[Oz-gifted] FW: Ability Grouping

[Kristy]

I also argued that. The education dept was definate that this was in the 
best interest of the child. I asked how they felt a child of 6 being told 
she had to go back and redo year 1 was in the best interest of the child. I 
was told to not tell her as she would be going into a year 1/2 split so she 
didnt need to know she was going in as a year 1. About then I lost my cool 
and said goodbye. Yes this was the education dept. I was put on to them by 
the principal of the school because I would not accept her telling me that 
my daughter had to go back to year 1. As I was told repeatedly they are just 
age groups. The children dont do 'year 1' work they do whatever is 
appropriate for them. All children must enter the public school system at 
their age appropriate level, no choice.

I was also told that if I wanted her put back up then I would have to go 
through the entire process of psych assessments etc again. They didnt care 
that they had already been done in a private school. I was told that the 
curriculum was entirely different than in public schools so it was 
irrelevant what had happened there.

I am still angry about it. The only reason I havent forced the issue to have 
her accelerated again  is that my daughter is happy, working with the top 
year 2s in her class.

My eldest is still asking to go up a year. He is a larger problem and one 
that I think ability grouping would be amazing for. My daughter is happy 
wherever she is and whatever she is doing, with him we get behaviour 
problems if he isnt stimulated enough. Although giving him a book to read 
will usually settle him down quick enough!

Kristy


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matthew & Tracey Wood" <mwood at iinet.net.au>
To: <oz-gifted at rite.ed.qut.edu.au>
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 6:23 PM
Subject: RE: [Oz-gifted] FW: Ability Grouping


>
>
> I agree wholeheartedly with what Michelle is saying...acceleration is
> certainly rare in Public schools in WA but it doesn't mean it can't be 
> done.
> It takes a Principal to take a chance, which most are unwilling to take. 
> As
> a teacher and parent of an accelerated child,  find it quite horrifying 
> that
> a child who had been successfully accelerated was put back. I can't 
> imagine
> how that could be in the best interests of the child.
>
> Tracey
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: oz-gifted-bounces at rite.ed.qut.edu.au
> [mailto:oz-gifted-bounces at rite.ed.qut.edu.au] On Behalf Of Michelle 
> Gabriel
> Sent: Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:28 AM
> To: oz-gifted at rite.ed.qut.edu.au
> Subject: [Oz-gifted] FW: Ability Grouping
>
>
> Kirsty,
> Who told you that children in WA had to stay in aged based groupings in
> State schools?  Was it this principal?
>
> I found this unacceptable, and thought I'd go the Western Australian
> Department of Education site and see what I could find out about this. I
> wanted to see the wording, to see if it could be "bent".
>
> I found nothing that said anything about kids having to be in age based
> groupings, in fact, I found information that showed that WA had a Gifted 
> and
> Talented Policy (It is actually rather good) and that it also discussed
> acceleration.  So your child should not have been put back into grade one
> under this policy!
>
> Here are some areas I've copied from different parts of the site.  I am 
> not
> sure if this is acceptable net etiquette - I know I should know but I've
> never copied anything before to a list so I'm not sure.
>
> "Primary and secondary school-based provision occurs within the individual
> classrooms of all teachers on an ongoing basis. Additionally, schools may
> develop strategies, which allow the most able students to learn together."
>
> So in the above it shows that ability based can happen in primary schools 
> in
> WA.
>
> "Developing a school-based program
>
> A Total School Approach
>
> School-based gifted and talented programs should reflect the schools 
> unique
> priorities, population and individual learning needs as documented in the
> school development plan and as required by the gifted and talented policy
> and supporting guidelines."
>
> The above shows that schools can develop their own programs. There is
> flexibility.
>
> "Gifted and Talented
> All policy and procedural statements contained within this document are
> lawful orders for the purposes of section 80(a) of the Public Sector
> Management Act 1994 (WA) and are therefore to be observed by all 
> Department
> of Education and Training employees."
>
> The above was written at the bottom of each page I read.   This school
> should be following these guidelines. The following was from those pages.
>
> "7.4 ACCELERATION
>
> Acceleration is a placement strategy that enables a gifted student to work
> within an older chronological grouping.  It is one form of flexible
> provision.  The decision to accelerate any student needs to be made with
> considerable care by a principal in consultation with the student, 
> parents,
> teachers and school psychologists.
>
> The development of a range of suitable options to meet a child's learning
> needs, of which acceleration may be one possibility, is necessary in this
> process.
>
> Decisions regarding permanent, full-time acceleration of younger students 
> in
> particular should proceed only after thorough and careful consideration of
> the implication for the whole long-term schooling experience of the 
> student.
> This includes the academic, social, emotional and behavioural needs of the
> student.  In certain situations acceleration may be the best option for a
> small number of exceptionally gifted students.
>
> Decisions may have to be made on behalf of younger students to address 
> their
> individual learning needs.  It is desirable that gifted students become
> progressively more involved in, and responsible for, the decisions 
> regarding
> provision of appropriate education and development programs.
> To determine the appropriateness of acceleration for a particular student 
> it
> is desirable to monitor and evaluate the relevance and effectiveness of
> strategies that may include learning and teacher adjustments, such as an
> individual Education Plan, peer tutoring and/or mentoring programs.  The
> Curriculum Framework's principles of assessment need to be kept in mind 
> when
> evaluating the suitability of acceleration; any measure of the child's
> readiness to accelerate should be valid, educative, explicit, fair, and
> comprehensive."
>
> The above shows that there is a policy with WA with regard to acceleration
> in state schools. Your child should not have been put back into an age 
> based
> class IMHO if she was gifted and had already been accelerated.
>
> I would be worried what this principal is trying to tell you and the wool 
> he
> is trying to pull over your eyes. He is not following policy IMHO.
>
> There is also information on ability grouping as well.
>
> I learned a long time ago not to always believe what principals told me 
> and
> to do my own research. Please have a look at the site and have some
> ammunition for the next time you talk to this person.  If he is the one 
> that
> told you this information, he needs to be better informed and review the
> documentation available.
>
> Cheers
>
> Michelle G
>
>
>
>
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