In my last blog post, I said that next year would ‘certainly be different’- and that’s for a very good reason!
[As a bit of forewarning- this post is a lengthy, and should be 2 posts, but it’s difficult to split it! I do hope you bear with me, as I’d really value your thoughts and opinions!]
As those of you who follow me on twitter may know, next year I’ve got an ‘interesting’ class arrangement, which ultimately means I’ll be the lead teacher for a group of 42 year 4’s most afternoons.
[Now, I have to say from the outset, I can’t really ‘complain’ about it at all- as I have a feeling if I wasn’t doing this next year, my contract wouldn’t have been renewed at my current school.]
Let me explain how all this has come about. Basically, due to a myriad of factors our year 4 next year is a very small year (42,- when our other years are all oversubscribed at 60/62), and with budgets being what they are, it has left the school in a rather tricky situation. So it was decided that in the morning, we would keep the classes as they are this year (2 separate classes, of 20 and 22), and in the afternoon I would be the ‘lead’ for the year group, which would function together as a year group. It’s important to state that we are ‘officially’ not collapsing the classes- as there will always be 2 adults in the afternoon. I’m going to have the support of one of our amazing TA’s who we have just appointed as a HLTA for 2 afternoons, and our Deputy Head (with no HLTA) will be supporting me the other 2 afternoons. (the other afternoon is PPA- with the Deputy and HLTA). This means that, at least when I haven’t got the HLTA, I’ll ‘kick off’ the learning to all the group, and then we’ll adopt a range of different ways of working (which I’m still getting my head around!).
How I feel about this prospect changes frequently- one moment I’m excited about the potential, the other I’m panicked about how it’s all going to work. I thought I’d write a blog post- to share my thinking, but also (rather selfishly!) try to help me make sense of it all!
Potential
On one side, the situation has huge potential to deliver a whole host of benefits.
I can see 2 main ways of working it- either being very perspective and ‘traditional’, or being very collaborative and child led – now I don’t think I need to say which one of those I prefer 
.
Going along the child led/directed route, we have the immediate benefit of having an ‘extra adult’- after all, I’m used to teaching 30 without any additional adult support, so when you look at it as 42 with an additional adult suddenly doesn’t seem too bad. I also have to admit that I’m looking forward to teaching 22 in the mornings- not that it’s necessarily ‘easier’ but I enjoyed on our transfer days being able to give each child that little bit more ‘attention.’
If we are creative, we can use the situation to our benefit- we can input together, and then split off into the different classrooms for group based work, with an ‘adult’ in each room. We could also carousel activities- perhaps something that is more ‘input heavy’ delivered by me, and some follow up/collaborative work supervised by our wonderful HLTA- of course, when I have our Deputy Head- 2 groups could receive ‘input’ (I hate that word, but you know what I mean) at the same time- either on the same topic or as part of a carousel . We also have the potential to let the children direct where the want to ‘go’ to a greater degree and be able to provide the adult support as needed. All of these turn what on the face of it is a large class, and give them the benefits of having smaller classes. I’m going to be able to spend time with both groups (i.e. I think I want to avoid a situation where one group *always* has the HLTA/Deputy head)
We can also leverage the benefit of having a larger group for discussion, debate- there may be times where it makes sense to have all the children ‘together’ for the whole afternoon. I’m also looking forward to being able to use the learning spaces available to use flexibly (I’ll have *my* classroom, another classroom next door, an outdoor classroom area straight outside our fire door, and cloakroom/corridor space) and giving the children the choice to work where they feel they will work best etc…
It’ll also make it easier to manage some things- for instance we have decided to run a theme called ‘The show must go on…’ in Autumn 2- a mantle of the expert (hoepfully!) based theme based around the children putting on a Christmas Musical- this instantly seems easier to manage with just one group!
So I can see a lot of different potential being opened up here- as long as we (in which, I guess I really mean me, as the children will be up for anything!) are willing to work in slightly different ways, then I think it can work.
