Originally Posted by Loy58
Blackcat, if they simply "cluster" them and then leave them entirely on their own, that is simply poor instruction. Hopefully, this is NOT the case. How many "groups" is the teacher instructing during this "clustering"? How does she instruct this "cluster"? How does she "instruct" them on their enrichment materials? Perhaps the teacher needs to consider these questions...hmmm (or maybe she can clarify).

I do think working with multiple groups within a classroom is challenging (to say the least), but most schools have students with a range of abilities within a classroom. I think that, at the moment, my DD8's school is doing similar ability-grouping in reading within the classroom. (I actually hoping this is temporary. Although I do not love this arrangement for DD, she is currently going through the process for selection the school's G&T program, so I am trying to be patient until this is completed). DD says that the teacher spends time with each group (I believe there are 5!). For math, they change classes, and the classes are grouped and paced by ability (I think this actually works better from what I have observed - the group actually has its own teacher!).

I sometimes dream of a self-contained magnet, though! wink

There is no ability grouping at all, even for reading. DD says the teacher never meets with her individually or in a small group. So for reading, she just chose the book "The One Eyed Cat" and read it on her own. The other girl in the group chose Harry Potter. But they never had to talk to the teacher or anyone else about the books. Now DD is onto the next book (not sure what she chose). The entire class has to do reading comprehension worksheets at a third grade level, and they all have third grade level reading textbooks. Not sure what else the reading curriculum entails.
For math, there is no grouping either. When the teacher is lecturing on certain math topics, she tells the kids in the "enrichment group" to work on their packets on their own.