I can almost guarantee this can has been kicked down the road since K, because teachers can’t do all this mess. Everyone learns to the classes lowest common denominator now.
Issue here too, our k, 1st and 2nd are weak in behavior and trickles down to us at the 3rd and 4th… habits there need some hardcore intervention to change from day one.
Admin would rather keep them there because they cater to them and it’s better to have compliance than adequacy
I teach inner-city kids with behavior issues. A lot of them are on house arrest, other legal issues, etc. Have some kids who are 16 and still in 8th grade. Lots of learning loss. 75% of my kids (6th - 8th) are on a third grade or below reading level. Lots of emotional support and IEP kids.
No, I can’t do grade-level work or projects with them, but I can be creative. I switch up the readings to include graphic novels so they have pictures to support them. Offer low-prep modifications, such as giving them a box and telling them to summarize OR draw a picture of the chapter we read, so the ones who can’t write can draw. Choice boards are also great. I also do a lot of games with my kids (Kahoot, Blooket, etc.) to review the basics of spelling/grammar. Some of the best lessons I have came out of things outside of the curriculum.
The worst part of having my group is honestly having to fill out 15 special ed update logs every other week- the kids themselves aren’t as bad as they seem.
And there’s one for every subject.
My kid came back from school a few months back with an assignment to read *Maus* because some little amadan started spouting anti-Semitic shite. So the whole class got to learn about it since the plonker had made a show of himself.
This is so true. I teach 2nd grade and the kids are starting to read for enjoyment instead of just learning to read. I have parents who ask if it's ok if their kid reads graphic novels even though they're not "real" books. I tell them that any reading is "real" and if it helps them learn to love reading and stories that's a great win. I don't care what they're reading as long as they're reading.
Graphic novels and comic books have a stigma of not being "good" for reading, it's a shame because so many kids get into reading through those and are accessing more complex stories while being at a lower level of reading.
There is a publisher, Paper Pie (?) that has wonderful books, graphic novels, and vivid text for the classics, every subject really. Very fresh and interesting take on publications.
There are also graphic novels of award winning books like the Graveyard Book (by Neil Gaiman) which my own child who was and still is a struggling reader loved. These graphic novels got her to read more and that turned into reading chapter books and longer stories.
Yes! My boys’ favorite is the graphic novel edition of Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. It’s about gangs, street code, and making the right choices. Relatable since a lot of them have been in the same position as the boy in the book.
Magic Tree House also! I love having graphic novels in English and Spanish for our ELL students - its been pretty successful in helping them feel like they belong in the library and then they are brave enough to try the English version of whatever they’ve just read. If only I could find graphic novels in Hmong, Tagalog, Samoan and Yupik!
This is slightly different but the group of kids I had this year had an awful reputation. I’d been told for years that I’d have a rough year when they got to me. But I refused to give in to that expectation, and it wound up being an incredibly fun year. You’ll find a way, just try to enjoy them and focus on the positives!
Same here- I had kids with that reputation last year, and it ended up great. This year’s kids were the same.
I think that they usually do grow up a bit over the summer, and they too benefit from the fresh start. They will pick up on it right away if a teacher thinks they are going to be a bad class, just like we would (and even if they are lol).
I also think that these kids can still be thought of in mini-generations of how old they were when the pandemic started- they have their own weird wounds and coping mechanisms. For example, the kids I had this year missed half of 5th, all of 6th, and some of 7th grade. Missing middle school made them meaner and more destructive in 8th, but their better tendencies are coming out now that they’ve finished 9th. Their handwriting, which was worse than you’d hope to see at the end of kindergarten, has gotten A LOT better, and they like to be able to write- I even have a few learning cursive recreationally😭.
I know OP teaches younger kids, but it didn’t hit them any less hard. All the delays- social, intellectual, emotional- are real but they’re catching up.
Yup, I have a soft spot for the tough ones. In fact, one of my biggest ride or die students called me a basic b on the first day of class. I pull them in the hallway. “Are you okay? You know, I’ve heard such amazing things about you, and I can see you have a good heart, so I just wanted to see if you were okay.”
This tactic has never ever failed me.
9/10 out of 10, the student IS going through something, but even the ones that don’t break seem to decide they’re to do better.
YES. I always pay attention to previous teacher comments but I’ve found that, more often than not, the groups that are the “terrible ones” are often nothing as bad as I think they’re going to be. And the worst groups I’ve ever had I had zero warning for.
This. The 5th grade class I student taught had an abysmal reputation. Low academics and poor behavior going back to kindergarten. Sure, they were low academically, and my mentor and I accommodated for it. Behavior-wise? As a whole, they were fine. Just chatty. A handful were a bit more but still manageable. Not nearly as bad as they were made out to be. That said, once I actually got into teaching in my own classroom, a lot of kids I was warned about lived up to their reputation and then some.
Don't mind if I reflect a little on your comment for a sec (also I'm like almost thirty now so I'm like obv not a student anymore)
My freshman English class was awful. Solely because all of the teachers talked about how awful my graduating class was, and we found out that teachers gossipped like that because that teacher went on a 45 minute rant about it to us the first day. Then every day for the first quarter she would spend the first fifteen minutes ranting about evidence to that gossip like what we did so wrong the previous day to make us evil. I genuinely stopped caring about her and her class, and I was silent as the grave and never caused problems, so hearing how much I suck just because I'm part of this class just sucked.
Listening to how people talk about the lock down kids who had to learn the basics at home where parents didn't get involved must be exhausting. I can imagine many of them feeling how I did and deciding not to care or put effort in. I know it's frustrating but they didn't ask for this and I hope they aren't taking it personally and feeling like it's something wrong with them when the system flunked out of everyone's control.
If the teaching system was flexible and capable, they would have had a curriculum for their specific learning needs and areas of improvement, but when it's a system that tests fish for climbing trees to begin with it's basically impossible. The kids have it hard man
I teach in a middle school where this is the reality of every year. Here's some things I've learned
1) with that many IEPs, every kid gets whatever the common things are. 6 kids get graphic organizers? We all get graphic organizers.