Worries
But then, I also have frequent worries about next year. Now, I think (well hope anyway!) most of these will disappear or be resolved when we ‘get into’ next year. I have to be honest though, one of my overriding thoughts is that perhaps, as someone who has only been teaching a year, I’m not quite experienced enough to manage it all- my head teacher clearly thinks otherwise, and keeps saying it has the potential to have huge benefits for me- but that’s only if it goes ‘right’- if it doesn’t work, or I don’t manage it effectively, I can’t help but thinking it could have a potential to be detrimental to me too!
My immediate worry, was of course, how on earth I’m going to manage to ‘teach’ to 42 at once- as in where are we going to ‘fit them’- but I think I’ve solved this by arranging my classroom so it has perhaps one of the biggest carpet areas seen, and putting some of the desks that were in my room into the corridor so they can be moved into either room as/if required in the afternoon.
But one of my main worries is how I’m going to create cohesive classes/groups- especially in the afternoon. But I’m also concerned that it’ll be more difficult to create a ‘4H’ identify for the morning- that, i guess in a way, I’ll loose some of the benefit of having ‘my own’ class.
In the afternoons, we are brining together 2 classes, who have got used to working separately and having ‘competitions’; with each other etc. The year 3 teachers joked to me that they had just got the classes to have very strong group identities- but I do worry getting them to ‘gel’ together in the afternoons may be an issue- especially since we are working as separate classes in our new, very structured, mornings.
I know I really need to create a different ‘identity’ for the morning (4H and the other class) and then afternoons (year 4)- but am unsure how to do this. I want to use the ways I manage behaviour, the extra rewards, our co-operative learning approach etc that I offer with both classes (and my class in the morning), but know that my year group partner may not want to take these up too. I guess I worry that if we don’t get it ‘right’ we could be in a very difficult situation, and I could almost ‘loose’ control of the group, I also want to make sure that it doesn’t feel like it’s 4H with the other class ‘tagged on’ in the afternoons, whilst on the other hand making sure 4H don’t feel like the ‘loose me’ in the afternoons.
Whilst having our Deputy Head is great (and I’ve got him for more than was originally planned), I’m also worried that we need to get the children used to working in one way or another- it could be very confusing for instance if EVERY afternoon when we had our Deputy the children were taught as 2 separate groups, when they will have to get used to being together when we have our HLTA. Teaching as 2 groups could have some benefits sometimes (and I’m sure we’ll use it), but if they are used to working together as 42… do we really want to confuse the children?
However I obviously need to use the fact I have an experienced teacher as my ‘additional adult’- so will be planning our work so that sessions where we will benefit from having 2 teachers are when we have our Deputy. I’m hoping we can also team teach, and perhaps do some input with the children together and then split and develop the learning further etc…
I’m also concerned about how I’m going to group the children in the afternoon. I like to work in collaborative learning ‘teams’ of 4 (mixed ability) which stay the same for a term (if possible- so the children get used to supporting each other in their learning etc) so will be aiming to do this in the afternoons to. But I have the question of do I group them cross class, or keep the groups to within their class.
The perceived wisdom on twitter (and my overriding thought) would be that I would be best to group them cross class. But this in it’s self causes some questions, especially if it ‘disrupts’ both morning classes when perhaps this isn’t needed (I know that sounds strange) and also as to how the children will re-act to working with people in different classes, who works where (especially when we decide to split them for input etc) etc… It also takes away another bit stability for the classes in the afternoon, who will not only have to get used to new teachers, a new way of approaching the curriculum(being rolled out across school), working together in the afternoons, and then being in groups with people they aren’t necessarily used to- will this just be too much? Especially to start of with?
I could also keep them grouped in their classes- this would give my class, at least, the opportunity to really develop their learning teams (as I’d keep them the same as the morning- I worry they may not work as well if they aren’t in them all day), and also make it easy for when we split off ‘4H in one room, the other class in the other’ – I’d of course have to make sure I , the deputy and HLTA spent time in both classrooms to be fair etc. ( I guess this may be selfish of me, as it enables me to keep ‘my class’). But I’m conscious this could lead to the feeling that the other class are ‘tagged on’ to my class.
