I wish to caution you about homogeneous grouping. It is fine for math and reading, but steer away from it for other subjects. Children need to be around a variety of students so that they learn to work with all of them and respect them so when they are adults they can adapt better in the work environment. Students who are not successful in school need the support of those who are good students and they need to see what a good student looks like and vice versa. Middle school needs to offer more vocational opportunities for all students - industrial arts, home economics, music, computers, etc. Opportunities should be offered for middle school students to learn about career opportunities like having a workforce fair where trades people demonstrate their trade...brick laying, electrician, pipe fitting, drafting, carpentry, etc. Those are often the first things that get cut at the middle school level. Those classes help students set their path so before they attend high school, they already have a direction. You are right about needing more noncollege prep classes and many more vocational classes. In many schools students have to go somewhere else for those classes and they have a lot of criteria to attend while if you have it in your own building, more students will have the opportunities to try those vocational classes. In many European countries, students decide their path in 9th grade and all of their classes center around whether they are a vocational or college bound student.
Great comment. Thanks LaVonne. We agree with you on where we would target homogeneous grouping, and would stick with math and reading. I think we would all agree that it's essential in those subjects and far less important in the others. I also liked your comment on what European countries do - very interesting. Thanks!
I wish to caution you about homogeneous grouping. It is fine for math and reading, but steer away from it for other subjects. Children need to be around a variety of students so that they learn to work with all of them and respect them so when they are adults they can adapt better in the work environment. Students who are not successful in school need the support of those who are good students and they need to see what a good student looks like and vice versa. Middle school needs to offer more vocational opportunities for all students - industrial arts, home economics, music, computers, etc. Opportunities should be offered for middle school students to learn about career opportunities like having a workforce fair where trades people demonstrate their trade...brick laying, electrician, pipe fitting, drafting, carpentry, etc. Those are often the first things that get cut at the middle school level. Those classes help students set their path so before they attend high school, they already have a direction. You are right about needing more noncollege prep classes and many more vocational classes. In many schools students have to go somewhere else for those classes and they have a lot of criteria to attend while if you have it in your own building, more students will have the opportunities to try those vocational classes. In many European countries, students decide their path in 9th grade and all of their classes center around whether they are a vocational or college bound student.
Great comment. Thanks LaVonne. We agree with you on where we would target homogeneous grouping, and would stick with math and reading. I think we would all agree that it's essential in those subjects and far less important in the others. I also liked your comment on what European countries do - very interesting. Thanks!