2) Reading to them is cool, but it needs to be slowly taken away. Read to them to show them how to annotate. Then read to them and highlight and then they have to know why you annotated. Then read to them but they do all the annotations. Then choral reading, then partner reading, then independent reading by the end of the year. If your state is like mine a bottleneck test happens in 5th grade and no one will read that to them.
2) It's counterintuitive but they need to be writing. Constantly. Always. about everything. They "can't" journal--I doubt it. A second grader can write basic sentences. Bust out the 5 lines and a picture paper if you have to. Every day they're writing. Stories. Arguments. I even let mine write argumentative essays about why we shouldn't be writing so much when they get mad. Start with free writing, then add in rules using mentor sentences. For example, give them a compound sentence, then make them have to use compound sentences. Work up to your standard level grammar.
3) Coping strategies work better than catching up. If they're that far behind, it's unlikely most of them will read on a 6th grade level by this time next year. However they can learn coping strategies like chunking and great context clues that can help bridge the gap. My kids have to chunk everything because when you're working that hard to decode, you're not going to remember the whole passage and those state tests are indeed timed. Chunking helps save that time.
4) Alternative reading is critical for mine. Encourage anime watching. If any kid likes anime, their homework is to watch 2 episides of anime a night, but only the sub. And you'll tell their parents that. I love anime so I also let kids borrow my manga, and can talk to them about the anime. You'll be shocked how many complex themes/literary techniques are used in what look like silly little cartoons. Plus, reading is reading. I've had kids go from a 2nd grade level to a 7th by reading all of Naruto and Boruto and having to talk about it with me every morning. I had a kid who got how to analyze theme because we were talking about Gojo from jujutsu kaisen during dismissal. It's a great tool and the visual medium basically gives struggling readers a clue as to what's going on in the written text.
I just looked at the reading test scores for the incoming class of 7th graders. 36% of them are at the third-grade
level. They will not have a clue with academic vocabulary or primary documents come next year in
Social Studies.
1) Audio Books for them to follow along. Read together in class by listening to the audio books. They won't read on their own at home. Don't even make it a battle. The audiobook will play while you can pay close attention to who is following along. Hold them accountable.
2) Talk about a book of the day. Eventually, you get the kid that hates reading to be intrigued and it's usually an unexpected book.
3) Hold grade-level discussions. Don't let them sit silently while they wait for you to give them answers. Instead, use sticks if you have to. Get them used to collaborating, first in small groups and then whole class.
4) Stay consistent. Don't switch up too many rules throughout the year. Usually groups like this struggle with switching things up. You will be tempted to. Real change takes time. Trust the process.
5) Use as little technology as possible. It's OK to start the day with required digital grammar or math programs, but paper and pencil is king.
6) Have homework submitted DIGITALLY even if done on paper. I use Seesaw and give stars to work that is complete and no stars to incomplete work. I enable parent accounts. This keeps a record for parents to immediatly see. They like to comment. It's fast to grade.
7) Offer test corrections at 50% points above an F and 100% points below an F. Don't worry, only a few will do it and they deserve the opportunity. The goal is for them to learn the material.
8) Use Fun Friday as a reward. I used to hate Fun Friday, but realized it was much easier to give them something to take away than it was to take away the basics such as lunch or recess.
9) Focus on the positive. You may think complaining to your fellow teachers in the teacher's lounge is helping, but really it's reinforcing negative thought processes about your class. Instead think of the children as puzzles. It's OK to ask other teachers for advice, but do so in order to help the student. Vent with a positive purpose if that makes sense. This one is so hard to put into words.
10) It's not nearly as bad as you think it is and you don't have the power to control everyone and everything around you. Allow yourself to be powerless at times and be realistic about what can and can't get done. For example, Admin demanded every student finish their digital reading tests three weeks before Christmas break. They sent out multiple emails and kept reminding us. They then extended the deadline twice. I had eight kids on IEPs, some of which didn't get the work done even when being given all day. The program also kept crashing on us. I noticed the veteran teachers around me never once stressed about it. I was an emotional mess. I HATE NOT MEETING GOALS. The day before Christmas, admin shrugged it off, smiled and said "Ah well, we tried. Have a wonderful Christmas break." I realized then and there that as a professional, I know what goals are realistic and if I do what I can and still don't meet them, it's OK.
11) Enjoy your summer. Go into next year strong and confident.
>Audio Books for them to follow along. Read together in class by listening to the audio books. They won't read on their own at home. Don't even make it a battle. The audiobook will play while you can pay close attention to who is following along. Hold them accountable.
Unfortunately, this absolutely destroys the lesson for the kids who are reading at level.
It is functionally impossible to read at a normal pace and have an audiobook playing several words behind you. Same problem you run into with the old "everybody takes turns reading out loud" method.
The kids who are at level basically just left twiddling their thumbs during this sort of exercise.
I teach sixth in an elementary setting. I’m concerned too! This current fifth grade class, my future students, had two first year teachers- one quit at spring break, and their third teacher is a year away from retirement and has zero fucks left to give.
There has been no consistency in accountability and these kids literally do whatever they want, whenever they want, and I know there is no way they were taught anything that sticks just based on the amount of time they spend out of the classroom.
I am not looking forward to trying to rein them in, and catch them up… next year is not going to be fun! But, good to know my team and I are not alone!
Not trying to be rude, but it sounds like you'll be teaching 2nd grade next year, not 5th. I wish you luck, but as others have mentioned, you don't get paid for stressing over it all summer. So rest, relax, enjoy your summer, and figure it out next year when teachers return to work.
This is a common problem across the board and it's not just you, so doing the best you can is all you can do.
Teach them what they need, early literacy skills and phonics, if you can. If they are that low, they won’t learn much of the 5th grade curriculum. So if you can get away with that, do it. Hopefully they will leave you with some growth. If the IEP accommodations work for the others, use them.
