It has made it impossible for me to do my job.
It is the reason we are failing kids. It is the reasons we are burning out.
Nobody is benefitting under this model. Not our low kids, not our average kids, not our high kids. And definitely not our teachers.
We are running teachers into the ground and expecting good results.
I am secondary trained. I was hired to teach junior high. I am currently teaching grade eight English class.
In theory.
Somehow planning for one class has turned into planning multiple different lessons to be delivered simultaneously.
Because you see, I teach grade 8 on paper, because are all thirteen years old, and therefore in grade eight. But the reality is that I am teaching kids who are working at grade level. I am teaching kids who are reading and writing at a high school level. I am teaching kids who are working below grade level because they may have a learning disability or developmental delays. I’m teaching kids who are brand new to the country and who cannot speak English, and who may not even have literacy skills in their native language.
WHY ARE THEY IN THE SAME ROOM?
You will hear all sorts of crap from admin, the intelligentsia, and consultants.
“It’s for the kids.”
“It’s good for their self esteem.”
“It’s about learning to cater to their strengths and abilities.”
Is it really? Is it good to have Johnny and Timmy in the same grade 8 class when Johnny is writing essays and Timmy does not yet know what letters are? Are they actually getting what they need to be successful? Will Timmy actually feel empowered being in a class where he feasibly cannot keep up?