Do teachers have any say in what classes their previous students end up in?

Question

I just think it's a funny coincidence that my daughter (a very shy first grader) only got two of her Kindergarten classmates in her new class this year, and those two happen to be the only close friends she made last year. Do teachers talk and have any input into this or is it just done randomly and my daughter lucked out?

Answer 1

Yes, elementary teachers do place their students in the next years class. However, if you as the parent wish to have her placed in another class, just speak to the principal. You have the right to request that your child be moved to another class. Make sure you have a good reason. Her shyness, for example. You can say it will help with her social development.

Answer 2

Yes.  Elementary teachers often get together to assign the classes for the following year.  The teachers are the ones who really know the students, so they can help balance the classes, and will consider making sure a shy child has someone they are comfortable with.

Answer 3

The teachers can make their recommendations. However, the principal makes the final decision on which class students are placed in for the next school year. If the principal knows your child, then she will place your child in the setting that she thinks is the best.

Answer 4

At my school, the last staff meeting of the year is used to make probable classes. The current grade teachers get a class list and code it according to boys, girls, behaviour problems, special needs, high/medium/low ability, kids who can't be together, or should be together.

Then we cut up all the coded names, and physically move them into piles for each projected class. If there was a composite class (2 grades/1 class) then we divide them first into the straight classes, so they don't have 2 years in a row in a composite, then we sort out the rest of the kids, usually from behaviour problems and must separate kids first, working through to the nice kids at the end to balance the class.

Final test, we look at each list and see if there is any class that stands out as one that we want, or one that we don't, as that would indicate an imbalance.  

Answer 5

It is different wherever you go. At my school, the principal chooses the classes. however, the teachers rank the students by high, low and medium. Then, we divide by boys and girls and black and white. then they have us put down what students shouldn't be together. After this the principal just makes sure that the classroom is balanced high low and medium, boy and girl and racially. But, as I said, it depends on the school. Ask th principal.

Answer 6

I'm a teacher and yes, the teachers talk. I know at my school, we actually have a placement process where we talk with the other teachers who place their kids in the next grade. We create a balanced classroom. This means we factor in behaviors, gender, hard parents, postive and neg. friendships etc... Typically we always try to send our kids on with at least 1 friend. So the fact that your daughter got 2 friends - wow lucky her!

I've also requested that some students NOT be placed in my classroom depending on whether I had a good relationship with their parents in past (like if I had their older sibling).  

Answer 7

Yes, they try to look out for the best interests of their students. Later on, teachers will make recommendations for honors or AP classes.