Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Easing Pressure on Students Bares Ethnic Divide

In our district, high school orchestras have a few levels. The higher levels are audition-based, and the lowest level is for anyone who wants to play music. In middle school and elementary school, there is just one orchestra for everyone, so the very advanced players go to youth orchestras elsewhere (such as those offered by professional orchestras and university-based youth orchestras).

It's like math. Of course everyone who wants to learn should have the opportunity. But if there is only one level of offering, either the best students will seek resources elsewhere, or the slowest students are left behind. Parents on this forum would be very frustrated if their kids are in a school where all kids have to learn math at the same pace. But this is the same if all kids have to be in the same orchestra learning the same pieces. My two kids are both awesome musicians and they have both felt that their elementary and middle school orchestras were really boring. The key is to make sure that kids at all levels can learn and can be challenged. I see this the same way whether we talk about music, math or sports.