I feel like a brand new teacher since this is a big grade shift for me. I have also never taught a combo. I will be teaching Houghton Mifflin for each grade. Any advice? Should my classroom walls be split in two for each grade level? Any advice will be helpful!
I taught a 3/4 combo several years ago, after having taught straight 3rd grade for several years, so it was a bit easier. I wouldn't recommend splitting up the students - it destroys the "team environment" that you want to create in a combo class. It's good if you have parent volunteers who can come in to help out with reading groups/ math groups, etc. Otherwise, try to "combine" as much material as you can. For example, instead of using H/M book for all reading assignments, use literature circles (including both grade levels in each group) to read a novel together (I recommend anything by E.B. White - Trumpet of the Swan, Charlotte's Web) Also, if you have a significantly lower # of students at one grade level (say, 15 3rd graders, 5 4th graders) you could always ask the other 4th grade teachers to take your 4th's for social studies and science, since it's hard to "combine" those subjects.
Good luck to you - I'm going to be teaching a 4/5 combo this year myself - and I've never taught 5th grade before!
On 8/08/07, Sarah wrote: > I feel like a brand new teacher since this is a big grade > shift for me. I have also never taught a combo. I will > be teaching Houghton Mifflin for each grade. Any advice? > Should my classroom walls be split in two for each grade > level? Any advice will be helpful! > > Thank you
Any ideas on how to teach everyday math curriculum to my 4th/5th grade class? It looks like team teaching won't be an option. Should I try to correlate standards and try to teach whole class? I read that this might be difficult with Everyday Math. Should I alternate DI instead? Math centers? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Also, how do you normally set up your day with split classes? Are there any helpful resources for teaching combo classes? (I teach in California).
I am doing small guided groups this year. We will have 4 groups (below, at, above and very above for my class- but you might have two groups for at or something)
Do the main part of the lesson as a whole, then break off into the small groups for the reteaching lesson or the extension. I won't meet with the groups daily, but probably twice a week, depending on their needs. When the kids don't work with me, they will be doing the games from the curriculum, independent practice work (skills) practicing math facts, computer math progams, etc. I will structure this very carefully.
On 8/16/07, Bee wrote: > Any ideas on how to teach everyday math curriculum to my > 4th/5th grade class? It looks like team teaching won't be > an option. Should I try to correlate standards and try to > teach whole class? I read that this might be difficult > with Everyday Math. Should I alternate DI instead? Math > centers? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! > Also, how do you normally set up your day with split > classes? Are there any helpful resources for teaching > combo classes? (I teach in California).
I actually say I am multi-age, and we do most things together... but the biggest advice I have is to work on building community a lot. Do activities as a whole group as much as you can, and don't do the thing where you call the kids by their grades,.. "third graders, please come to the rug" or anything like that-- lined up by grade, lunch count, anything. Mix their table groups up. Group them in 4's or 6's and make sure there are kids from each grade at each group. Try to do a morning meeting of some kind, or play some games together as often as you can. I have seen split classes where the older kids really felt superior and I think this would be a bad feeling for the younger kids. You want everyone to feel important and capable. Make sure to find times when the younger kids can be helpful. Discover each child's strength, and let them shine at some point. They can help you out, teach another student something, be a team leader, pick out the read alouds, or whatever you can do to make that child feel acknowledged.
Enjoy your year!!
On 8/20/07, Sandra wrote: > Hi there, > > Any advice for a 2/3 split? [email removed]
I ran out of space on the last post - these are sites meant for 4/5 splits. I'm not a big fan of centres only because I can't control them in my little portable ... though I have heard good things from people who use them. This is my first year with a split, but I've taught and integrated behaviour/sp.ed before and hope this will help with my management skills.
Yes, it is a great program, I have been a part of this since 1979!
On 8/22/07, Heather wrote: > My state education dept journal listed this site as one of > the greatest and most innovative programs ever developed. > I signed up for their sampler based on this review and it > has been everything they said and more. What a truly > creative way to augment our salaries. > Heather > K - 12
I am teaching a 3/4 combo for the first time and was wondering about any spelling programs I can do in my classroom. I was hoping to something fairly simple so I had planned to give separate spelling lists to the kids in both grades. I know some teachers use frequently misspelled words or words that come up in science/social studies, etc. I have heard about teachers allowing kids to create their own lists but I am curious as to how this works - from where do they choose their words?? thanks for your help/advice, Maria
I do individual lists for each kid, based on the HF words, or words they miss in their work. I usually start the year with the common words I find kids this age miss. I give everyone these words: their, there, they're, because, the Wh words, through, though, etc. I do this for maybe the first 4-6 weeks.
