This year my school has 20 individual classrooms (a little over 400
students in all). We have 3 sections of half day kindergarten which have
art, music and PE once a week for 30 minutes each, three sections of first
grade which have the specials twice a week for 35 minutes each, three
sections of second grade--ditto, four sections of third grade--ditto, three
sections of fourth grade twice a week for 40 minutes each, and four
sections of fifth grade--ditto. Our travelling art, music and PE teachers
use the multi purpose (old original gym, stage and cafeteria) room on
separate days and times. They generally take 3-4 of the classes. This year
my colleague Loraine is teaching the three sections of first grade on two
half days. Since my school has such a sorry excuse for an art room (I call
it the rat cage), I am the only full time art teacher at the elementary
level that has the divided schedule. At the other schools the art teachers
have 70 and 80 minute classes once a week, Grades 1-5. It is my personal
opinion that packing like rats 30-40 students (past experience) in a room
designed for 25 students and no storage facility is cruel and inhuman
punishment. Yes, it is a lot of extra work for me in setup, but the
children are more focused and enthusiastic for the shorter periods of time.
My weekly schedule has 7 classes on two days, six classes on two days and
five classes on Thursday. I live for Thursday1 :-) Our students also have
regularly scheduled classes in library and computer lab, too.
