Frequently Asked Questions ..................Looping Classroms.

1. What is a looping classroom?
2. What are the benefits of a looping classroom?
3. Does a child have to stay in a looping classroom for the second year?
4. Are there any drawbacks of looping?
5. Any more questions?

What is a looping classroom?

If you're a parent of one of my students, you already know that I 
will have the opportunity to be your child's teacher for first 
and second grade. For other visitors to this website, I'll 
explain.  A loooping classroom is when students stay with their 
teacher and classmates for two years. There are four looping 
classrooms for grades one and two at Pelham Elementary. Mrs. 
Cheryl Andrews and I are in the grade one year of this loop. 

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What are the benefits of a looping classroom?

There are many benefits. Our first grade classrooms are 
traditional and have the same heterogeneous population as all 
first grade classrooms. It is a very typical first grade 
classroom. The benefits of looping come in the second year. There 
is a gerat comfort level as students start second grade. I know 
the students so well. I understand their strengths and 
weaknesses. I know their personalities and learning styles. We 
start second grade with established routines and expectations. 
After having spent a year getting to know parents, I have a 
better understanding of family dynamics. This can only benefit me 
as I work with, care for, and teach my students.

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Does a child have to stay in a looping classroom for the second year?

No. After the first year, parents have the option of changing 
their child's placement for the second year. All decisions are 
based on the best interest of the child.

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Are there any drawbacks of looping?

Rather than a drawback, I'll call it an adjustment period. After 
two years of being together some children become anxious about 
transitioning to third grade. Keeping this in mind, I begin 
preparing them in the spring. The children grow strong bonds of 
friendship in the two years together. Students are placed in 
third grade with some children from their second grade classroom. 
I have found that by the end of second grade, the children have 
had a strong foundation, have matured and are ready to go 
forward. I encourage parents to keep a positive attitude and 
excitement about their child's promotion. And, so that we don't 
have to say goodbye on the last day of school, we plan a get 
together in the summer. It makes it much easier going out the 
door on that last day of school if we can just say, "See you 
next month."

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Any more questions?

Parents,
If you have any general questions, please email me and I'll be 
glad to post them.

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