Mainstream Disservice

Parents want their children to succeed in school. I consider myself lucky in that regard as even my lowest performing child has had above average grades. But, wouldn't the kids do even better if the curriculum were tailored to their specific needs?

If I recall correctly, when I was in school there were three tracks in math and three in reading; high, middle and low. Students who performed well in these areas were given a higher track with more challenging curriculum while those who struggled were given a lower track with work more appropriate for them. However, in politically correct 2012, this sort of tracking could lead a PC liberal to full cardiac arrest.

The complaint is that tracking leads to stereotyping and low self-esteem. Students in a high track would think of themselves as superior and those in the low track as inferior. The theory is that this would affect the low tracker's self-worth for life. In my experience, it has more to do with the parents and their embarrassment in having a child in a low track.

Today's lowest performing students are "mainstreamed" into the same classes as their stronger classmates. I can't see how this helps their self-esteem as they are still the lowest performing students. The only difference is that now everyone in the class is a first-hand witness to their struggle. Worse is the fact that the already over-worked teacher must create two or three different lesson plans based on the various abilities within the classroom.

But the most destructive effect of mainstreaming is the disservice done to all the students. If the brightest kids aren't being held up because the teacher is assisting slower kids, then the slower kids get passed by and are soon so far behind they're lost.

It truly is sad that some children are never going to be academically successful. But, we cannot continue to interfere with the education of our brightest students because of it. Not only that, academics are not the only measure of success. Once we get to Heaven, I don't believe there will be anyone judging a person based on their academic success. However, a person could very well be judged if they knowingly hindered the education of a child gifted by God.

This is a reprint of Trent Ruble's guest article, "Mainstream Disservice" in the March 27, 2012 10 Day Book Club Blog.

http://www.10daybookclub.blogspot.com...

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