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Many of the big innovations coming about in public schools are about creating deliberate, intentional, thoughtful practice by breaking students out into small g

Many of the big innovations coming about in public schools are about creating deliberate, intentional, thoughtful practice by breaking students out into small groups with specialists who design lessons based on the students' current level and areas of need. I'm one such specialist -- I teach math to groups of 4 fourth graders at a time, 45 minutes per group per day [0]. My students have averaged 1.6 years worth of growth this school year, and we still have 3 full months of school left. I'm not alone, either. In my poor inner city public school, there are 4 math fellows (so every fourth grader gets the same support), 5 reading interventionists, 2 special education specialists, a speech language pathologist, an occupational therapist, 4 or 5 enrichment teachers [1], and an after school program that includes tutoring and free dinner for families. The system you have so little respect for isn't the "current system" where I'm at, it's a generation out of date. If this is important to you, come join us and bring your friends. Help us create and expand a learning environment that's personalized and differentiated based on student needs and abilities. [0] http://www.teachindenver.com/teachindenver/how-to-apply/about-the-program.html http://www.teachindenver.com/teachindenver/how-to-apply/abou... [1] "Arts & Culture, Career Exploration, Leadership, Pre-Collegiate, Recreation and Technology" - tied in with http://www.bgcmd.org/clubs/beacon-neighborhood-centers http://www.bgcmd.org/clubs/beacon-neighborhood-centers

jerf 13y ago
'The system you have so little respect for isn't the "current system" where I'm at, it's a generation out of date.' That's actually part of my belief set; unstoppable change in this direction is coming down, and while there will be much wringing of hands, it is going to be good for students, and that's where my allegiance lies in the end. You sound like you're on the cutting edge; I see no evidence at this time that the school system I'm in works like this, but I am hopeful that will change before my children get very far in. Best of luck to your efforts; please lead the way. The fact that your results appear to be so far ahead of the non-personalized system is confirming evidence for my beliefs, too. Can you imagine what the "average" student would look like if we can compound that advantage over the ~13 years of education, over multiple disciplines? I feel that within my lifetime we may very well come to see this era that we are just beginning to exit as a dark age of education.

jerf 13y ago

'The system you have so little respect for isn't the "current system" where I'm at, it's a generation out of date.' That's actually part of my belief set; unstoppable change in this direction is coming down, and while there will be much wringing of hands, it is going to be good for students, and that's where my allegiance lies in the end. You sound like you're on the cutting edge; I see no evidence at this time that the school system I'm in works like this, but I am hopeful that will change before my children get very far in. Best of luck to your efforts; please lead the way. The fact that your results appear to be so far ahead of the non-personalized system is confirming evidence for my beliefs, too. Can you imagine what the "average" student would look like if we can compound that advantage over the ~13 years of education, over multiple disciplines? I feel that within my lifetime we may very well come to see this era that we are just beginning to exit as a dark age of education.