Gradeless schooling, kids put together by ability YAY or NAY?

[peeples]

Very interesting and my children's schools do this for spelling, reading and math.
They seem to enjoy it, except the twins who are in the same groups (different classrooms though for all other subjects) and compete with one another like crazy. There is still grades though.
I think the fact discipline problems have went down 78% is awesome!!! Sounds like it keeps ALL kids challenged, so the instances of kids acting up because they are bored has went down.


http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/05/03/feyerick.gradeless.school.cnn

 

[Reality Orlando]

I think it's excellent!

 

[mysteriew]

This is sort of related. Grades 1 thru 6 I actually attended a small school that had two grades per room. I think it was good for me. Probably difficult for the teacher.

The teacher would put one grade to work on a subject, then teach the other grade. Then she would switch. So while she was working on your grade, the other grade was either getting advanced learning or was reviewing what the did the year before just by what was being discussed.

In 7 th grade was my first single grade classroom. I swear I did most of my learning in the first 6 years.

 

[looneymama]

I think it's a fantastic idea. The school I went to for 4th-6th grade was like that. The only problem was that the jr. high I went to afterwards wasn't so I ended up in easier classes than the ones I'd been taking for the past three years.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

I think it's a fantastic idea. The school I went to for 4th-6th grade was like that. The only problem was that the jr. high I went to afterwards wasn't so I ended up in easier classes than the ones I'd been taking for the past three years.

Same thing happened to my daughter.

She was in "pace" classes from 1st - 5th grade. We loved it.
They did "regular" work and "advanced work".

When she hit middle school (jr high) those classes were no longer available.
She had trouble staying awake in class because much of what they were learning, she had learned in like 2nd or 3rd grade.

It was rough.

She's in 7th grade now with no hope of honors classes until she gets in 9th.

I feel like she is wasteing 3 years of her education. She could be learning so much more if her classes were "paced" or honors now.

JMO

 

[Daisyjane]

For the most part I'd say it's great. But I do worry about this potential scenario:

A learning-disabled or special-needs child keeps falling farther behind each year. At some point, we'd have a preteen barely reading at the level of the average six-year-old. A very frustrated, burnt-out-on-school 5 ft, 100 lb preteen in a roomful of 3-1/2 ft, 40 lb children.

 

[Kat]

If it works for these kids and they are responding well and are happy it's all good by me.

Like Kimberly a couple of my kids were in self paced classes and they did well.

Daisy voices a valid concern though, one I hope that the admins of the school above have anticipated.

JMHO