There seems to be growing support for ‘ ability’ grouping. I’d much rather it be called ‘performance grouping.’ How is the child performing now! What are the next steps for that child based on current performance (not some notion of ability or potential).
This practice–whatever we call it– is resurging. As a former teacher and parent, I believe we should be doing more –rather than less–of this.
Thus, I was happy to see these articles in the NY Tiimes. I’d call it ‘performance grouping.’ I believe we should be doing more of it to meet children’s needs wherever they are based on current performance.
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/10/02/are-top-students-getting-short-shrift/acknowledging-the-trade-offs-in-differentiation
About Miriam
Miriam Kurtzig Freedman, JD, MA—an expert in public education, focused on special education law— is a lawyer, author, speaker, consultant, and reformer.
For more than 35 years, Miriam worked with educators, parents, policy makers, and citizens to translate complex legalese into plain English and focus on good practices for children.
Now, she focuses her passion on reforming special education, with her new book, Special Education 2.0—Breaking Taboos to Build a NEW Education Law. Presentations include those at the AASA Conference, Orange County (CA), Boston College (MA), CADRE (OR), and the Fordham Institute (DC). Her writings have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Education Week, Education Next, Hoover Digest, The University of Chicago Law Review on line, DianeRavitch.net, and The Atlantic Monthly on line.
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