i'm not sure how much of the curriculum is centred around them as young
teens?...hpe maybe, but the rest of the curriculum?...the focus outside of
curriculum is career planning - i love the elementary setting, but we have
no cap on numbers - it wouldn't matter if we got to 40 kids in a room mid
year, there is nothing that would be done - generally, the "new" kids that
join mid year come with an iep too (6 so far and another is joining in grade
7 in january - that brings it to 37 with 9 ieps) - i was in the office as
tic one day and the supply that came in (retired teacher) could not believe
the class size and number of special needs students that were in my class -
she thought we had played around with it as we knew a supply teacher was
coming in...the only changes that were made during class reorganization was
getting a grade three class down to 19 from 22...i don't even get a recess
break anymore - there are always students in my room to catch up/receive
extra support - i'm just venting but marking a test or assignment can take a
whole day...oh well - enough of my complaining

On 11/06/09, MM wrote:
> I know there is a big problem with those middle years. And I hear friends
> with horror stories about the 7 and 8 schools being pressure cookers of
> hormonal adolescants, etc. I agree that they would benefit from
> specialized teachers, rotation, and a curriculum that is less centred on
> them as young teens (a phase in life that passes). I can't help but
> believe that if more was organized and expected of them in the middle
> years, they'd be achieving more and have less time to run amok. Why do
> North Americans spend so many resources and so much energy on pandering
> to the crazy state of early teens. It's a phase that passes. Many of
> these kids need more to do, not more content that has them navel gazing
> and obsessing on themselves so much.
>
> On 11/06/09, Deedee wrote:
>> I don't agree. I've taught too many 8's who don't care about making an
>> effort because they know they'll pass anyway in elementary. They need
>> the credit system.
>>
>> When you've taught pregnant grade 8's, you realize pretty fast they
>> need to be in high schools where they'll get the proper counseling.
>> They also need to be in schools with principals who are used to
>> dealing with adolescents.
>>
>> The way 7's and 8's have been placed in high school is usually in a
>> separate wing. Thus they don't mingle with the older kids in the same
>> way. I also think they benefit from 1) specialist teachers, 2)
>> teachers with more time to spend with them under the semestered plan,
>> 3) lower class size ratios as OSSTF would never put up with some of
>> the class size that ETFO allows, 4) better access to better equipment
>> such as computer labs with enough computers and actual science labs.
>>
>> It's also not realistic to expect 1 elementary teacher to teach
>> everything at a grade 8 level well.
>>
>> Deedee
>>
>>
>> On 11/05/09, MM wrote:
>>> The eights are too young as you'll get that 5 year spread again
>>> (and in Toronto it's more than that as tons of kids do extra
>>> semesters and years). One of the biggest problems I had with the
>>> old OAC year in recent years was the fact that we had 13 year olds
>>> in huge high schools with kids 18 and older (don't kid yourself
>>> there are still enough kids over 19 there too). In some communities
>>> this was a bad mix for the youngsters. An average 4 year spread in
>>> ages is healthier and allows for a better mixing, without undue
>>> influences on teens who are, in many ways, children.
>>>
>>>
>>> On 11/04/09, jb wrote:
>>>> Just wondering out loud here: with full day kindergarten, space
>>>> in the elementary schools is going to be an issue. Maybe it
>>>> would be a good time to move the 7's and 8's into the high
>>>> schools.

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