I could also mix it up- and have them in teams from within the classrooms, but when they go off to work in different classrooms/split input etc, there is a mix of groups from my class and the other class in both rooms. This in some ways seems to combine the best of both worlds. But would this be confusing? Should I just go the whole hog and mix them completely?
Then there’s also the other worries- things like managing 42 reports (as I’ll have to report on everything expect maths/eng for all of the 42), parents evenings. engaging all the parents etc- but I’m going to deal with these when I get to them!
I’m also worried that I won’t have thought of something major which needs considering/thinking through!
I’d be really interested on your views on all of this- especially about grouping and how I could organise the children and work the afternoons.
–
I guess though, all in all, I’m trying to treat next year with positivity.
It has the huge potential to teach me a lot about teaching, make me think differently and allows me to explore different ways of doing things.
I just, for the life of me, hope it goes ‘right’!
TH
I have taught up to 60 on my own – organised chaos! I think you will find the children are very adaptable. Mine work in different groups for different subjects as are grouped by current levels. I have successfully used these strategies, adapted for your numbers; seven equal groups with 2 adult lead activities and 5 independent; four slighty unequal groups on a rotation; 2 equal groups one Teacher led, one HLTA led; 2 Teacher led groups. I could see that some topics would lend themselves to various ways of group management. I would say the main thing would be making sure the children were absolutely clear about which grouping was being used currently. I have used laminated coloured blanks on which I would write each group members names – this reduces the I don’t know who I am working with disruption. I did the same for group tasks – sustainable and reusable is a good way to go! I’ve been in teaching for 5 years with own class so VIVIDLY remember my early years still!
Thanks Alsion.
When I was writing the post, and over the past few weeks, I have tired to re-assure myself that I know that people have coped with a lot more- I guess I’m just a bit unsure as it’s ‘different’.
Thanks for the tips re groups and different ways- I can see a mixture of these having to come into force. I like the laminated blanks to keep track of which group people are in- thanks!
Tim
Hi Tim,
I really enjoyed reading this post and although a large part of the post is given over to your worries, it is clear from your writing that you’re excited about this. And so you should be! I must confess to being a tad (actually, replace ‘a tad’ with ‘very’!) jealous that you’ve got this sort of set-up. There are a lot of teachers in the world who like to keep their door closed and shut off from the rest of the school, but thankfully there are lots of teachers like you who are willing to open up their classroom and share the learning with other children.
I completely disagree with the point you made above of being too inexperienced to do this. You are more than experienced, Tim! If anything, you’re the perfect candidate, given how open-minded and willing to learn new strategies you are. From some things I’ve seen, it seems to me that the longer a teacher stays in the same year group/classroom/school, the more set-in-their-ways they become, sticking to routines and things they know work, rather than taking risks and ‘going with the flow.’ I know I’m speaking to the converted here and that you know this already, but relish this opportunity, because situations like this don’t crop up very often!
Over the past year, I have been lucky to work with 2 incredibly talented teachers (one went off on maternity leave and was replaced by one who came back from maternity leave – that’s how I’ve ended up working with two!) and I can honestly say that I can’t think of very many other people I’d rather work with than these two. The key to this was that we worked collaboratively. All the literacy and topic planning was shared, meaning that from time to time, we could mix the classes up, we could team-teach and we could bring the classes together for shared plenaries. The aspect I enjoyed most in this was being able to team-teach. With both of the other teachers, we always ended up being a double act at the front and the children would often laugh as we had little (good humoured and often orchestrated!) domestics in front of them. This worked because the children saw that we were working together and that we were a united front. Some did try to go to the other teacher when they had been refused something by their own, but they learned very quickly that teachers working in a team does not allow for that sort of thing! As we so often worked as a year group, I was always very adamant that we were “Year 5,” rather than “Class 11 and Class 12.” This didn’t lead to any loss of identity for either class, as they still spent so much time with their own teacher. I don’t think you should worry about your class losing their identity, as they will adapt very quickly to the new way of working. In the morning, they will definitely have the identity of 4H, but they’ll get used to the idea that in the afternoon they are part of a larger Year 4. If this is implemented right from the first day, the children will be used to it by the end of the week – they adapt so quickly and will just accept that this is how things are done in Year 4 with Mr Handley.
