A New Year Begins

This school year will bring about a change from the normal routine for me. I have taught at the sixth grade level for 8 years, teaching pretty much all the core curriculum, although the classes have switched and so I've team-taught for most of that time.

I will be teaching in a self-contained 5th/6th grade classroom this year. At last count there will be 14 sixth graders and 12 fifth graders. This will be one of four split-level classrooms in my school this year. It is a move to cut costs, although many feel that it is unnecessary. I guess I agree with that, but I need to provide students with the opportunity to succeed.

With the new grade level content expectations I've decided it would be best to teach Math and Social Studies separately, and so I'm working on a schedule that will allow this. I will do the rest of the core subjects together. We have statewide testing about a month after school starts, in which they will be tested on material they learned last year. I'll review some of that prior to the statewide testing period.

I am expecting my students to be able to work independently for 15-20 minute spurts while I instruct and monitor other students. I will also use peer tutoring and teaching as an asset.

If you have any suggestions or thoughts on how I could make this year even more successful, please feel free to drop me a comment, or e-mail me at tachizuno4@yahoo.com. I'm always open to suggestions, as long as it is positive.

True, I would much rather be teaching a straight sixth, or even fifth grade classroom, but I will make this work, and it will be successful.

Thanks!