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I was a math teacher from 1967 - 2003. You would probably label me, along with my fellow math teachers, "liberal." Not one of us was in favor of the social engineering that was forced on us. An example, for at least the past 10 years, the lowest level math class offered in every high school in the state of Florida is Algebra I. It doesn't matter that every math teacher knows that at least 50% of students who enter high school are not prepared to learn algebra - nobody asked math teachers for their opinions on this mandate. What do YOU think happens when a math teacher faces a class of 30 algebra students, 50% of whom are not prepared for and/or capable of learning algebra?
Why are those 50% in the same class as those who ARE prepared/capable? There's nothing in NCLB mandating mixed-ability classes. Liberal educators have done that to schools.
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Better yet, who do YOU think is responsible for mandating that the lowest level of math taught in Florida high schools is Algebra 1? I'll answer that one for you: the Republican controlled and led Florida legislature. Not a "liberal educator" in the bunch...
Algebra I can be taught on/at different levels. The key is to meet each group's needs and move them forward. That is pretty much impossible in mixed-ability classes like the ones you mention above. That's why they're not successful, and the schools that DO group students by ability/skill level ARE successful (as noted in the Atlantic article).
Why are those 50% in the same class as those who ARE prepared/capable? There's nothing in NCLB mandating mixed-ability classes. Liberal educators have done that to schools.
Algebra I can be taught on/at different levels. The key is to meet each group's needs and move them forward. That is pretty much impossible in mixed-ability classes like the ones you mention above. That's why they're not successful, and the schools that DO group students by ability/skill level ARE successful (as noted in the Atlantic article).
Students in regular ed classes are NOT ability leveled.
In MY state, teachers (those "liberal educators") have no say in the matter. It is determined by the state DOE, which is run by whichever party controls the governor's mansion and legislature, which, in Florida, has been those very un-liberal republicans for at least the last decade.
As dictated by the above referenced legislature, to be awarded a high school diploma in Florida, a student must pass an Algebra I, Geometry, and Biology end of year exam. Soon to be added are Chemistry and social studies. You know those students who cannot pass Alg. I? How do you think they're going to do in Chemistry?
PS: How many years experience do you have as a math teacher??
NCLB mandates a 100% passing rate by 2014.
AYP mandates that states get higher passing rates each year.
You don't do that..you lose Fed dollars. So you must lower the bar so that "No Child is Left Behind".
There is no carrot; only a stick that holds back money if they don't pass.
The kids have become very good multiple choice test takers.
Students in regular ed classes are NOT ability leveled.
Why not? Ability/skill level grouping played a big role in the success of the schools that have not had falling SAT scores. Instruction is targeted to a much narrower ability/skill level spectrum which allows much more precise and successful teaching and learning.
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In MY state, teachers (those "liberal educators") have no say in the matter. It is determined by the state DOE, which is run by whichever party controls the governor's mansion and legislature, which, in Florida, has been those very un-liberal republicans for at least the last decade.
The state DOE actually says you can't ability group students? Then why do some schools do so? And who do you think runs the DOE? Educators? Or laypeople?
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As dictated by the above referenced legislature, to be awarded a high school diploma in Florida, a student must pass an Algebra I, Geometry, and Biology end of year exam. Soon to be added are Chemistry and social studies. You know those students who cannot pass Alg. I? How do you think they're going to do in Chemistry?
Ability group them so the schools can offer much more targeted instruction. They'll learn more and more of them will meet the standards.
NCLB mandates a 100% passing rate by 2014.
AYP mandates that states get higher passing rates each year.
You don't do that..you lose Fed dollars. So you must lower the bar so that "No Child is Left Behind".
There is no carrot; only a stick that holds back money if they don't pass.
The kids have become very good multiple choice test takers.
You don't have to lower the bar for all. You have to ability/skill level group the students so you can target instruction much more precisely and efficiently. Some schools do that. They're successful. Many schools don't do that. They're NOT successful. Go figure...
Why not? Ability/skill level grouping played a big role in the success of the schools that have not had falling SAT scores. Instruction is targeted to a much narrower ability/skill level spectrum which allows much more precise and successful teaching and learning.
The state DOE actually says you can't ability group students? Then why do some schools do so? And who do you think runs the DOE? Educators? Or laypeople?