Then, when they have done those for a bit, and they have more writing samples, I pull from their own missed words. I only do about 8-10 per week. Their words are theirs alone. I use index cards on a word ring. I write all of the words for the week on one index card. Each child has a ring. When they practice the words, they work with a partner. They also copy the words off the index card onto a homework list, and do the words for homework. I have activities that can be done with any word, that everyone does, regardless of their words.
It takes me awhile to compile the lists at first, but I keep an ongoing list for each kid. It may be a couple weeks before they do the word they missed, but they will do it eventually.
Some kids hardly ever misspell a word. For those kids, they do vocabulary instead. I let them choose 4-6 words and they look them up, etc. I have the kids test each other at the end of the week. They do it with a partner, which is how they can have individual tests. The kids who do vocab, test each other as well. Mostly, they write the words, and explain the meaning to one another.
When I used a book, I actually, used 2-6th grade spelling books, and grouped the kids. They tested one another on Friday, but in mixed groups. I had kids form the different groups work together, so that they weren't testing the other person on the same words. The problem was, those really good spellers weren't even challenged by the 6th grade list! That's why I switched to individual spelling.
Jessica
On 8/28/07, Maria wrote: > I am teaching a 3/4 combo for the first time and was > wondering about any spelling programs I can do in my > classroom. I was hoping to something fairly simple so I had > planned to give separate spelling lists to the kids in both > grades. I know some teachers use frequently misspelled > words or words that come up in science/social studies, etc. > I have heard about teachers allowing kids to create their > own lists but I am curious as to how this works - from where > do they choose their words?? > thanks for your help/advice, > Maria
On 9/01/07, 3/4 combo as well wrote: > I do individual lists for each kid, based on the HF words, or words they miss in > their work. I usually start the year with the common words I find kids this age > miss. I give everyone these words: their, there, they're, because, the Wh words, > through, though, etc. I do this for maybe the first 4-6 weeks. > > Then, when they have done those for a bit, and they have more writing samples, > I pull from their own missed words. I only do about 8-10 per week. Their words > are theirs alone. I use index cards on a word ring. I write all of the words for the > week on one index card. Each child has a ring. When they practice the words, > they work with a partner. They also copy the words off the index card onto a > homework list, and do the words for homework. I have activities that can be > done with any word, that everyone does, regardless of their words. > > It takes me awhile to compile the lists at first, but I keep an ongoing list for each > kid. It may be a couple weeks before they do the word they missed, but they will > do it eventually. > > Some kids hardly ever misspell a word. For those kids, they do vocabulary > instead. I let them choose 4-6 words and they look them up, etc. I have the > kids test each other at the end of the week. They do it with a partner, which is > how they can have individual tests. The kids who do vocab, test each other as > well. Mostly, they write the words, and explain the meaning to one another. > > When I used a book, I actually, used 2-6th grade spelling books, and grouped > the kids. They tested one another on Friday, but in mixed groups. I had kids > form the different groups work together, so that they weren't testing the other > person on the same words. The problem was, those really good spellers weren't > even challenged by the 6th grade list! That's why I switched to individual > spelling. > > Jessica > > On 8/28/07, Maria wrote: >> I am teaching a 3/4 combo for the first time and was >> wondering about any spelling programs I can do in my >> classroom. I was hoping to something fairly simple so I had >> planned to give separate spelling lists to the kids in both >> grades. I know some teachers use frequently misspelled >> words or words that come up in science/social studies, etc. >> I have heard about teachers allowing kids to create their >> own lists but I am curious as to how this works - from where >> do they choose their words?? >> thanks for your help/advice, >> Maria THanks for the info Jessica. I appreciate it!
Any updates on what's working for you with the 4/5 splits? Are your centers successful? Do you find that alternating direct instruction while the other group does centers work for you? Tips appreciated!
I'm looking for ideas for managing the different ss and sci curriculum for a 4/5 split? Does anyone know of any good online resources for split classrooms?
We still need the following states for our postcard exchange. If you are interested please e- mail me your name, your school name, your school address, your grade, and your e- mail address! Thanks so much!
AK,AS, AZ, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, ND, OH, OK, RI, SD, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WY
Sarah,
I taught a 3/4 combo several years ago, after having taught straight 3rd grade
for several years, so it was a bit easier. I wouldn't recommend splitting up the
students - it destroys the "team environment" that you want to create in a
combo class. It's good if you have parent volunteers who can c...See More