Reply to Why the aversion to grouping kids based on ability rather than age? Thoughts from down under.

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Reply to "Why the aversion to grouping kids based on ability rather than age? Thoughts from down under."

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[quote=Anonymous]I absolutely hate the argument that the smarter kids can teach the younger kids.   I don't want my GT kid teaching anyone.  I want this child to be challenged in school by teachers who are paid from my tax money.   Every kid should be challenged to the best of their ability.  Kids are not school system employees.

I also reject the notion about stigma.  Kids know which kids do better in school, no matter how you group them.   One of my kids knows that they are well behind other kids in reading in a mixed classroom environment.  Believe me, it doesn't help my child's esteem to see how far behind DC is from the other kids everyday.   We are talking like 2-3 grade levels behind.

Tracking is another BS argument.  First off, I don't buy that falling behind in elementary school determines your lot in life.  I don't even buy the fact that if you don't take AP classes in HS that you can't earn a PHD someday.  ES, MS, HS is not the end of your education.   Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and a host of other people did poorly in early education due to things like dyslexia.   Secondly, I don't think tracking exists anymore like it did in the past.  Kids can work hard and get into higher level classes later.  In MCPS, being in a magnet at one level (ES, MS, or HS) does not ensure you get into the next level magnet.  Likewise, kids from neighborhood schools do get into magnets at the next level.

There is just not substitute for challenging every kid at the right level.   Stop the social engineering.
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