr 4 to 5 I love having different curr. alt. years. Does evryone have an Opt out built in for parents and teachers?
Denise - how wise is it to send a whole new team to a grade
kidbiz - Last summer I attended the Looping conference which was held in Ohio. It was great. I would recommend this conference. It is being held in Indianapoli this July I believe.
Kathleen - Why do you think it's important (as some believe) that the environment be adjusted for the second year of the looping experience?
Kathleen - Denise, would they have mentors who have taught that grade? It would seem to be important to have some experienced teachers available.
Denise - kidbiz was the conf really worth it
Denise - 3rd gr team is burnt out
Kathleen - Good question, swerky. Does everyone have an opt out policy built in for parents and teachers.
Denise - was is an opt out policy
kidbiz - I thought so. Jim Grant has lots of good material on looping. The conference was through SDR
Kathleen - Burke, Daniel L. Looping: Adding Time, Strengthening Relationships. Champaign, Illinois: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, December 1997. 2 pages. ED 414 098.
Kathleen - opt out means participants have the option to leave the looping arrangement
Denise - I meant What is an opt out policy???
kidbiz - Kathleen. are any of these articles online?
Denise - are there ever parents that object
Kathleen - Forsten, Char, and others. Looping Q & A: 72 Practical Answers to Your Most Pressing Questions. Peterborough, New Hampshire: Crystal Springs Books, 1997. 129 pages. ED 411 086.
Kathleen - kidbiz, I don't know whether they are online, I'm getting them from the ERIC digest
kidbiz - In our school if a parent objects to a looping arrangement, the child can be placed in another classroom.
er - I loved looping with my class this past year but hate changing curriculum so much
Nancy - This will be my first experience, but I did not have any parents ask to pull their child from my class.
Nancy - What grade er?
Kathleen - Grant, Jim, and others. The Looping Handbook: Teachers and Students Progressing Together. Peterborough, New Hampshire: Crystal Springs Books, 1996. 160 pages. ED 399 083.
er - 1st to 2nd
Denise - our third grades take a mastery test 3 times a year and all we do is prep for the test ,,,, great pressure f.rom the new superintendent
kidbiz - I think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages of looping. Looping is a great way to challenge the teacher too. It will prove to be a year of growth for all.
swerky - I've read alot of the articles you mention, Kathleen. They are good and honest. They seem to reflect my experiences. I conducted a looping seminar in Hershey, PA with my principal and we used them to prepare as well as to inform parents. We've had good attitudes towards looping. We use looping partners to share materials.
er - denise where do you teach
kidbiz - Would it be possible to have a looping discussion a few times during the year. This might help with problems or questions which arise after school gets rolling.
Denise - in Hartford CT inner city big system
Nancy - Swerky, what is a looping partner?
er - i teach in FL and Bush ahs really taken accountability to the extreme
Denise - ive done 20 yrs in first just went to second and now am being sent to third
kidbiz - We have looping partners too. A partner is someone you switch with. I teach 2nd, my partner is in first or vice versa
er - denise is this a move you wanted
Denise - NO
kidbiz - I think a person has to want to loop. In my situation the primary teachers all want to do this. It won't be successful it teachers are made to do something they are uncomfortable with.
Denise - the current 3rd grade team is soo burnt out they told principal they wanted to loop from second to third so they could get out
swerky - My partner is in fifth grade. She will come back to fourth while I go to fifth. I like having the curriculum change every other year. It keeps me fresh, and I gather materials thru the year for the next year.
Nancy - I agree, I am excited and a bit nervous about teaching a new grade, but it was my choice and I am looking forward to next year.
Nancy - Swerky, do you and your partner change rooms each year or do you get to keep your same room?
Denise - I will certainly give it a try and I guess I am curious about going higher
swerky - I too believe that the teacher has got to want to try looping. I have experienced only one bad thing about looping...the kids are so much a part of a "family" that they sometimes behave like brother and sister. They sometimes slip and call me Mom.
Claire - do you only loop for 2 grades?
Denise - the prob is the pressure from central office and accountability thru constant testing
kidbiz - Claire, yes first to second.
tchkdz - Hi! I am looping from a k/1 to a 1/2. I am glad, but nervous. I am a non-tenured teacher and I am afraid for my job the following year. How do I make sure that I get my 1st grade position back?
