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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Lower-level students do better in classes with higher-level students because teachers can then rely on the advanced students to act as "teaching assistants" -- essentially the classroom ends up with the teacher teaching a "smaller class," as only a portion are really being taught new things, and on top of that, doing it with assistance, so naturally this environment helps the lower-achieving ones do better.

Unfortunately, the advanced ones end up spending day after day helping the teacher do his/her job  instead of being able to move on to new material. Very frustrating.[/quote]

As the experienced teacher, I can tell you why lower-ability/performing students likely "do better" (however that is measured) when grouped with higher ability/performing students.

Higher-ability/performing students, as a whole, have more active and involved AKA "pushy" parents.   These "pushy"/assertive parents have, on the whole, more resources (knowledge, connections, self-assertiveness, sense of efficacy) than parents of the lower performing kids, as a group.   Individuals may be a different story, but this trend holds for the group.

Pushy/assertive parents COMPLAIN.  If enough HW isn't being assigned, they let teachers/principal know their views.   They research, the learn what kids in other schools are being assigned; they comment, they complain.   If the HW is too confusing, they complain.   If the teacher isn't effective, they go in and see what is going on and organize a group of parents to get the teacher help, or to get the teacher out.

Teachers raise their game when they teach higher performing children, because they have to, because the parents are holding them to a higher standard.   NOT because the kids are any special students, but because of the parents.

When you group all the higher performing kids into one class, you are also grouping all the pushy parents (again, oversimplification) into one class; leaving the less pushy parents for the other classes.   Less pushy parents = less pressure on teachers  = less pressure on the principal.

Any research on grouping of higher/lower performing kids into heterogenous or homogenous instructional groups needs to take into account the effect parents have on teacher performance and quality and on things like clarity of instruction and feedback, homework assignments, etc.

Research should also take into account how you are defining "success" or "kids do better".  Unless tests are measuring above grade level skills, for instance, it will be impossible to demonstrate that kids in the higher performing group have learned more than kids in the lower performing group.   Very few schools measure above-grade level skills.   Another "skill" higher ability kids need to learn is how to deal with being bad at something and how to persevere.   Many such kids coast through their heterogenously grouped schools for years, and never learn how to really work hard at something because they were never required to!   I would define "do better" as having better skills at dealing with things that are hard.   I would like to see research in this area.
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