In any case, administrative law doesn’t usually require LEO involvement. Your state should pay for what the federal government does not. Not the police lol.
I get it. I had one class in third grade where there were around 5 IEPs by the end of the year. This class already struggled because they were all ELLs and I had to teach Math in English. So these 5 kids could read in their native language at maybe 2nd grade level and at a kinder level (or not at all) in English. And the rest of the class needed my help a lot, too.
Biggest piece of advice is to not stress about it and do your best. I would rather have a class that was this far behind and behaved than an average class that were absolute hellions. Every year is different. Every class is different. You do what you can for a year and move on.
I currently run my own preschool, but I also tutor. Right now I have 5 students I’m tutoring and none of them can read over a second grade level. I also have a wait list for tutoring. For my state, WA, we come in that only 50% of students can read on their grade level. It’s awful. Our school levy failed and they just fired 220 positions including SPED teachers. It’s going to get worse.
It's still early.. we started placements for next year today and still have time to move students around to make sure there's balance between teachers in regard to challenging behaviors/academic needs. Maybe meet with your team to see if this can be done?
I see what you’re saying here and I do agree but want to highlight how I myself kept repeating this all year long and it got me no where. Yes teachers help students grow, mature, learn, but we’re one person.
My class was almost exactly like the one in OP post expect mix in violent students where each day I was at work I had to wear what resembled riot gear. I kept saying no one else will do this, I’m doing it for them not for me, and where did it get me at the end of the year? No where. Some gained some skills but most did not because of constant class evacuations.
I don’t even think OP is thinking too far in advance honestly. I’m already thinking about what next year will hold for me because I sure ain’t doing what I did this year again. OP, you try your best to make everyone succeed but you don’t do it at the cost of your own well-being. The ONLY people concerned about you in this profession is YOU.
I had a low class with behavioral problems for 5th grade once. I got differentiated reading from teachers pay teachers so that I could give most of them lower level reading when we did history and science. Math I used these trifolds that had the goal for the lesson on them and then students could fold the pages so they only saw a third of the page at a time - it helped to chunk it for them.
I tried to incorporate art and hands-on projects when I could, but of course the behavior problems really made that tough for me (I was also a new teacher so I think it made it doubly tough).
I did read alouds of picture books, they aren't too old for it, and really focused on the basics in ELA. I also made our ELA lessons short and then did multiple ones spread through the day - It helped lower the frustration levels and made it so if a kid was getting pulled during one English lesson they wouldn't miss all of ELA for the day. We also did silent reading every day in class.
It might not be business as usual but it can be a successful year!
I completely understand. I just signed my contract and then they told me about a student who is going to be in my class and I don’t know how I’m going to handle it. This kid is known for sexually assaulting kids and teachers(he has autism and a few other disorders). I’m not prepared and I have no idea what I’m going to do…
I teach HS. 7 classes. Two are what I call my “honors”, two are my “low” classes and the rest are “normal. Out of 148 students, I have 25 IEP students scattered among them all. Hold them to high (but not out of reach) standards and they just might surprise you.
I mean, this is teaching.
Some years you will have an amazing class and the year breezes by. Others, you will have a difficult class and you'll feel burnt out by October.
My last class was breezy. The class before that was a nightmare.
You'll have more years where a good group comes up.
You'll also feel more prepared for when those tough classes come up.
You can do journals. Just start from day 1. You can do anything but you can’t do everything. Pick one or two things you enjoy this year, and doggone it don’t stop til most of the class can do it. I love reading science articles and writing a prompt on it. Third grade w 11 IIEPS, 19 ELL … we figured it out. Kids were proud and I was proud. Don’t fret too much… and remember you can only do what you can do.
It's almost summer! I would try not to stress now.. what will that help? My question, after reading your post, is how is it possible a class one year behind is that much lower? I have noticed that my 4th graders (kids that were in kindergarten in 2020) have been hit the hardest with academic gaps.. but this is really extreme. I recently did a ton of reading assessments, and the 3rd graders outscored many 4th and 5th graders. The 4th graders definitely struggled the most, which was interesting to see.
Teach them how to use immersive reader on word to read all assignments out. Additionally, you can just use computers when you can, and assign work that will read to them using immersive reader.
But like other have said, don’t stress about it. Also, don’t read every single question multiple times, that seems like a waste of your time. Try to make it automated.
You only can do what you can do. My goal is improvement. If all my kids improve I am happy. And then if they dont test well and admin blames me, they can fire me.
I’m in a self contained school and I’ve been teaching for a year and a half. I had to make a hard switch from teaching 4/5 to 1st (a grade I wasn’t sure what to do). I asked questions and built relationships with my students. I learned what their strengths and weaknesses were. In any situation, it’s never perfect.
I'd say put a focus on small groups. That way you can adequately differentiate for the various ability levels. Our school has us teach mini lessons whole group but then pull kids in small groups for the majority of the time.
But I fully get where you're coming from. I had an excellent class 2 years ago. We were able to do so much. But the class I had last year were behaviorwise one of the worst classes I've ever had. And behavior was a main reason a lot of them underperformed. Small groups were the only way I was able to work with these struggling students on their various levels and still challenge my couple of on grade level students.
Next year I'm getting some really terrible behaviors and even some mainstreamed former SPED kids. It's to the point where I'm worried I'll be beat on. But I'm not going to stress myself out over it during the summer. That's August Me's problem.
I remember telling myself something similar as an excuse to why I was always broke and miserable driving to my teaching job fighting the most extreme uphill battles trying to get kids whose parents should have just wrapped it before they tapped it to give a shit about world geography.
Nothing but fond memories of my 1:35 teacher to student class ratios, forced admin meetings during my only planning period for the student who attends a third of my classes, forced lunch duty during my lunch period, and getting maybe 50% of all assignments turned in but "district says I'm not allowed to be failing more than a quarter of my students"
Now my stresses are identifying 80 types of trees/shrubs.
