calling teachers - your experience of twins needed

[mumofthreebeauties]

I would be interested in hearing your views on twins in separate or same classes.

When does it work, when doesn't it.

What would your advice be.

Our twins have just gone in to yr1 in separate classes for the forst time and both say they are sad and miss the other.

I will be following this thread with interest as my Dts have just started school , but in the same class (at my request). I would like to hear from teachers points of views aswell .
( if thats ok MOTB)

I have taught a few sets of twins ( secondary level).IME it works better if they are in different classes for all sorts of reasons both social as well as academic. Also, with identical twins it can genuinely be difficult to distinguish them and this causes problems for both the twins and the teacher.Where I teach, there is now a policy of putting twins in different form groups unless specifically requested.

I have taught 4 sets of twins in secondary. They were all in the same classes. Two sets were in the same class, which seemed rather a coincidence. None of them seemed to have any 'Twin related' problems IYSWIM

We consult closely with parents on this issue. Generally, we will go with what the parents feel is best - after all, they are the best judges of their children's characters. However, if twins have attended the school nursery, we (parents, Reception teachers and nursery teachers) will all meet together to discuss it and we will certainly consider the advice of the nursery teachers who may feel strongly that a particular set of twins should be together/separate.

I have taught twins in separate classes and in the same class. It all depends on the personality of the twins and the teacher's ability to see and teach them as separate people.

Sorry, not much help at all!

The usual policy in all of the schools I have taught in is to put them in different classes. I have taught several twins but all separated. Usually works fine.
One pair used to both disappear from the two classrooms, the two teachers would both miss them at the same time and we would find them in the corridor between the two rooms! They were identical and the only way I could tell them apart was my one would not wear his sweatshirt and the other one would!

Feel free to dip in lucylady.

They were fine in reception together. One of them is more exhuberant than the other but calmed down after the first term.

By the end of the year both were doing well and despite having Mid August birthdays hit all their reception targets.

We thought it best to separate them so the exhuberant one would flourish in his own right (he would occasionally say dt2 can do xyz).

now he isplaying up in class, not doing as he' told and reactng to people. He' says he's sad that he not with his brother and doesn;t like being in a mixed reception class(says he's in with babies).

He also told me this weekend his teacher doesn't like him and other children hurt him in the playground ("mummy you told me not to push so I don't").

I don't know whether to ask for himto be moved or whether to continue. I feel he feels he's second best because he's still in with reception children and his brother isn;t.

sorry rambling on a bit here!

My extremely identical dds had to go through primary school in the same class as it was a very small school (only one other girl in their year!!) If they went on school trips in small groups (4 children per adult helper), we requested that they were separated. We always bent over backwards to "separate" their identities, but it is not something other people have always wanted to do!

At secondary school, they were separated at our request, with dds full consent, and quite happily made separate new friends. In the 6th form, they were both in the same group of friends and have socialised together ever since!

One is now away at university, one is at home and at college (uni next year), which is the first time they have been "apart" and I am pleased that there is no hint of "separation anxiety".

Throughout their school lives, it was a bit of a struggle for some teachers (who taught both of them) to get into the habit of seeing them as individuals. Parents' evenings were often "they are very good at ...", something which we tried very hard to get them to stop!

I have taught a variety of twins and triplets. We normally accomodate parents's wishes so this year have identical girl twins and a gril whose twin brother is in the parallel class. It is sometimes tricky when the twins are absolutely identical to be as confident as you woant to be which one did particualrly well with something or vice versa as I normally work with a visual image.
I wonder whether the difficulties you are describing are more due to the change in curriculum from foundation to Year 1. Some children find it no problem, others take time to adjust. This might be the case for your sons and itmight have happened even if they were in the same class.
I would talk to the teacher as soon as possible and ask for ways of smoothing the way for dt1- building his confidence etc and see how that works. They are both very young in the year- have they had 3 terms of reception or less?
Good luck

They are non identical which does make it easier for the teachers.

My worry is the involvement of a SENCo 4 weeks into term. I'm concerned they have seen something that they're not telling us about. I can't believe they would involve a SENCO if it's just a bit of naughtiness.

He does need a bit of confidence building, but he also needs boundaries.

Have taught loads of twins at secondary level. identical and non-identical. Together and seperately. Some were seperated because of ability when they were put in sets- others seperated at parents request. i've never had any problems with any of them. Think you should do what you feel ios right. From what you say it sounds like they would be better off together though

Understandably you must be puzzled at the involvement of the Senco. Can you ask to see the SENCo and the class teacher for an informal chat to clarify things and to reassure yourself?