Your child is learning in a combined grade classroom. This article is designed to help you understand how this type of classroom works and answer questions you may have.

Schools group students from two grades in one classroom to balance class size across the school and to keep the number of students in primary classes (kindergarten to grade 3) at or below 20. Combined grade classes are not new—they have always been a common part of the school experience.

Teachers are highly trained to balance individual learning needs. Walk into any classroom, and you will find children at various stages of social, physical and intellectual development. No two children are exactly the same, even if they’re the same age. Each child has unique learning needs—strengths and areas that need improvement. Learning styles and preferences are unique to each student. That’s true of same-grade classrooms, just like combined grade groups.

Teachers are highly trained to adjust the learning program in the classroom to the needs of each student’s individual learning needs. In combined grade classes, teachers use these same strategies to teach the curriculum for both grades.

Teachers use a variety of strategies to balance the needs of both grades. Students in a combined grade class follow expectations for their specific grade. Just as in same-grade classes, teachers in
combined grades use a wide range of teaching strategies to make sure they cover all of the curriculum expectations. Children in combined grade classes will spend time learning as a whole class, in small groups and individually. Sometimes they will be grouped based on a specific task and other times the teacher will group them based on their learning needs. The teacher may have the whole class participate in a common activity, followed by small group or individual work on grade-specific curriculum expectations.

Studies show that students in combined grade classes learn as well as other students. You may be concerned about how well your child will learn in a combined grade class. Years of research show that students in combined grades do just as well academically as students in single-grade classes. In fact, some students actually do better in language and reading.

You may also wonder about the emotional impact on your child—will your child receive the same amount of individual attention from the teacher in a combined grade as in a single-grade class. It’s important to understand that the number of students in the class, not the grade structure, determines the amount of time the teacher has to spend with each individual student.

Students in combined classes often do better emotionally and socially. Combined grade classes have been found to foster greater independence, better social skills and increased motivation to learn.

In our experience, parents may be concerned when their child is first placed in a combined grade class, but once they become familiar with the concept, they feel more comfortable, and they’re pleased with their child’s progress and school experience as the year progresses.

Help your child succeed in a combined grade class. You’re important to your child’s success—in a combined grade, the same as a same-grade class. The more you know about your child’s education, the more you will be able to help your child learn and succeed. Here are some ways you can support your child’s learning.
 Become familiar with the curriculum for your child’s grade.
 Read information from your child’s teacher and school. Ask your child to tell you about schoolwork that is brought home. Talk with your child about her school experience.
 Communicate with your child’s teacher about his individual
 learning needs. If you have questions, talk to the teacher about the strategies that are being used to cover the combined grade curriculum.
 Connect with the school. Attend parent information nights and other school events. Volunteer at the school if you have the time. Attend a school council meeting.
 Get more information.Talk to your child’s teacher or principal.

The Deer’s Cry or St. Patrick’s Breastplate… very powerful prayer!

Watch the St. Patrick Catholic School children present their action songs to Bishop Michael O. Jackels during his Together Vision visit to Chanute, KS. For more pictures, click on the gallery.

September 25, 2010

Click on the newsletter date/link to view the article. Let us celebrate one another’s gifts and build the body of Christ!

Principal Fey Barles received the Diocese of Wichita Catholic School MASTER CATECHIST Certificate during the Southeast Kansas Sectional Teachers Meeting held on August 9, 2010 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Parsons, Kansas.

Mr. Voboril led the Prayer of Blessing:  “With your fatherly blessing, Lord, strengthen this servant of yours in her resolve to dedicate herself as Master Catechist for the Diocese of Wichita.  Grant that she will strive to share with others what she herself has learned from pondering your word and studying the Church’s teaching.  And let her gladly join those she teaches in honoring and serving Your name.  By the authority delegated to me by Bishop Jackels, I hereby commission you as Master Catechist for the Diocese of Wichita.  May the good work that God has begun in you be brought to completion.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.”

After the Commissioning Ceremony, Superintendent Robert Voboril joined Mrs. Barles and the St. Patrick Catholic School, Chanute, Kansas Faculty and Staff for a picture.  In the picture with Mr. Voboril and Mrs. Barles were Mrs. Danielle Forbes, Mrs. Lisa Dent, Mrs. Alison Morris, Miss Loretta Yates, Mrs. Catherine Bowman, Mr. Lawrence Barles and Mrs. Jean Cross.  Reverend Bernard Gorges, Sister Agnes Lero, Mrs. Kathy Butler, Mrs. Allison Bauer and Mrs. Holly Donaldson were in St. Patrick, Chanute, Kansas.  Also present in the Church during the Ceremony were Mrs. Barles’ mother, Florsefina Licup Maipid, aunt, Felicitas Licup and sons, Lorenzo Jose Mari Barles and Florence Felipe Barles.