Ability group them so the schools can offer much more targeted instruction. They'll learn more and more of them will meet the standards.
Grouping by skill or ability is called "tracking" and you cannot do that in public schools anymore. How they get around that is honors classes, advanced classes, AP classes but a parent can insist their child be placed in these advanced classes in spite of low grades.
It's horrible from IMHO. I tutor math classes and see the high end students sitting there bored and the low end totally lost while the subject is taught at the middle of the road level.
Grouping used to occur years ago. I remember taking tests the first week of school and then placed in Math and English classes.
It's all part of diversity and equalness and teamwork..the more advanced kids can pull up the lower skilled kids. But it doesn't actually work like that in real life....only in educator think tank brains.
Grouping by skill or ability is called "tracking" and you cannot do that in public schools anymore.
Ability/skill level grouping is not the same as tracking. Tracking is inflexible; there's no movement from one group to another once you're 'slotted.' Ability/skill level grouping doesn't work that way. Students move up or down as necessary, and aren't necessarily at the same level in every subject.
The schools that ability/skill level group are FAR more successful than the schools that don't. The reason many schools won't group appropriately is because educators don't think it's "fair" that some students are more academically successful than others.
Read the Atlantic article I linked earlier. It explains educators' ideology quite clearly.
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It's horrible from IMHO. I tutor math classes and see the high end students sitting there bored and the low end totally lost while the subject is taught at the middle of the road level.
Grouping used to occur years ago. I remember taking tests the first week of school and then placed in Math and English classes.
It's all part of diversity and equalness and teamwork..the more advanced kids can pull up the lower skilled kids. But it doesn't actually work like that in real life....only in educator think tank brains.
Yep. That's why those schools aren't going to be able to meet NCLB requirements.
Why not? Ability/skill level grouping played a big role in the success of the schools that have not had falling SAT scores. Instruction is targeted to a much narrower ability/skill level spectrum which allows much more precise and successful teaching and learning.
Why not? Because district administrators will not allow it. Why? Because state DOE administrators do not like it. The honors/AP students have separate classes. The exceptional ed students have separate classes. The regular ed classes include all students who do not belong to either of the other two groups. So, using stanines to illustrate: high scoring students (7,8,9) go to the honors/AP/IB programs. Mentally handicapped, learning/emotionally disabled go to ESE classes. Everyone else - stanines 1 - 6 - go into regular ed classes. In the past, stanines 1-3 were considered remedial and were given remedial classes. Not anymore. They are put in regular ed classes.
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The state DOE actually says you can't ability group students? Then why do some schools do so? And who do you think runs the DOE? Educators? Or laypeople?
See above. Schools in Florida do not do so. They are certainly not educators; you can call them educrats.
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Ability group them so the schools can offer much more targeted instruction. They'll learn more and more of them will meet the standards.
You state this like it's something I don't already know. Remember, I started teaching in the late 60s, when ability grouping was the norm. I know it works. My fellow teachers know it works. Unfortunately, we don't make the decisions.
Why not? Because district administrators will not allow it. Why? Because state DOE administrators do not like it. The honors/AP students have separate classes. The exceptional ed students have separate classes. The regular ed classes include all students who do not belong to either of the other two groups. So, using stanines to illustrate: high scoring students (7,8,9) go to the honors/AP/IB programs.
There aren't honors/AP/IB kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, etc., classes. Those kids are already trapped and dumbed down. You've lost many of them to public school-induced apathy LONG before high school.
Indoctrination in schools has been going on since the 60s but even back then they had a balance of professors who were conservative or moderate. Nowadays it seems like the vast majority of teachers are extreme left-wingnuts and that's more disturbing and frightening for our future than ever.
It has been said that children are our future, and right now the vast majority of our children are being "educated" in public schools that are rapidly being turned into indoctrination centers and prison camps. Our children desperately need to focus on the basics such as reading, writing and math, but instead a whole host of politicians, "education officials" and teachers are constantly injecting as much propaganda as they possibly can into classroom instruction. Instead of learning how to think, our children are continually being told what to think.
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Remember, I started teaching in the late 60s, when ability grouping was the norm. I know it works. My fellow teachers know it works. Unfortunately, we don't make the decisions.
