Almost all my classes were 1st/2nd grade combination classes. It's very doable. 1st grade is tough, by second graders were a godsend. Teachers often hate combos because they must teach the content of two grades.

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To me the processes of learning to read, learning to write and all the underlaying concepts of mathare the underlying foundation for a good elementary school education.

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What content do you rely on from elementary school? Very little. Before administrative micromanagement you might have a thrid grade teacher who loved diansaurs. Everything in third grade was dinasaurs. What was important that students learned to learn and the teacher's passion transfered a love of learning--the dinasaurs were just the vehicle.