Grouping kids in a classroom by ability is the most effective and proven method to helping kids become better readers. This is called "differentiation" in education lingo. It is BEST practices. Grouping kids allow the teacher to best meet the needs of each student. (Not a separate classroom but within the same classroom.) Elementary classrooms have a very wide range of reading abilities. My third grade classroom has some students reading at a first grade level while others are reading at a fifth grade level. Those students reading at a first grade level are still learning to decode words and need instruction on phonics. Those students reading at a fifth grade level need instruction on learning words in context or understanding word origin. Much different instructional needs! How would you propose to do that in a heterogeneous group Mr. Mann???
Terry Erickson Whittier (teacher) ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, November 15, 2002 11:50 AM Subject: [Mpls] Inner city kids need to be educated, not separated > During the past two years I must have talked to dozens of teachers > who said to me "you don't know what these inner city kids are > like, you can't expect them to keep up with the rest of the kids." > Parents who say the same thing about 'those' kids (pick any 'at-risk' > ethnic group) usually go on to say that 'they' should go to their own > schools (or classrooms) because they are holding 'our' kids back. > And the failure of the district to see that all children get effective > instruction reinforces the belief that 'those children' can't learn, > aren't college material, etc. > > I happen to know what those inner city kids are like. I know what > happens to the kids (and their parents) when they are identified > as 'low-ability' learners and put in separate groups and classrooms > for reading instruction. 'Low-ability' learners generally do not > receive effective reading instruction in grades K through 4. If they were > receiving effective instruction they would be catching up, not falling > behind. Somehow the kids who are designated as 'low-ability > learners' get the idea that they are stupid, and quickly give up. Some > withdraw and others act out. The answer is not to put those kids > in their own classrooms or schools. They need to be educated, not > separated. > > -Doug Mann > http://educationright.tripod.com > _______________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
