How many is Too Many??

Submitted by Susannah Fowler on Tue, 07/09/2010 - 4:43pm

Educating the primary school aged child in New Zealand has changed considerably in the last 30 years.  Gone are the days where you sit in your single cell classroom with one teacher for the entire time and they teach you everything for that curriculum year from maths to music.  They are uninspired by science, so science is not interesting, they can’t catch a ball to save themselves, so you never do P.E.

Times have changed and I often hear parents saying “my child has had 3 teachers this year”.  In actual fact they have probably had more like 12! 
 
It is common place for team teaching, cross grouping, exchange classes, specialist teaching, electives or intensives.  It is common to get extra support out of the classroom is specific areas and it is common to have children extended where they excel.   Our school environment thrives on making the most of the opportunities and skills of our staff and the interests and learning styles of individual students.
 
The bottom line for myself as the Principal of this school is literacy and numeracy.  When the children are on track in these areas, they are better poised to make the most of the other learning opportunities open to them.  Our teachers work closely across teams, year levels and across the school and your child, their education and abilities are openly discussed (as appropriate) so that our whole team can participate in ensuring students leave the school with grounded skills, an appreciation of a range of learning/teaching styles and the ability to relate to a myriad of people.
 
Don’t complain about having many teachers in one year, celebrate it!