i’m a wild child

as you may remember i wrote a rather vitriolic post about one approach to single-sex education. so, here is what i think another solution to rearranging classrooms is- ability grouping

the very words strike fear in all those who subscribe to the american values of equality, and that anyone-can-do-it attitude. however, when you take a closer look ate what ablility grouping is when it is done right you can see that it benefits everyone. first off, modern ability grouping programs do not have fixed “tracks”. there is frequent testing and at any time a student can switch classrooms, so students do not just slack off because nothing they do matters. instead there is the positive message that when they work hard they get ahead. there are also many more positives

• students get to be with peers who think and communicate at their level
• the bright students are not held back by the slower ones, and the slower ones are not rushed ahead by the bright.
• teachers do not have to dance between ability levels, each lesson only has to be tailored to one level. also, each student gets more attention because the teacher does not have to go off and catch-up some people, or move others ahead. no group is left to sit while the other is being helped
• students get a class room where the lesson always challenges them, but never leaves them drowning