Kathleen - You'll find a collection of messages from discussions about Looping on the chatboards at: http://www.teachers.net/FAQ/looping.html
Kathleen - The first day of school in the second year of looping must be MUCH more relaxed than the average first day of school with a new group of students and families
swerky - Nancy, we keep the same room. Our rooms are in "wings" so we are next to each other (Gr. 4 and 5). The problem comes when 3rd loops to 4th (different wings) but our school is not huge and we are allowed to keep the same rooms anyway. It seems not to be a big deal for us.
kidbiz - Thanks Kathleen..got them bookmarked.
Kathleen - tchkdz, isn't that understanding built into the Looping arrangement? Your job shouldn't be any less secure than if you didn't loop, right?
kidbiz - I feel the first day will be like old home week. We can catch up on what happened and then take off from there!
Nancy - Kathleen, we have a school garden and my students planted flowers this year. We took pictures and measured them. I thought the first day back we look at the pictures and remeasure the flowers and talk about the changes that happened over summer to the garden and to us.
Kathleen - kidbiz, sounds efficient and enjoyable!
kidbiz - Nancy, great idea!
Kim - Do any of you meet with your students over the summer?
Kathleen - Nancy, that is a wonderful illustration of a benefit of looping! you should write an article about that project
tchkdz - It's a trick because I do not have a looping partner. This is happening because of low enrollment in the current Kgn/1st grade classes. Long story. I am hoping that my principal hires a teacher with less seniority than me to fill an empty spot. Then I will be safe. She says she will if she can. She wants to keep me.
kidbiz - I gave the children postcards to send to me. A summer picnic is a possibility.
kidbiz - Kim where do you teach?
Nancy - Thanks, this is my first experience with looping and I want to try and make a connection on the first day back to their K experience to make them feel comfortable.
tchkdz - I need some advice about a word wall. should I keep it up or take it down and start again?
swerky - tchkdz, we have, on occasion, had a teacher get "stuck" in a grade. But they have never lost a job! I think going into looping, you must assume you'll get "stuck" so you have to like both grades. For ex. I like 4th gr. kids better, but our 5th gr. curr. better. I'm happy either way.
Claire - kidbiz--do you send them postcards too?
tchkdz - No- the problem is my position is a 1 year thing. There will be 3 2nd grades and 2 first. Next year, 2 of each
kidbiz - I will send them postcards too. Will create a display in the fall of returned postcards.
Kim - I loop 1/2 and a colleague loops 2/3. We have taken our classes on a field trip each summer. It's been really fun and we've had a good response.
tchkdz - I told her I wanted it in writing
Kathleen - tchkdz, it sounds as though you have the backing of your principal.
Claire - sounds like a good idea, thanks!
tchkdz - Yes i do
tchkdz - Still worried though
tchkdz - Any wordwalls out there?
swerky - the last week of school, we create summer activity packs to return in the fall. They are filled woth all sorts of activities. I also keep email going with my kids. I had some kids send me a tape of their voices over the summer. What a hoot!
Bev - I am a supporter of looping!
kidbiz - I too created summer activity packs to return in the fall.
kidbiz - Yes i use wordwalls.
Nancy - Yes, i use a word wall.
Kim - I use a word wall too.
tchkdz - I have a unique situation-- last year I long-term subbed for Kgn 1/2 of the year- This year I took 11 of my students from last year in my class. Now next year I will take those same 11 with me so I will have had them for 2 1/2 years. I am excited because they are a great bunch of kids.
Kathleen - Don't forget to check out this month's edition of the Teachers.Net Gazette at http://teachers.net/gazette
Bev - I had the same group for two years and loved it. The start of the year just flows!
tchkdz - Ok- my wordwall Q- Should I leave it up for a 1/2 or take it down and start over. I have a K/1 this year
kidbiz - I am planning to start over with second grade words
swerky - tchkdz, are you hires as a long term sub? If not, they should provide you with a position even though it may not be your 1st choice of grade. Then with seniority you can move to where you want.
tchkdz - I compared words in Cunningham's books- they are almost identical.
swerky - The start of the second year does flow.
Mary - I would like to hear the positives and negatives to looping from those who loop- thanks!
kidbiz - The positives as I see it are the expectations, rules and routinees are already in place. You know the families and have a rapport with them. Learning styles and problems have been identified. You know the child's strengths and weaknesses.
swerky - Longer learning time, summer learning opportunities, reduced retentions, reduced absences, higher tests scores, less behavior problems (positives) Only neg. I've found is kids are too familiar by the end of second year. Also, if you're forced to do it, it may not work.
swerky - Mary, there are alot of good sources out there to find out more.
Nancy - Goodnight, I have enjoyed this chat.
Kathleen - Oh, thanks, kidbiz, I didn't realize you were still here. Goodnight from here, please discuss looping for as long as you wish. :-)