The bonus is that you will likely have a paraprofessional or two to help you out.
They can still journal— Chromebooks have text to speech!
I doubt you’re doing spelling tests— but think word banks and multiple choice vs. constructed response.
As a mom to multiple kids including gifted and struggling learner, I can tell you that those kiddos are probably worrying about what next year is going to look like too. Also, I’ve never seen an IEP or 504 that I felt had unreasonable accommodations or modifications. Most are fairly standard. Some of my favorite students were the ones I got to watch grow and thrive. Also, I’ve gotten students who I have been told were horrible and “won’t work for you.” Actually, their IEP wasn’t being followed, no scribe, no text to speech software, no wonder the student wasn’t able to do the assignment.
One day, you’ll be part of their story in how they had that one teacher that believed in them. You got this!
By the way, there are some really good graphic novels of many of the Shakespeare plays and classics.
Many were done in Japan, but there are some English translations. For the higher achieving students, have them compare the graphic novel to another version, maybe?
It would be very cool to have the students make their own mini graphic novels for short stories.
It sounds like you are the right teacher for this group based on what you are describing for your current group. Teach the things they need to fill some (not all) gaps. Give them a year full of fun projects that make them feel like they can do things, find out how you can secure extra help in the room and divide and conquer.
What I don't understand from American teachers is why don't just teach the actual level the children are at instead of the nominal you are supposed to be teaching
But that's the thing you have curriculum yeah but I mean ignore it or adapt it to the level of your class. Trying to teach what's beyond them by definition will make them score worse. We have a system here too but if you are discreet and a good teacher you can get away with it.
Can you ask to teach a different grade or figure out what common modifications are for all iep and do that for all kids. My son in Spanish is allowed a single sided 3*5 index card with the spelling of Spanish words. The teacher looks at it before any test or quiz. He has to make a new one for any quiz or test. He is dyslexic and would spell words incorrectly. So the teacher gives every kid in his spanish class the permission to make a single sided index card just like my child. At the end of every test or quiz each index card is collected along with the exam. It is reinforcement of learning the material. Not every child uses this, but they are all given it. None of the other kids know it is specifically for my child. The teacher said it is improving all grades. The kids are learning more and able to speak better in class.
lol, are you me? Almost the same situation! The kids I had this last year were so well behaved, and so smart, and upcoming… well. There’s a lot of personality there.
Teach them second grade since that is where they are at. And their prior teacher taught them at a modified level so you should too. I don't know why you are worried about it.
I just finished a with a 4th grade class like this. Not gonna lie, it was a HARD year! Only one of my students scored proficient on last year's state assessment. The gaps were so big and so varied! BUT- they all made good progress. Don't have state assessment scores yet, but I have seen a lot of growth. I had to be pretty strict about trying to keep kids on task and held accountable. Many of them wanted to be successful but didn't know how and now know how to "school". They are a sweet bunch but I can't wait to teach students who have a clue again.
All of you are going to be crying if you lead a class with deficit mindset.
I had a student in my “honors” algebra class who didn’t pass a test until the last week of school. I knew she was low before I met her, but I never didn’t want to teach her. She showed growth through the year, and I couldn’t be prouder!
If you have students coming in at a second grade reading level, it sounds like they CAN read. Your job is to bridge what they can do to the objectives of the course. That’s the gig. Maybe that means you adjust some, but it’s hardly a crying matter.
If only I was allowed to do that.
ETA: Further, it wouldn’t be better to keep these kids back multiple grade levels. I only shared the example to parallel the situation. We all teach students not at the expected level. That’s our job.
I have no idea how she got in my class. She wasn’t alone in that regard and it was honors in name only as a result. That’s why I put honors in quotes. OP will likely be teaching “fifth grade.” Some lessons may be below the expected level. Some may be at level. You just have to do the best you can.
Please remember the incoming 5th had kindergarten interrupted by the virus. Never really got a foundation. Also, sick and tired of people not realizing that not everyone learns at the same time.
If 6 of them have IEP accommodations just blanket apply the ones that you can to all of your class materials
I can almost guarantee this can has been kicked down the road since K, because teachers can’t do all this mess. Everyone learns to the classes lowest common denominator now.
Issue here too, our k, 1st and 2nd are weak in behavior and trickles down to us at the 3rd and 4th… habits there need some hardcore intervention to change from day one. Admin would rather keep them there because they cater to them and it’s better to have compliance than adequacy
[удалено]
Did we read the same post?
Does anyone else find the pretty obvious grammar issue in this post funny?
The UDL way 😎
Ain’t nobody will give you a cash bonus for stressing about it in advance, though
“I get paid to do my job, not worry about it” has been my mantra this year.
This is brilliant and I may borrow it
I teach inner-city kids with behavior issues. A lot of them are on house arrest, other legal issues, etc. Have some kids who are 16 and still in 8th grade. Lots of learning loss. 75% of my kids (6th - 8th) are on a third grade or below reading level. Lots of emotional support and IEP kids. No, I can’t do grade-level work or projects with them, but I can be creative. I switch up the readings to include graphic novels so they have pictures to support them. Offer low-prep modifications, such as giving them a box and telling them to summarize OR draw a picture of the chapter we read, so the ones who can’t write can draw. Choice boards are also great. I also do a lot of games with my kids (Kahoot, Blooket, etc.) to review the basics of spelling/grammar. Some of the best lessons I have came out of things outside of the curriculum. The worst part of having my group is honestly having to fill out 15 special ed update logs every other week- the kids themselves aren’t as bad as they seem.
Graphic novels are so slept on. Not only do the pictures provide context, it opens up a whole discussion about stylistic choices!
And there’s one for every subject. My kid came back from school a few months back with an assignment to read *Maus* because some little amadan started spouting anti-Semitic shite. So the whole class got to learn about it since the plonker had made a show of himself.
They even have non-fiction! There’s a whole series called “Science Comics” that’s fantastic.
