Any teachers out there?

[stacie]

In the 60's, our town was sued resulting in segregation of our schools and busing of the kids. It continues to cause problems in our education system today. We moved to a neighborhood to ensure the best grade school experience. For middle school, we applied for magnet schools which focus on advanced studies. My son's grades and testing support this. Kids are accepted to the schools based on a lottery. I never win anything and this is another instance. We are on waiting lists for the three schools (max allowed). Our neighborhood school is frightening. Seriously. Something like 30% of the kids can read at grade level. Rough group of kids as well. So, through some deception we were able to get our son into another neighborhood school. Certainly not my first choice, but it has a reputation for having a good advanced studies program. Two days before the start of school, the principal announced that they would no longer have standard classes. All kids will attend advanced classes. School just started so I don't know how this can possibly work. My son is attending advanced classes with kids who didn't pass last year. Some haven't passed in several years. This school does not score very well but I was ok with my son going because the advanced program does well. Is there some new teaching idea that I don't understand or is this a losing proposition for my son? If he is not taking advanced courses and we are moved up on the waiting list, I'm afraid he will be far behind. It is possible that he could move up enough by January to attend the magnet. Nothing positive of course.
We could, through further deception, move to a school in the suburbs. The classes may be the same as this sounds like it could be an idea from the superintendant. But, the school does better and has kids with a background more like my son's. It's a hike and will be a commitment to help him attend the extracurricular activities.
My son's friends attend the schools they wanted. They tell him that he is going to get beat up at this school. He hasn't said anything to me but has been "sick". My heart is breaking. He deserves a good education in a good environment and I don't feel like I am providing it.
Maybe there is some grand scheme that I don't understand. One teacher told me that the kids will just be put in groups according to their ability to work together. Is it possible to teach advanced classes in this setting? Or is it as I suspect, there really are no advanced classes?

[mimitabby]

the chaos of our schools, you've described it pretty well.
If your kids want to learn, they'll learn in school or out of it.
My kids went to classes like you are describing. Their grades were good enough to go to college; one even got scholarships. They made friends,
learned about all sorts of cultures... school wasn't a total waste; they had a great orchestra, that's where my sons spent most of their time.

encourage them to read. help them with stuff they aren't "getting" in school
because the chaos level is too high.

Your kids will grow up and mature and learn even in a bad school if YOU
continue to be a vital part of the process.

[rocknrollgirl]

I am a teacher, HS Biology, Advanced Placement and Honors. I can. not imagine teaching an "advanced" class under the conditions you are describing.
Something sounds a bit fishy about this plan.

[stacie]

According to our principal, our super wants all kids taking AP classes in high school. Therefore, everyone must take advanced classes now to prepare for that rigorous workload. If they are struggling, electives are used as intensive learning classes. I"m feeling screwed over. Trying to be positive around the kid until I figure out how to resolve this. s

[Veronica]

No Child Left Behind strikes again. ALL students taking AP classes? That's like all kids being starters on the varsity football team.

V.

[stacie]

Thanks Veronica, I'm filing that quote away for my discussion with the principal.

[Bad JuJu]

According to our principal, our super wants all kids taking AP classes in high school. Therefore, everyone must take advanced classes now to prepare for that rigorous workload.

This is a knuckleheaded idea, but not unusual, judging from my experience with AP exams. I scored AP English exams for a week in June, and I could tell that many of the students were nowhere near prepared to do that level of critical thought and writing. In some cases, the students wrote little notes in their exam booklets, essentially saying they were required to take the test and asking for the graders' mercy since they knew they didn't have a snowball's chance in he*l of passing. It was sad, really.

[mimitabby]

This is a knuckleheaded idea, but not unusual, judging from my experience with AP exams. I scored AP English exams for a week in June, and I could tell that many of the students were nowhere near prepared to do that level of critical thought and writing. In some cases, the students wrote little notes in their exam booklets, essentially saying they were required to take the test and asking for the graders' mercy since they knew they didn't have a snowball's chance in he*l of passing. It was sad, really.

really?!?

[Eden]

I'd say that if you include kids that are not ready in advanced classes one of two things is going to happen. Either the slower kids are going to get so left behind that they won't be getting anything out of the class or the class will get slowed down to the level of the slowest kid, so the higher level kids won't be getting much out of it. I don't know how you could make a winning situation out of it - the teacher won't have time to teach to all the levels...

[mimitabby]

I invite anyone to visit a highschool and enter a class like we are describing.
It is truly chaotic.The teacher is in the front with a resigned expression on his/her face, there are kids doing just about anything in class, in the hall, in the doorway..
The kid that wants to pay attention to the teacher has his/her work cut out.

[Tri Girl]

Don't know what new "philosophy" this seems to be, but sounds a little kooky!
You have to do what's best for your child- but I went to a rough school and came out with a full-ride scholarship and plenty of good learning experiences. Your child will get what they want out of school if it's a priority at home (but I understand that this is a tricky situation).

