In our school, kids in the highest group are pre-taught. I've done human experiments on my DC - I pre-teach a topic and bang, he is in the highest group. Left to his own devices, to go with the regular curriculum, he is solidly in the middle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former first grade teacher here: When did the school group them? I'm appalled that they would track them with different teachers so early--the kids pick up things at different paces--but to lock them in so early is disturbing to me.

Our ES started in 2nd grade. they all took a pretest at the beginning of the unit and were placed in classes based on that. Then, when they started a new unit, they remixed the kids based on how they did on that pretest. Three homeroom classes were separated into 5 smaller math classes. It was fluid like that until 5th grade and then the levels were further apart and kids spent all year at the same level.

I think it worked really well.

This was in a FCPS school with LLIV AAP children. By 5th grade, there was no distinction between the top two classes and they were taking the AAP accelerated.

Anonymous wrote:Former first grade teacher here: When did the school group them? I'm appalled that they would track them with different teachers so early--the kids pick up things at different paces--but to lock them in so early is disturbing to me.

Our ES started in 2nd grade. they all took a pretest at the beginning of the unit and were placed in classes based on that. Then, when they started a new unit, they remixed the kids based on how they did on that pretest. Three homeroom classes were separated into 5 smaller math classes. It was fluid like that until 5th grade and then the levels were further apart and kids spent all year at the same level.

I think it worked really well.

As a teacher of first, when I changed kids from one reading group to another, I would frequently have them attend both groups. If I made a mistake, it was not a blow to their "face" and it gave me additional information.

As a first grade teacher, it is a lot easier to move kids around if they are all in your class. Once coordination with other teachers is involved, it makes things much more rigid.

PP here: I mean if you don't want your kid's math placement to be decided by summer math brain on day 2 of school!

Is this Mont Co? This happened to my daughter in 1st grade. the assessment was at the very beginning of the year, & they put her in on grade math. The assessment included some concepts that not all the kids had been exposed to in Kindergarten (some classes got add'l, some didn't). I meant to do a little math brush up over summer but forgot. Anyway, showed her the concepts, she picked up super fast, & I asked to retest. They did, grudgingly, & said even though her score was much better, they class above level was too full & that he would give her individual attention in that class. Well, the class was boring, she hated math, & he didn't do anything. And, she didn't even perform that well b/c she was so tuned out & making tons of careless mistakes.

At end of the next summer, I worked on some math review w/ her. New teacher (nice teacher) told me assessment would be 2nd day of school. It was, & she did great & was placed in highest class. Her friend who is equally bright did not review & forgot a few things and moved down in level. the whole things is a bit nuts. But, moral of the story, do a little review the week before school starts, if you don't want your kids' math placement for the year to be decided on day 2 of school!