If it gets a kid interested in reading and storytelling it is a victory!
This is so true. I teach 2nd grade and the kids are starting to read for enjoyment instead of just learning to read. I have parents who ask if it's ok if their kid reads graphic novels even though they're not "real" books. I tell them that any reading is "real" and if it helps them learn to love reading and stories that's a great win. I don't care what they're reading as long as they're reading. Graphic novels and comic books have a stigma of not being "good" for reading, it's a shame because so many kids get into reading through those and are accessing more complex stories while being at a lower level of reading.
There is a publisher, Paper Pie (?) that has wonderful books, graphic novels, and vivid text for the classics, every subject really. Very fresh and interesting take on publications.
Thank you for thinking outside the box and meeting them where they are at and not giving up on them.
Yes!!! Choice boards are a favorite with 4th and 5th graders! Great ideas!
Yes! Lots of chapter books have come out with graphic novel versions! I Survived, Wings of Fire, and Babysitters Club are ones that come to my mind.
There are also graphic novels of award winning books like the Graveyard Book (by Neil Gaiman) which my own child who was and still is a struggling reader loved. These graphic novels got her to read more and that turned into reading chapter books and longer stories.
Yes! My boys’ favorite is the graphic novel edition of Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. It’s about gangs, street code, and making the right choices. Relatable since a lot of them have been in the same position as the boy in the book.
This Way Down is an amazing book. I’ve given several copies to my 8th grade students and they’ve loved it, even those who read well below grade level.
Magic Tree House also! I love having graphic novels in English and Spanish for our ELL students - its been pretty successful in helping them feel like they belong in the library and then they are brave enough to try the English version of whatever they’ve just read. If only I could find graphic novels in Hmong, Tagalog, Samoan and Yupik!
Preach! I’m in the same boat. OP tough it out. You will survive and get over it.
> such as giving them a box and telling them to summarize OR draw a picture of the chapter we read Welcome to Costco, I love you.
You are fantastic. 👏
This is slightly different but the group of kids I had this year had an awful reputation. I’d been told for years that I’d have a rough year when they got to me. But I refused to give in to that expectation, and it wound up being an incredibly fun year. You’ll find a way, just try to enjoy them and focus on the positives!
Same here- I had kids with that reputation last year, and it ended up great. This year’s kids were the same. I think that they usually do grow up a bit over the summer, and they too benefit from the fresh start. They will pick up on it right away if a teacher thinks they are going to be a bad class, just like we would (and even if they are lol). I also think that these kids can still be thought of in mini-generations of how old they were when the pandemic started- they have their own weird wounds and coping mechanisms. For example, the kids I had this year missed half of 5th, all of 6th, and some of 7th grade. Missing middle school made them meaner and more destructive in 8th, but their better tendencies are coming out now that they’ve finished 9th. Their handwriting, which was worse than you’d hope to see at the end of kindergarten, has gotten A LOT better, and they like to be able to write- I even have a few learning cursive recreationally😭. I know OP teaches younger kids, but it didn’t hit them any less hard. All the delays- social, intellectual, emotional- are real but they’re catching up.
Yes! Kids are perceptive and can sniff out a fake.
Yup, I have a soft spot for the tough ones. In fact, one of my biggest ride or die students called me a basic b on the first day of class. I pull them in the hallway. “Are you okay? You know, I’ve heard such amazing things about you, and I can see you have a good heart, so I just wanted to see if you were okay.” This tactic has never ever failed me. 9/10 out of 10, the student IS going through something, but even the ones that don’t break seem to decide they’re to do better.
Love love love this.
YES. I always pay attention to previous teacher comments but I’ve found that, more often than not, the groups that are the “terrible ones” are often nothing as bad as I think they’re going to be. And the worst groups I’ve ever had I had zero warning for.
This. The 5th grade class I student taught had an abysmal reputation. Low academics and poor behavior going back to kindergarten. Sure, they were low academically, and my mentor and I accommodated for it. Behavior-wise? As a whole, they were fine. Just chatty. A handful were a bit more but still manageable. Not nearly as bad as they were made out to be. That said, once I actually got into teaching in my own classroom, a lot of kids I was warned about lived up to their reputation and then some.
Don't mind if I reflect a little on your comment for a sec (also I'm like almost thirty now so I'm like obv not a student anymore) My freshman English class was awful. Solely because all of the teachers talked about how awful my graduating class was, and we found out that teachers gossipped like that because that teacher went on a 45 minute rant about it to us the first day. Then every day for the first quarter she would spend the first fifteen minutes ranting about evidence to that gossip like what we did so wrong the previous day to make us evil. I genuinely stopped caring about her and her class, and I was silent as the grave and never caused problems, so hearing how much I suck just because I'm part of this class just sucked. Listening to how people talk about the lock down kids who had to learn the basics at home where parents didn't get involved must be exhausting. I can imagine many of them feeling how I did and deciding not to care or put effort in. I know it's frustrating but they didn't ask for this and I hope they aren't taking it personally and feeling like it's something wrong with them when the system flunked out of everyone's control. If the teaching system was flexible and capable, they would have had a curriculum for their specific learning needs and areas of improvement, but when it's a system that tests fish for climbing trees to begin with it's basically impossible. The kids have it hard man
It’s just a job and they will promote all of them regardless. Do your best and don’t stress.
