6th graders ---
In my case it is not the students - just the years of mandated stupidness that wear you down.
An example: I had a classroom library years before it was demanded in classrooms (that was a sure hint they were going to get rid of school libraries and librarians). My classroom library was set up just like a public library - books set up by genre. Out of the blue, it was mandated that all classroom library books be presented in baskets. I had way too many books and putting them in baskets would require additional shelves. I placated the powers above with just a couple of baskets on the tops of my shelves.
Then came the mandate to put all classroom library books in Lexile order, not genre. (Lexile is one of the many types of rating books by reading ability) Good thing I did not spend time looking up the ratings and rearranging my shelves because the new order is to organize by Fontas (a different rating).
If I bide my time, that mandate will change - again. Why should a teacher have to defend the set up of a classroom? I am suppose to have a spot for small group instruction that kids walk to. My room is not big enough for this, so I walk to the students. Oh and I am evaluated on my classroom environment.
