transparency in FCPS public schools in regards to differentiation

[Anonymous]

It just came to my attention that in my son's second grade class, the whole class doesn't get the same spelling words each week. This is only after asking a neighbor about one of the words, and she said her daughter didn't have that word this week. So at first I was thinking, ok so she must differentiate based on ability. But then I realized that she had the words that my son did just LAST week. (this is "word study" and for example this week he has IR, IRE, and IER words, last week it was ER, EAR, etc..) So there is no way they differentiate to just a one week difference! My son also informs me that he has never changed spelling groups, and has changed reading groups only once (probably after the January DRA). My other beef with differentiation is that they never tell you what math class your child is in. They do flexible math grouping which I like, but the accelerated teacher changes each unit (so they say) so that you/the children can't figure out who is in the smart class, dumb class, whatever. For some reason this really bothers me and I wonder how it is done at other schools around here? We are in western Fairfax County. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It just came to my attention that in my son's second grade class, the whole class doesn't get the same spelling words each week. This is only after asking a neighbor about one of the words, and she said her daughter didn't have that word this week. So at first I was thinking, ok so she must differentiate based on ability. But then I realized that she had the words that my son did just LAST week. (this is "word study" and for example this week he has IR, IRE, and IER words, last week it was ER, EAR, etc..) So there is no way they differentiate to just a one week difference! My son also informs me that he has never changed spelling groups, and has changed reading groups only once (probably after the January DRA). My other beef with differentiation is that they never tell you what math class your child is in. They do flexible math grouping which I like, but the accelerated teacher changes each unit (so they say) so that you/the children can't figure out who is in the smart class, dumb class, whatever. For some reason this really bothers me and I wonder how it is done at other schools around here? We are in western Fairfax County. Thanks.

We're not in the same school as we're not in Western Fairfax. Our school does flexible grouping for math, too, and the accelerated teacher switches around, too. My daughter usually figures out which group she is in (sometimes highest, sometimes middle). For my 2nd grader, I'm pretty sure my daughter is in the highest reading group, although the teacher never told me. They are also in different groups for spelling, because one day a classmate called her because she left her spelling words at home and called us because my daughter was in her group - I have no idea which level it is in. My first grader's teacher actually told me at our conference that my child was in the 2nd highest reading group. That's the first time a teacher has outright told me. And I actually appreciate knowing exactly where she is, and agree she's probably in the right place. The teacher said she has the ability to move up to the highest group if she gets in more practice.

[Anonymous]

Feel lucky that there is such differentiation. Why do you need to know where your child is compared to other children? Your child is working towards standards just like the other students. The frequent assessment is in place to make sure they are in the group that is appropriate for them. My son is not in FCPS and while they are in different reading groups based on ability, that's it. Everyone does the same math in mixed homerooms. Their spelling words are appropriate to their reading group.

[Anonymous]

Ignore these people who say "Why do you need to know where your child is compared to other children". Why wouldn't you want to know what group they are in?. How else are you going to know if they need more help, or are accelerated and have an ability you didn't recognize. Our school differentiates in spelling, reading, and math. The teachers don't want to tell you which group they are in, but I look them in the eye at conferences and tell them I want to know. So that's how I find out. Maybe this sounds a little pushy.... but they are my children, so I think I have a right to know what group they are in. I'm not asking about other children... just my own.

[Anonymous]

2nd grade: three different levels for spelling, don't know how many groups there are for reading and math. I believe my child is in the top group for reading just b/c I know DC's DRA scores were high from the end of first grade. I'm also sure DC is not in the top math group b/c the AART teacher comes to meet with other kids for math. This is all to say that no one has ever told me about the groups my child is in, but I have figured out some of it myself.

I'm not convinced that differentiation is all it's cracked up to be. In practice, it seems like the teacher is so busy dealing with small groups of kids that the rest of the class is left unto their own devices for long stretches most days. My DC gets to meet with the teacher for a small group lesson once a week. The rest of the time she reads to herself. This was the same in first grade (when most couldn't "read" well enough to do it independently). Seems like in a county like Fairfax, my child should be getting more than 15 min. of teacher time in reading each WEEK. I wonder if maybe we were better off with the old style where the teacher taught to the whole class for the WHOLE day. Seems like the kids who are meeting the benchmarks are just left on their own a lot under the current theories of "teaching."

[Anonymous]

I too wish there were more communication from teachers about which group DC is in for different subjects. It would help me focus on where DC needed help in real time. I know I can reach out to teachers (I do) but I think it should be more of an automatic thing from the teachers. I am sure there are reasons against it, I just can't think of any.

[Anonymous]

All I can say is, my snowflake was always in the lowest or near lowest math and reading groups, from K through 2nd grade, and never had a single smartie pull out. Then she tested into AAP. The groupings in the early grades are not always predictive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I can say is, my snowflake was always in the lowest or near lowest math and reading groups, from K through 2nd grade, and never had a single smartie pull out. Then she tested into AAP. The groupings in the early grades are not always predictive.

well how hard is that these days?

[Anonymous]

If your child is struggling, the teacher will let you know. Otherwise, it really doesn't matter where your child "ranks" compared to other kids. It is just parents wanting to know so they can brag. If you know your child well, you already know this information anyway.

[Anonymous]

Ignore these people who say "Why do you need to know where your child is compared to other children". Why wouldn't you want to know what group they are in?. How else are you going to know if they need more help, or are accelerated and have an ability you didn't recognize. Our school differentiates in spelling, reading, and math. The teachers don't want to tell you which group they are in, but I look them in the eye at conferences and tell them I want to know. So that's how I find out. Maybe this sounds a little pushy.... but they are my children, so I think I have a right to know what group they are in. I'm not asking about other children... just my own.

It is certainly understandable that you would want to know, but the fact is, you don't need to know. You do need to know if your child needs more help or can't be challenged in the classroom. This is not the kind of information you get individual consultation with the teacher about your child, not from ranking your kid against other kids.

I would refuse to answer a parent who asked directly about what the class groupings were and the OP's initial post spells out exactly why.

My other beef with differentiation is that they never tell you what math class your child is in. They do flexible math grouping which I like, but the accelerated teacher changes each unit (so they say) so that you/the children can't figure out who is in the smart class, dumb class, whatever. For some reason this really bothers me and I wonder how it is done at other schools around here?

I don't need that kind of classification in my classroom, thank you very much.

[Anonymous]

13:45 here, clarifying an error above....

"This IS the kind of information you get individual consultation with the teacher about your child, not from ranking your kid against other kids. "

Apologies for the confusion.