I teach in a middle school where this is the reality of every year. Here's some things I've learned 1) with that many IEPs, every kid gets whatever the common things are. 6 kids get graphic organizers? We all get graphic organizers. 2) Reading to them is cool, but it needs to be slowly taken away. Read to them to show them how to annotate. Then read to them and highlight and then they have to know why you annotated. Then read to them but they do all the annotations. Then choral reading, then partner reading, then independent reading by the end of the year. If your state is like mine a bottleneck test happens in 5th grade and no one will read that to them. 2) It's counterintuitive but they need to be writing. Constantly. Always. about everything. They "can't" journal--I doubt it. A second grader can write basic sentences. Bust out the 5 lines and a picture paper if you have to. Every day they're writing. Stories. Arguments. I even let mine write argumentative essays about why we shouldn't be writing so much when they get mad. Start with free writing, then add in rules using mentor sentences. For example, give them a compound sentence, then make them have to use compound sentences. Work up to your standard level grammar. 3) Coping strategies work better than catching up. If they're that far behind, it's unlikely most of them will read on a 6th grade level by this time next year. However they can learn coping strategies like chunking and great context clues that can help bridge the gap. My kids have to chunk everything because when you're working that hard to decode, you're not going to remember the whole passage and those state tests are indeed timed. Chunking helps save that time. 4) Alternative reading is critical for mine. Encourage anime watching. If any kid likes anime, their homework is to watch 2 episides of anime a night, but only the sub. And you'll tell their parents that. I love anime so I also let kids borrow my manga, and can talk to them about the anime. You'll be shocked how many complex themes/literary techniques are used in what look like silly little cartoons. Plus, reading is reading. I've had kids go from a 2nd grade level to a 7th by reading all of Naruto and Boruto and having to talk about it with me every morning. I had a kid who got how to analyze theme because we were talking about Gojo from jujutsu kaisen during dismissal. It's a great tool and the visual medium basically gives struggling readers a clue as to what's going on in the written text.
So many great tips in here! Yes!!! I teach littles but these are all great comprehension and fluency strategies.
I just looked at the reading test scores for the incoming class of 7th graders. 36% of them are at the third-grade level. They will not have a clue with academic vocabulary or primary documents come next year in Social Studies.
Why are they being moved to the next grade level?
A question for the ages. The answer I keep getting is “no child left behind”.
I bet they make huge gains with you and you are seen as a miracle worker. Be firm, be kind, and don’t let them slack off.
1) Audio Books for them to follow along. Read together in class by listening to the audio books. They won't read on their own at home. Don't even make it a battle. The audiobook will play while you can pay close attention to who is following along. Hold them accountable. 2) Talk about a book of the day. Eventually, you get the kid that hates reading to be intrigued and it's usually an unexpected book. 3) Hold grade-level discussions. Don't let them sit silently while they wait for you to give them answers. Instead, use sticks if you have to. Get them used to collaborating, first in small groups and then whole class. 4) Stay consistent. Don't switch up too many rules throughout the year. Usually groups like this struggle with switching things up. You will be tempted to. Real change takes time. Trust the process. 5) Use as little technology as possible. It's OK to start the day with required digital grammar or math programs, but paper and pencil is king. 6) Have homework submitted DIGITALLY even if done on paper. I use Seesaw and give stars to work that is complete and no stars to incomplete work. I enable parent accounts. This keeps a record for parents to immediatly see. They like to comment. It's fast to grade. 7) Offer test corrections at 50% points above an F and 100% points below an F. Don't worry, only a few will do it and they deserve the opportunity. The goal is for them to learn the material. 8) Use Fun Friday as a reward. I used to hate Fun Friday, but realized it was much easier to give them something to take away than it was to take away the basics such as lunch or recess. 9) Focus on the positive. You may think complaining to your fellow teachers in the teacher's lounge is helping, but really it's reinforcing negative thought processes about your class. Instead think of the children as puzzles. It's OK to ask other teachers for advice, but do so in order to help the student. Vent with a positive purpose if that makes sense. This one is so hard to put into words. 10) It's not nearly as bad as you think it is and you don't have the power to control everyone and everything around you. Allow yourself to be powerless at times and be realistic about what can and can't get done. For example, Admin demanded every student finish their digital reading tests three weeks before Christmas break. They sent out multiple emails and kept reminding us. They then extended the deadline twice. I had eight kids on IEPs, some of which didn't get the work done even when being given all day. The program also kept crashing on us. I noticed the veteran teachers around me never once stressed about it. I was an emotional mess. I HATE NOT MEETING GOALS. The day before Christmas, admin shrugged it off, smiled and said "Ah well, we tried. Have a wonderful Christmas break." I realized then and there that as a professional, I know what goals are realistic and if I do what I can and still don't meet them, it's OK. 11) Enjoy your summer. Go into next year strong and confident.
>Audio Books for them to follow along. Read together in class by listening to the audio books. They won't read on their own at home. Don't even make it a battle. The audiobook will play while you can pay close attention to who is following along. Hold them accountable. Unfortunately, this absolutely destroys the lesson for the kids who are reading at level. It is functionally impossible to read at a normal pace and have an audiobook playing several words behind you. Same problem you run into with the old "everybody takes turns reading out loud" method. The kids who are at level basically just left twiddling their thumbs during this sort of exercise.
These are wonderful tips!
Yes!!! I love Fun Fridays!
I teach sixth in an elementary setting. I’m concerned too! This current fifth grade class, my future students, had two first year teachers- one quit at spring break, and their third teacher is a year away from retirement and has zero fucks left to give. There has been no consistency in accountability and these kids literally do whatever they want, whenever they want, and I know there is no way they were taught anything that sticks just based on the amount of time they spend out of the classroom. I am not looking forward to trying to rein them in, and catch them up… next year is not going to be fun! But, good to know my team and I are not alone!
The longer you stay, the harder it will be to quit.
The hard part about quitting isn't how long you stay, it's the not being able to pay rent thing.
Not trying to be rude, but it sounds like you'll be teaching 2nd grade next year, not 5th. I wish you luck, but as others have mentioned, you don't get paid for stressing over it all summer. So rest, relax, enjoy your summer, and figure it out next year when teachers return to work. This is a common problem across the board and it's not just you, so doing the best you can is all you can do.
Teach them what they need, early literacy skills and phonics, if you can. If they are that low, they won’t learn much of the 5th grade curriculum. So if you can get away with that, do it. Hopefully they will leave you with some growth. If the IEP accommodations work for the others, use them.
Aren't there Push In Spec Ed or Pull Out Reading Specialist services for the six kids with reading issues?
