A new course has just begun and in many classes there have been unexpected movements. My son, for example, has come home somewhat disgusted because he has been separated from his soul friend and the companion with whom he always did the work. "And now, what am I going to do?", he asks.
It is not the first time that mix the children of the two groups at school. In fact, they do every cycle change and every two years in Primary.
So I know from experience that will adapt after a few days, like most of his classmates. This is also said by Noelia Sosa González, educational psychologist at Psise Madrid.
The measure consists in changing the distribution of students by class of the same level several times throughout the compulsory schooling. There is no regulation about it, so it is the direction of the school and the school board who decide whether or not to adopt the mix of children of various kinds.
"It is usually done in the change from Infant to Primary and every two years in compulsory education, when the children's teachers are also renewed, although it depends on each center", Noelia Sosa explains.
Benefits of group redistribution
Noelia Sosa wants to make it clear that every child is different, so their adaptation is not always the same. But in general, it highlights these benefits assimilated to the redistributions of class groups:
1. Roles are changed of some children within the class group. It is clear that if there is a problematic, shy or sad student, it is better to change the class. But if only he is changed, he will be stigmatized as "the bad one" or "the weird one". However, if every two years there is movement of children from one group to another, the particular cases will be diluted and it may be that it fits better with their new partners.
In addition, many times children behave like others expect them to do, but when groups are mixed many roles disappear and children start from scratch.
2. Tagged classes are terminated As with children, there are occasions when classes are defined: that of the clever, that of the charlatans, that of the lazy ...
These labels cause children to behave in one way or another, as expected of them, and to be prejudged by teachers, that if the group "is negative" do not strive to reverse the situation and redistribute the groups would break this dynamic .
3. Social interaction is favored The children would have to establish new relationships and the network of friendships would expand, without losing the friendship with the children of their previous class. In fact, they will not be left alone, as they will continue with some of them in the classroom. In addition, children who for any reason become more isolated have a new opportunity to make friends.
This measure also avoids rivalries and promotes greater coexistence among children.
4. Students' learning levels are compensated It may happen that they accumulate in a larger number of children with difficulties. By redistributing the groups, these students can receive a more balanced teaching in their new group.
5. They are being prepared to adapt to the changes "Because everyone, including students, is afraid of the unknown, of the new and is about lifelong learning."
Counterarguments
1. Relationship circles are broken. If the measure is raised at the end of the Early Childhood Education stage or from time to time in Primary, the friendships (which are considered positive) of the children and also of their families, run the risk of disintegrating.
2. Integration difficulties for children with special educational needs (NEE). On many occasions, they are integrated, clothed and protected by their peers. By redistributing the groups, these children may be more isolated or more difficult to integrate again.
3. Its validity is not recognized. There are experiences in many centers, but no studies show that the experiment will be acceptable or counterproductive.
4. Teachers may not use pedagogical criteria for redistribution. That decisions are based on personal preferences, benefits of some to the detriment of others (by educational levels) ...
There are no absolute truths
The possibility of mixing the groups of students of the same course It is a favorable tool for teachers, who can use it to correct negative attitudes, class conflicts, improving the environment and performance. But these objectives are not always achieved, since not all children adapt equally to changes.
Those in favor of the mix of classes claim that they will meet their former classmates at recess, but there are children who do not serve this position when they separate him from his soul mate. It dislodges them not to know if their friend has come to class today or not and, therefore, to think "Who am I going to sit in the classroom with today?", "And on the dining room table?", "Who am I going to play with at recess?"
There is no perfect formula and we must recognize that our children have a hard time getting into the new situation, although they all end up catching up with the classes. Of course, at first they are more aware of other issues that are not educational activities and can lower their performance.
Further, "the size of the school also influences", explains the psychologist.
"In a center of two lines (two classes per course) the children know, independently, that they are from one group or another, since they usually make the exits together, they are mixed in the patio and the dining room ... and therefore not it is often uncomfortable for them to be separated from their partners and mixed with others, so here the change is positive, so that they open up to new friendships and do not create situations of "one friend", for example".
However, when the center is very large, more problems may arise:
"If the child is shy or has relationship problems and is already surrounded by classmates in his current class, separating him from the rest can be conflictive, since he does not know classmates from other classes (even if they are the same age) and is it's hard for him to find his ex-partners in the yard or in the dining room. So he can get more isolated. "
That is why Noelia Sosa says that she does not have a clear position, since the measure of mixing groups of children in schools has its pros and cons.
"It is true that leaving them with their peers throughout the Primary gives them stability, but you have to think about the rest of the benefits such as the possibility that a shy child does not fit in a classroom full of more outgoing, participatory children and that if it is integrated in a less homogeneous one, find other students similar to him and let go, start taking advantage of the classes. "
And with that said, just a little more point: in my children's school they redistribute the classes every two courses. In case it can serve the worried parents that you see something sad to your children now, at the beginning of the course, for this reason, I assure you that the situation will be resolved immediately. My children are not exaggeratedly outgoing or shy (they are normal children) and have continued with their friends, just like us maintaining the relationship with the parents of their classmates, even if they now go to another classroom.
There are only two groups per course and they make all the exits together, they play in the yard all mixed up, they see each other in the school's out-of-school, in the dining room and they even insist on going from one house to another on the weekends ... My personal opinion ? The redistribution of classes is positive (at least in my case). This year I am even happy with the change, because by separating him from his friend (as restless as he is) they will no longer be able to feed back in class and they are sure that he is more aware of what the teacher says.
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