With the push for mastery for our low performers and enrichment for our higher functioning students, should we group students more by ability as opposed to grade level. According to Teacher Magazine, this has become an increased practice. Much of the positive research focused on middle and senior high and addressed the academic benefits. With states that have non-spiraling standards, I am curious how this measure would work in elementary schools.
Scarcity of resources and class-size compliance may make the doubters more receptive to this practice. This also opens the debate to heterogeneous vs. homogeneous grouping. What do you think?
In all my years of teaching the one thing that makes me feel really sad is when I see the students that "get it" sit and wait for those that didn't. Sure the politically correct expectations of a "good teacher" states that they can remediate, instruct, and challenge all in one lesson to a heterogeneous group while managing language limitations, behavior, emotional, and physical issues, while meeting with document requirements every step of the way. lol Reality may tell us different, but who is going to have the courage to let the cat out of the bag. In the meantime who really suffers? the kids.
ReplyDeleteI think that a good balance should be kept so that the gap between those achieving and those under-achieving is not that wide. This may be a more truthful and viable system than what we have now.
Marta