Warning: rant coming on (skip this if you'd like)
NCLB- HA!!!! What a joke. I teach, and IMO, we're simply striving for mediocrity sometimes. We worry so much about a child's self esteem that we don't place them in the correct classes where they could actually learn the most they can (ex: we can't put poor Johnny in the lower math class where he could actually get remediation, learn the skills he needs and move ahead- we'll put everyone in the "regular" class so we can all learn at the same level). ALL kids in AP classes and advanced studies? Sure- that makes sense- NOT. Guess what? We all need help in certain areas, and that's a reality we have to deal with in life. We worry so much about kids never experiencing failure or disappointment that they never learn to deal with it- and let's face it- disappointment is a fact of life and one we get better with when we deal with it (and I don't mean in elementary school- when they get older, of course).


Sorry for the rant- couldn't resist.

Now- back to planning my lessons so I can teach to the test that the students have to pass in the spring....

[Duck on Wheels]

It strikes me that this is also frustrating and insulting to the kids who are slower in academic subjects. It seems to signal that AP classes in academic subjects is all that counts. Does that leave any room to acknowledge them for aspects of life that they do excel in? For that matter, will it allow them to achieve their highest potential in the academic classes as well, even if that potential is not AP level? And if enough kids are frustrated and insulted, that can cause jealousies and troubles. Some may try to reclaim their dignity by trying to lower the status of academic subjects and those who excel at them -- goofing off, disturbing the class, or "dissing" the kids who excel in those academic subjects but maybe not in ... say, home ec or metalshop or dance or sports or ... whatever. And too, even students who do well might be feeling over-pressured. If your son is already feeling sick unusually often, that sounds to me like something is not working well at school. It also sounds to me like you're working on it the best you can. Try to get your son to talk things out with you, then you can maybe tell him to hang in there for now while you find a better solution.

That said, here all kids go to the neighborhood school until HS. Classes are not sorted by achievement levels until you get to middle school and choose electives. Our district is mixed, with an upper middle class and academic neighborhood, some really fancy homes, and an area with lower cost rental homes. Then too, even rich and/or well-educated parents can have kids with learning problems, and even working class parents can have kids who go on to be rocket scientists. So all in all UK Elephant and her brother both were in classes that ranged from super-bright kids like themselves to kids with serious learning disabilities. UK's teacher grades 1-5 wasn't the brightest bulb in the chandelier either, but grades 1-3 even she did a fairly good job of building solidarity in the classroom. And the one girl who barely made passing grades in middle school, went on to feel competent and independent and valued as a cook in a cafeteria here in town. At least, that's what UK reported to me after running into her in town a couple years ago. I guess we're just lucky we didn't have NCLB here back then. There are tendencies in that direction here now, but not yet as bad as Stateside.

[uforgot]

No child left behind is killing us in Missouri too. Our district has declared that every freshman will take Algebra I. Well, guess what? Not EVERY freshman is ready. I teach AP Calculus, and trust me, there is a very small percent of the student body who has the drive (major factor) to take this class. If I had to water it down, it would no longer be AP. The College Board has made it very clear what will be taught in their AP courses, and you now have to submit an audit to be approved by them. If you pass, you may call (and transcript) your class AP. Maybe this is a result of the "watering down" of advanced classes as you described. I suppose the watering down is a result of No child left behind. I guess it would make a student feel good to take a class called calculus, even if they do not have the necessary skills, but what is wrong with being terrific at accounting? Auto body? music? Not every class is right for all students. This is a dis-service to those who could excel at hands-on classes as well as the advanced students, (who may not know a pipe wrench from a screwdriver.)

[rocknrollgirl]

In NJ we are moving toward Alegbra II and Physics for all...crazy.

[uforgot]

In NJ we are moving toward Alegbra II and Physics for all...crazy.

That IS crazy, because they won't really BE Algebra II and Physics. I have two sons, both are dyslexic. I took them to be tested at a local university. They told me that they would never LIKE to read, but they have been trained to cope. My two sons can also take apart and put ANYTHING together. They know how everything (including your computer) in this world works. They struggle in upper level classes because of the reading, but they are the ones you want figuring out how your house should be wired, or setting up your network. I also have excellent students, who are wonderful on paper, definately college bound, and when it comes to putting together a prom, they are lost. They are also the ones who should call in a repair man for their cars and houses. We need diversity like that. Students should be encouraged to pursue the areas in which they excel. Seems like we are trying to make everyone the same. If you excel in academics, then take REAL advanced classes. If you excel in other areas, most schools have technical programs, art and music programs. If all the kids take all of these advanced classes, then what is going to happen to our Fine Arts? That concerns me.

Talking to the principal is probably not going to do any good. He is under pressure from the Super, and the Super has to hear from the State Legislature. (I love that these politicians are telling us what to do in our classrooms.)

I'm through rambling now.