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#21
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Ability grouping
Nevermind wrote in :
I know this will be a very unscientific survey, but I'm curious about how common Erika's school's grouping system (see below) is these days. Our school doesn't officially do ability grouping -- there is *no* expectation that the work the kids're doing in reading or math will be pegged to their individual ability at all, only to their age. It's one-size-fits-all unless the teacher wants to differentiate on her own. How about your kids' elementary schools? I had understood that ability grouping had become rare in U.S. elementary schools, but if I'm wrong about that, then our school district's system is much more vulnerable to criticism and parental agitation for change. [snip] I was astounded by how unusual ability grouping is in the states. Over here, my kids' schools (they've been to two) both had some kind of ability grouping for both maths and English for 6yo upwards. The groups are very fluid. Basically the children have three different places in the classrooms where they sit: their maths table, their literacy table and their normal table. The whole class covers the same subject at the same time, but the expectations are different. -- Penny Gaines UK mum to three |
#22
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Ability grouping
In article ,
Penny Gaines wrote: Nevermind wrote in : I know this will be a very unscientific survey, but I'm curious about how common Erika's school's grouping system (see below) is these days. Our school doesn't officially do ability grouping -- there is *no* expectation that the work the kids're doing in reading or math will be pegged to their individual ability at all, only to their age. It's one-size-fits-all unless the teacher wants to differentiate on her own. How about your kids' elementary schools? I had understood that ability grouping had become rare in U.S. elementary schools, but if I'm wrong about that, then our school district's system is much more vulnerable to criticism and parental agitation for change. [snip] I was astounded by how unusual ability grouping is in the states. Over here, my kids' schools (they've been to two) both had some kind of ability grouping for both maths and English for 6yo upwards. The groups are very fluid. Basically the children have three different places in the classrooms where they sit: their maths table, their literacy table and their normal table. The whole class covers the same subject at the same time, but the expectations are different. there is oodles of research that shows that in the US at least very early tracking often was based on characteristics like color, cleanliness, manners, and what the older sibling's reputation was -- which resulted in very young children being permanently tracked into low achievement -- once they are in a setting where expectations are low, it is very hard to dig out -- even a very bright child might end up falling very far short of their potential |
#23
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Ability grouping
Jenn wrote
there is oodles of research that shows that in the US at least very early tracking often was based on characteristics like color, cleanliness, manners, and what the older sibling's reputation was -- which resulted in very young children being permanently tracked into low achievement -- once they are in a setting where expectations are low, it is very hard to dig out -- even a very bright child might end up falling very far short of their potential Tracking sounds similar to but is crucially different from ability grouping. Ability grouping incorporates flexibility. Kids are in a group for reading, for math, etc., not for everything, and they can move among groups as their educational needs change or as teachers see something in them. I really don't see how classrooms with 1 teacher and 20 and more kids who share nothing but their age can pretend to be educating all the kids when they're not ability grouping at all. Fact is, many districts have gotten out of the "educating all the kids" business and into the "providing good test scores" business. In the latter, if you already know the stuff you'll be tested on, your education is over for the year. |
#24
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Ability grouping
Nevermind wrote in :
Jenn wrote there is oodles of research that shows that in the US at least very early tracking often was based on characteristics like color, cleanliness, manners, and what the older sibling's reputation was -- which resulted in very young children being permanently tracked into low achievement -- once they are in a setting where expectations are low, it is very hard to dig out -- even a very bright child might end up falling very far short of their potential Tracking sounds similar to but is crucially different from ability grouping. Ability grouping incorporates flexibility. Kids are in a group for reading, for math, etc., not for everything, and they can move among groups as their educational needs change or as teachers see something in them. [snip] Yes, in my kids school there is one class for each age group, so the different ability groups are still in the same classroom, with the same teacher. You can be in the top maths group, and the bottom English group. I can't see how you can have a functioning educational system for the youngest children if it doesn't take account of their different abilities when they start school. Over here, most children start formal schooling in the year of their fifth birthday: and depending on the school there may be one intake, or up to three in the year. That is some schools have all children starting in September, and at other schools some children might start at Christmas or Easter. So some children start school a few days after their fourth birthday, in a class with children who are nearly 5yo. -- Penny Gaines UK mum to three |
#25
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Ability grouping
Nevermind wrote:
Jenn wrote there is oodles of research that shows that in the US at least very early tracking often was based on characteristics like color, cleanliness, manners, and what the older sibling's reputation was -- which resulted in very young children being permanently tracked into low achievement -- once they are in a setting where expectations are low, it is very hard to dig out -- even a very bright child might end up falling very far short of their potential Tracking sounds similar to but is crucially different from ability grouping. Ability grouping incorporates flexibility. Kids are in a group for reading, for math, etc., not for everything, and they can move among groups as their educational needs change or as teachers see something in them. They are quite different, though of course people (and schools) sometimes use the terms incorrectly and claim to be doing one when they're really doing the other ;-) I really don't see how classrooms with 1 teacher and 20 and more kids who share nothing but their age can pretend to be educating all the kids when they're not ability grouping at all. Fact is, many districts have gotten out of the "educating all the kids" business and into the "providing good test scores" business. In the latter, if you already know the stuff you'll be tested on, your education is over for the year. True, but there is an alternative to ability grouping, which is to address each child as an individual. This can be done, though it's challenging. Best wishes, Ericka |
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Ability grouping
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#28
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Ability grouping
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#29
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Ability grouping
toto wrote in message . ..
On 5 Nov 2003 12:36:39 -0800, (Roger Dodger) wrote: I had understood that ability grouping had become rare in U.S. elementary schools, but if I'm wrong about that, then our school district's system is much more vulnerable to criticism and parental agitation for change. Trust me, it's rare. No, I don't trust you... Cite some statistics that show this. Every school my own children went to grouped by ability for reading and many did for math as well as early as kindergarten and 1st grade. Cite some statistic to show the contrary. Every school that I went to, except high school in a limited capacity, did not group by ability. |
#30
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Ability grouping
In article , Roger Dodger
says... toto wrote in message ... On 5 Nov 2003 12:36:39 -0800, (Roger Dodger) wrote: I had understood that ability grouping had become rare in U.S. elementary schools, but if I'm wrong about that, then our school district's system is much more vulnerable to criticism and parental agitation for change. Trust me, it's rare. No, I don't trust you... Cite some statistics that show this. Every school my own children went to grouped by ability for reading and many did for math as well as early as kindergarten and 1st grade. Cite some statistic to show the contrary. Every school that I went to, except high school in a limited capacity, did not group by ability. Perhaps if they had, they would have gotten to the part where you would learn that the burden of proof is on you to back up your contention. Banty |
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