This year has been a more difficult start than expected. My class demographics are as follows
- no year 4s this year, all year 5 & 6
- Year 5 boys - 7
- Year 5 girls - 3
- Year 6 boys - 4
- Year 6 girls - 3
- Total tamariki = 17
So 11 boys and just 6 girls and a smaller class overall. I did have one more boy, however he early on transferred to another school. The year 5s outnumber the year 6s too.
A biggest difference this year however is the number of very low, academically challenged akonga we have in class. 8 of the class are well below and have some sort of diagnosis. Others are slightly below, slightly above, and two are exceptional in all areas. The wide differentiation required brings a new level of workload to myself and the teacher aides who work with me.
On top of that, there are some real behavioural issues I have inherited in the year 5s. These children require careful handling and management every moment of the day. We have to watch each child carefully and intervene/redirect etc before severe behaviour breaks out in the class. So far, we have managed this, but again, that has meant a large proportion of the day is spent with behaviour requirements rather than direct teaching.
Ethnically, we have 5 of NZ descent, one Pasifika and the rest whakapapa Māori. This is the highest proportion of Pākehā in my class since I started teaching at Waitara East.
Initial testing has landed results that were not unexpected across the board, bar one, who appears to find testing too stressful and is too hard of themselves so shuts down during testing.
I am looking forward to focusing on the tamariki that I know can move and also pushing those who are well ahead, to keep forging forward. I also want to make sure those that are struggling are going to receive the extra help and sessions they require to keep them engaged, learning and getting every single chance to achieve offered and delivered to them. Not much work this year then!
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