With your groupings, I think I would approach it by having 6 groups of 7 children. This means that every group would have a certain level of consistency as they know they will definitely be working with 6 particular children each afternoon, but the groups can then be jumbled up, so that during groupwork time, 3 groups are working with you and 3 groups are with the HLTA/DH. I would mix the groups up with children from both classes, and then each new activity means the children can work with different groups. I’d probably jumble the groups up every half-term though, so that the children are learning to work with lots of different people. I hope this is clear – it makes sense in my head, but then so do a lot of things that no-one else seems to understand!
Sorry that this comment has ended up being nearly as long as your blog post. I’m excited to hear about how you get on this year, as it’s a way of working that I would definitely love to try out. Good luck and I know you’ll be brilliant at it!
Thanks so much Simon for taking the time to write such a lovely, reassuring comment!
There are so many different avenues opened up by this set up- I think I need to try to always look at it in this light! Our Head keeps saying the same as you have said about being ‘ideally suited’ to it- we do have a lot of teachers, who, as you mentioned, have been in the same year group for ages and stick very much to what they know- I think our head knows that I am willing to try new things- so I guess I should also look at it as being given the opportunity to be more creative, and try more things out.
You’re right- I am excited by it, but as the blog post shows, that often gives way to worries- I’m hoping that as I settle into it, and see how things pan out in practice, I’ll become ‘fully’ excited and the worries will vanish.
It’s great to hear how working as a year group worked so well for you this year- I do like the idea of being able to team teach (with both the DH, and I guess our HLTA too)- and hope our DH will be willing to do this too- I can see many aspects where a ‘Double Act’ would be beneficial. I think your also right that the children will just get used to it very quickly- and hope by the end of the first week they are getting settled into the way things will work in year 4. I’d love, at some point, to get the stage where we also work together for part of the mornings- but we’ll see how that goes (my partner in the morning might not be very receptive to this- we’ll see!).
I like the idea of groupings, and think I’ll almost certainly go for mixed-class groups from the start, keeping them consistent for half a term/term- I like the idea of mixing up which groups work with who (DH/Me/HLTA) rather than having it as ‘groups x, y z with me, groups a,b,c, with DH/HLTA)- for different activities- which I think was what you were suggesting- this removes one of my concerns of ‘loosing’ some of ‘my’ class for the afternoons. [I guess I should really be looking at it as *gaining* another 20 children, rather than loosing some of 'mine'- I don't mean to sound 'territorial!'
]
Thanks so much again for taking the time to write such a useful comment- I’ll certainly be keeping you/the blog etc informed of how I’m getting on- and hopefully of some of the different things I’ve been able to try!
Tim
As a prospective (and yes, rather nervous!) PGCE student, I’ve just very excitedly come across both your fantastic survival guide and this blog. Admittedly, I was meant to be working on improving some of my subject specific knowledge at the time, but got seriously distracted! I have a feeling I will be referencing your guide A LOT over the upcoming months. Congratulations on the new class and, on a more random note, you should probably also feel rather proud that your new class number, is in fact, the answer to the universe. Oh yes. What an awful lot of power you now hold in your hands.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/yes-the-answer-to-the-universe-really-is-42-1351201.html
Hi Emma,
Thanks so much for your lovely comment! I’m delighted you like the survival guide! [If you scroll back in the blog you'll also find the blog posts I wrote during my PGCE year too]. If you’re going to get ‘distracted’ with anything from PGCE work, I’d like the think the survival guide isn’t that bad of a distraction
Thanks for the congrats on the new class, and I’d completely missed the 42 being the answer to life, universe and everything reference- it’s certainly made me smile and I’ll try to remember the power of 42 over the next year
Best of luck with your PGCE- all the nerves will vanish when you get into the swing of PGCE life
Tim
PS- as an aside, you may be interested to know I’m down to host a PGCE web-chat/’clinic’ on the TES New Teachers site on Tuesday 7th (5PM)- more details will be on the TES site and this blog soon