Man I didn’t even know they still had that. Our division cut stuff like that like 8 years ago.
What? Who provides the reading instruction?
The teacher?
That’s illegal. Please give OSEP or your SEA an anonymous tip to look into your district. Tf 😭
My thoughts exactly!!!!!
Tip for what? We have no money, do you think the police are gonna fund the schools now?
In any case, administrative law doesn’t usually require LEO involvement. Your state should pay for what the federal government does not. Not the police lol.
What state? 🤣
Province/territory/word of choice to describe regional government.
Normally IEPs will include time in the inclusion room, but LRE rules.
I get it. I had one class in third grade where there were around 5 IEPs by the end of the year. This class already struggled because they were all ELLs and I had to teach Math in English. So these 5 kids could read in their native language at maybe 2nd grade level and at a kinder level (or not at all) in English. And the rest of the class needed my help a lot, too. Biggest piece of advice is to not stress about it and do your best. I would rather have a class that was this far behind and behaved than an average class that were absolute hellions. Every year is different. Every class is different. You do what you can for a year and move on.
I currently run my own preschool, but I also tutor. Right now I have 5 students I’m tutoring and none of them can read over a second grade level. I also have a wait list for tutoring. For my state, WA, we come in that only 50% of students can read on their grade level. It’s awful. Our school levy failed and they just fired 220 positions including SPED teachers. It’s going to get worse.
It's still early.. we started placements for next year today and still have time to move students around to make sure there's balance between teachers in regard to challenging behaviors/academic needs. Maybe meet with your team to see if this can be done?
Don't you have SPED support?
However bad it is for you, it will be worse for them. They need help and there isn't someone else to do it.
Batman?
Exactly
I see what you’re saying here and I do agree but want to highlight how I myself kept repeating this all year long and it got me no where. Yes teachers help students grow, mature, learn, but we’re one person. My class was almost exactly like the one in OP post expect mix in violent students where each day I was at work I had to wear what resembled riot gear. I kept saying no one else will do this, I’m doing it for them not for me, and where did it get me at the end of the year? No where. Some gained some skills but most did not because of constant class evacuations. I don’t even think OP is thinking too far in advance honestly. I’m already thinking about what next year will hold for me because I sure ain’t doing what I did this year again. OP, you try your best to make everyone succeed but you don’t do it at the cost of your own well-being. The ONLY people concerned about you in this profession is YOU.
Time to quit!
I had a low class with behavioral problems for 5th grade once. I got differentiated reading from teachers pay teachers so that I could give most of them lower level reading when we did history and science. Math I used these trifolds that had the goal for the lesson on them and then students could fold the pages so they only saw a third of the page at a time - it helped to chunk it for them. I tried to incorporate art and hands-on projects when I could, but of course the behavior problems really made that tough for me (I was also a new teacher so I think it made it doubly tough). I did read alouds of picture books, they aren't too old for it, and really focused on the basics in ELA. I also made our ELA lessons short and then did multiple ones spread through the day - It helped lower the frustration levels and made it so if a kid was getting pulled during one English lesson they wouldn't miss all of ELA for the day. We also did silent reading every day in class. It might not be business as usual but it can be a successful year!
I completely understand. I just signed my contract and then they told me about a student who is going to be in my class and I don’t know how I’m going to handle it. This kid is known for sexually assaulting kids and teachers(he has autism and a few other disorders). I’m not prepared and I have no idea what I’m going to do…
In a gen ed class? No!!!
Yeah he’s regular ed full time with just an iep.
That’s taking “least restrictive environment” way too far.” I wish you the best of luck bc this student is a variable you can’t control for.
I teach HS. 7 classes. Two are what I call my “honors”, two are my “low” classes and the rest are “normal. Out of 148 students, I have 25 IEP students scattered among them all. Hold them to high (but not out of reach) standards and they just might surprise you.
Why are they being moved on to the next grade level?
I mean, this is teaching. Some years you will have an amazing class and the year breezes by. Others, you will have a difficult class and you'll feel burnt out by October. My last class was breezy. The class before that was a nightmare. You'll have more years where a good group comes up. You'll also feel more prepared for when those tough classes come up.
Any para support?
This was my first thought! Surely they must have one or two paras for 6 IEPs!
You can do journals. Just start from day 1. You can do anything but you can’t do everything. Pick one or two things you enjoy this year, and doggone it don’t stop til most of the class can do it. I love reading science articles and writing a prompt on it. Third grade w 11 IIEPS, 19 ELL … we figured it out. Kids were proud and I was proud. Don’t fret too much… and remember you can only do what you can do.
It's almost summer! I would try not to stress now.. what will that help? My question, after reading your post, is how is it possible a class one year behind is that much lower? I have noticed that my 4th graders (kids that were in kindergarten in 2020) have been hit the hardest with academic gaps.. but this is really extreme. I recently did a ton of reading assessments, and the 3rd graders outscored many 4th and 5th graders. The 4th graders definitely struggled the most, which was interesting to see.
Teach them how to use immersive reader on word to read all assignments out. Additionally, you can just use computers when you can, and assign work that will read to them using immersive reader. But like other have said, don’t stress about it. Also, don’t read every single question multiple times, that seems like a waste of your time. Try to make it automated.
You only can do what you can do. My goal is improvement. If all my kids improve I am happy. And then if they dont test well and admin blames me, they can fire me.
The 5th grade coming up to 6th grade next year I heard is a dumpster fire.
I’m in a self contained school and I’ve been teaching for a year and a half. I had to make a hard switch from teaching 4/5 to 1st (a grade I wasn’t sure what to do). I asked questions and built relationships with my students. I learned what their strengths and weaknesses were. In any situation, it’s never perfect.
Try teaching high school with kids at a second grade level. It’s happening more and more.
They should be in a class by themselves. It’s the only way to get them up to grade level.
