[Catalist] Split classes Year 9/10

[Michael Cameron]

Hello Edward,
You will have trouble teaching both year 9 and 10 in the same room because they cover different topics. How will you differentiate BOTH groups: advanced year 9s and struggling ones while also trying to do the same with year 10? That would be 4 groups….2 learning ecosystems while the other 2 tries genetics... Your time and resources will be spread too thin.

Here’s my solution: teach year 9 and 10 over two years! So cover half of the 9 course this year and half of the year 10 course. Then in 2017 teach what you didn’t cover this year. That way you will be freed up to properly differentiate the curriculum that meets each kid's needs. Take the year 10 physics for example:
 The motion of objects can be described and predicted using the laws of physics (ACSSU229) <http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/curriculum/contentdescription/ACSSU229>

In 2016 your bright kids (both year 9 or 10) will learn Newton’s laws and equations of motion and get into calculations. And the year 9s and 10s who would struggle will still study motion but stick to forces, speed, friction, parachutes, vehicles etc. But they are all learning/attempting that same year 10 objective.Then NEXT year you can cover the year 9 physics objective when you get both groups to study waves and light etc.
 
I’d argue that to some degree the students' birth year is almost arbitrary when they get to this age. I’ve done this before and it works quite well. We’ve had this method ‘cleared by the authorities’. Once you’ve got through the first year it can run smoothly and every child coming through the school will cover the whole curriculum. One draw back: what about this year’s 10 who will miss out on the other half of the year 10 curriculum…

All the best,
Mick Cameron



> On 25 Jan 2016, at 3:11 pm, MELVILLE Edward [Kojonup District High School] <edward.melville at education.wa.edu.au> wrote:
> 
> Hello Science Teachers,
>  
> I have been given a split Year 9/10 class for 2016. I was wondering how best to go about teaching this. My ideas so far include:
>  
> a) Teaching two differentiated groups (basically a high and low group split).
> b) Teaching the Year 9 curriculum one week and the Year 10 curriculum the next week. This is my least preferred option.
> c) Teaching them separately and giving one year group well structured work while I teach the other.
>  
> I am still only in my second year of teaching and as I work in a small District High School I am again the Head Of Department. I have very little guidance with this type of planning and structuring and only my first year of teaching to fall back on. Any ideas would or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
>  
> Thanks in advance,
>  
> Edward Melville.
> 
>  
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