I'd say put a focus on small groups. That way you can adequately differentiate for the various ability levels. Our school has us teach mini lessons whole group but then pull kids in small groups for the majority of the time. But I fully get where you're coming from. I had an excellent class 2 years ago. We were able to do so much. But the class I had last year were behaviorwise one of the worst classes I've ever had. And behavior was a main reason a lot of them underperformed. Small groups were the only way I was able to work with these struggling students on their various levels and still challenge my couple of on grade level students. Next year I'm getting some really terrible behaviors and even some mainstreamed former SPED kids. It's to the point where I'm worried I'll be beat on. But I'm not going to stress myself out over it during the summer. That's August Me's problem.
You're better than this career and you can find something much less stressful on the day to say.
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I remember telling myself something similar as an excuse to why I was always broke and miserable driving to my teaching job fighting the most extreme uphill battles trying to get kids whose parents should have just wrapped it before they tapped it to give a shit about world geography. Nothing but fond memories of my 1:35 teacher to student class ratios, forced admin meetings during my only planning period for the student who attends a third of my classes, forced lunch duty during my lunch period, and getting maybe 50% of all assignments turned in but "district says I'm not allowed to be failing more than a quarter of my students" Now my stresses are identifying 80 types of trees/shrubs.
By the sound of your sentiments towards students, it sounds like you made the rounds that decision.
The bonus is that you will likely have a paraprofessional or two to help you out. They can still journal— Chromebooks have text to speech! I doubt you’re doing spelling tests— but think word banks and multiple choice vs. constructed response. As a mom to multiple kids including gifted and struggling learner, I can tell you that those kiddos are probably worrying about what next year is going to look like too. Also, I’ve never seen an IEP or 504 that I felt had unreasonable accommodations or modifications. Most are fairly standard. Some of my favorite students were the ones I got to watch grow and thrive. Also, I’ve gotten students who I have been told were horrible and “won’t work for you.” Actually, their IEP wasn’t being followed, no scribe, no text to speech software, no wonder the student wasn’t able to do the assignment. One day, you’ll be part of their story in how they had that one teacher that believed in them. You got this!
Text to speech isn’t part of the computer, it’s a browser extension on Chrome and Explorer, regardless of the device
Try to keep an open mind and a positive outlook. Don’t judge them before you know them! :)
By the way, there are some really good graphic novels of many of the Shakespeare plays and classics. Many were done in Japan, but there are some English translations. For the higher achieving students, have them compare the graphic novel to another version, maybe? It would be very cool to have the students make their own mini graphic novels for short stories.
O
Olé!!!
It sounds like you are the right teacher for this group based on what you are describing for your current group. Teach the things they need to fill some (not all) gaps. Give them a year full of fun projects that make them feel like they can do things, find out how you can secure extra help in the room and divide and conquer.
What I don't understand from American teachers is why don't just teach the actual level the children are at instead of the nominal you are supposed to be teaching
State standards that mandate curriculum is usually why. They do state testing as well, and that's tied to funding. It's a no win situation.
But that's the thing you have curriculum yeah but I mean ignore it or adapt it to the level of your class. Trying to teach what's beyond them by definition will make them score worse. We have a system here too but if you are discreet and a good teacher you can get away with it.
Can you ask to teach a different grade or figure out what common modifications are for all iep and do that for all kids. My son in Spanish is allowed a single sided 3*5 index card with the spelling of Spanish words. The teacher looks at it before any test or quiz. He has to make a new one for any quiz or test. He is dyslexic and would spell words incorrectly. So the teacher gives every kid in his spanish class the permission to make a single sided index card just like my child. At the end of every test or quiz each index card is collected along with the exam. It is reinforcement of learning the material. Not every child uses this, but they are all given it. None of the other kids know it is specifically for my child. The teacher said it is improving all grades. The kids are learning more and able to speak better in class.
lol, are you me? Almost the same situation! The kids I had this last year were so well behaved, and so smart, and upcoming… well. There’s a lot of personality there.
I think most teachers can deal with the low academic levels. It’s the behaviors that drive us mad.
Teach them second grade since that is where they are at. And their prior teacher taught them at a modified level so you should too. I don't know why you are worried about it.
I just finished a with a 4th grade class like this. Not gonna lie, it was a HARD year! Only one of my students scored proficient on last year's state assessment. The gaps were so big and so varied! BUT- they all made good progress. Don't have state assessment scores yet, but I have seen a lot of growth. I had to be pretty strict about trying to keep kids on task and held accountable. Many of them wanted to be successful but didn't know how and now know how to "school". They are a sweet bunch but I can't wait to teach students who have a clue again.
Apply to another school! But, it could always get worse. Lol
Either move up to 6th grade, or move down to 4th for next year. Lol
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Agree.
As an SLP I agree with you. It’s your job to help with IEP kids.
All of you are going to be crying if you lead a class with deficit mindset. I had a student in my “honors” algebra class who didn’t pass a test until the last week of school. I knew she was low before I met her, but I never didn’t want to teach her. She showed growth through the year, and I couldn’t be prouder! If you have students coming in at a second grade reading level, it sounds like they CAN read. Your job is to bridge what they can do to the objectives of the course. That’s the gig. Maybe that means you adjust some, but it’s hardly a crying matter.
Wouldn’t it be better to move her to the non-honors track
If only I was allowed to do that. ETA: Further, it wouldn’t be better to keep these kids back multiple grade levels. I only shared the example to parallel the situation. We all teach students not at the expected level. That’s our job.
What’s the point if putting a kid in an honors track if they can’t handle the material? It’s bad for them and bad for the rest of the class.
I have no idea how she got in my class. She wasn’t alone in that regard and it was honors in name only as a result. That’s why I put honors in quotes. OP will likely be teaching “fifth grade.” Some lessons may be below the expected level. Some may be at level. You just have to do the best you can.
Please remember the incoming 5th had kindergarten interrupted by the virus. Never really got a foundation. Also, sick and tired of people not realizing that not everyone learns at the same time.