Posts by Jason Morgan

wanderingbadger44 said:Amen.
Enter.

Don't even go there!
It’s quite obvious that the educators are just banding together to protect their own cushy little lifestyles through a wall of lies!!!
They couldn't care less about actual progress or meaningful reforms; their only real goal is ensuring kids stay busy enough so they don't have to lift a finger themselves!!

Let's be honest, schoolwork is perfectly manageable, and anyone could handle it without breaking a sweat if they actually tried.

wanderingbadger44 said:We saw a perfect example here, caught right on camera, of how much easier it is for students—and even their moms—to just Google a specific statistic like population density rather than actually looking at a map. It’s much simpler than trying to connect the dots between topography, climate, and geography to make an educated guess about whether a region is sparsely or densely populated.

It’s that classic case of wanting the answer without doing the heavy lifting. It’s like asking, "Just give me the number; why do I even need to think or reason through this?"

Then comes the inevitable backlash where they start blaming the entire school system, the teachers, or even the textbook authors for the fact that they're being taught to actually learn things.

Parents 😍

And John Doe 😍

I find myself hearing from parents on a systematic basis that their kids "just don't study," yet the moment they are faced with a question that requires actual deduction, the outcry begins: "Where is that written?!" Both the children and the parents seem to have a profound, almost romanticized love for mindless memorization.
You can take those fairy tales somewhere else.

Jason Ortiz5 said:Look, no matter what a parent posts in here, there’s always going to be a few folks—usually the academic types—ready to jump down your throat. Honestly, you guys can talk all you want, but I’m perfectly happy just watching our kids graduate from high school or college and actually land jobs. Seeing what our education system is actually churning out is enough for me.

The whole issue isn't about "Googling" things. Let’s be real, kids today are way faster at finding answers online than most of their teachers are. The problem is that dry, useless curriculum that exists just so they can cram it into their heads, pass a test, get a grade, and then immediately forget everything they learned.

Stefani, you're dear to me, but you're being cynical for reasons unknown to me.
Kids have almost zero idea how to actually *use* the internet for anything productive, beyond texting, posting photos, watching YouTube, and gaming. And that's something anyone who actually spends time with them would know.

This kind of parental attitude is pretty much the norm anyway. The moment a child is required to actually engage their brain on something unfamiliar—panic sets in. Heaven forbid they actually think for themselves! And yet, they demand "reform."
Reform won't mean less rote memorization and playing school; it means actually using one's intellect. But I suspect we'll only hear the whining once people realize "it wasn't in the textbook"!!!
Good luck to us all ☕

In practice, this is going to end up being treated just like civics or health class. It’ll be a total wash. The reality is that there isn't even a shred of preparation in place for anyone involved.

And who, exactly, gave this person the authority to lecture me on every conceivable worldview?
If they want to include every single perspective imaginable in the Common Core State Standards, fine, let them teach us everything under the sun.
I certainly won't be wasting my time prepping seven different lesson plans just because someone decided that a particular viewpoint clashes with their own personal philosophy.
They should just embrace homeschooling instead. Though, I suppose we’d need to implement some sort of standardized testing first.
God, imagine the chaos that would cause.

frozenrider15 said:Maybe the teacher *did* tell her. Maybe the kid just forgot or didn't relay the message to Mom. We could sit here debating the mechanics of a C grade until tomorrow for all we care. To me, the real tragedy is seeing first graders shedding tears over grades already. It feels like it’s often the parents doing more crying than the children are actually experiencing any real heartbreak.

That’s spot on. It’s almost always the parents who turn it into a tragedy.
Though, to be fair, kids do feel the weight because they know how much their parents will react to a bad grade.

shadowcrane91 said:Whatever, I’m heading to the info session tomorrow anyway since I already signed up.
Honestly, I’m not even sweating my grades; they aren't my top priority by a long shot.
But I don't know why, this C just really rubbed me the wrong way. Like, personally.
Maybe it’s because it’s Art—it feels weirdly rare to get a C in a class like that (at least it was back when I was in school), but it still stung way more than getting a C in any other subject (especially when the grade book is full of A's through F's). This one actually got under my skin. Me. I get that there are grading rubrics and all that, but for Art, they aren't presented nearly as clearly as they are for other subjects, so you almost don't expect it to happen.

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I completely understand that feeling, but for the sake of the child, it’s probably best to just hide the grade from them, tell them they'll do better next time, and leave it at that.

shadowcrane91 said:What on earth are you rambling about here???
What do you mean by "Black people"???
And honestly... my kid has already racked up more Cs than I ever did during my entire schooling.
And no, we aren't making a huge drama out of it at home (nobody’s lecturing her about it), because I recognize she has struggles on a different level (reading) and she'll likely see a C before an A. But is it really "normal" to hand a seven-year-old a C in Art class just because some arbitrary grading metric wasn't met? Not in my book.
Is it okay with you if a teacher tells a seven-year-old (not mine, mind you) that their work won't be put on the bulletin board because it isn't "good enough"?
Or giving a failing grade to one shy little boy in Music class just because he didn't want to sing in front of the whole class instead of actually encouraging him?
Well—it certainly isn't okay with me....
To me, this approach doesn't feel right, nor does it seem motivating. I truly believe the first grade should be a massive period of adjustment—learning how to tackle problems, finding solutions, and being encouraged to face academic challenges head-on. It shouldn't be a year spent handing out bad grades left and right, crushing kids' self-esteem, and breeding a fear of failure.

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We are looking at two entirely separate issues here.
Getting a C is perfectly normal and expected.
But that failing grade in Music? That is definitely not encouraging.

At the same time, first grade is when they learn to read and write—which is the most vital foundation for everything else—alongside basic responsibilities, like bringing their supplies to Art or PE, finishing homework, and so on.
It shouldn't be a year where a child only receives As and Bs.
They're going to encounter lower grades later in life, so they need to learn how to adapt to that reality now.

That first comment about Black people was quite the vivid comparison.

The issue isn't whether you lectured your child about the C, but whether the child overheard you telling them—and everyone else—that getting a C isn't "normal" or that the teacher has no idea what they're doing.
Getting a C is normal; I pulled plenty of them in Art back in elementary school, and look, I still managed to graduate college.

In Art, it’s not even about how beautiful your drawing is; it’s about whether you solved the prompt and how organized your work is.

I am of the opinion that this subject ought to be integrated into civics curriculum and those various interdisciplinary nonsense courses that somehow manage to miss the mark, though we are framing our arguments as if they actually overlap.

I find myself in complete agreement on this point.

wanderingbadger44 said:Quincy:

It feels like watching someone try to build a skyscraper out of playing cards, where every tiny gust of wind threatens to bring the whole ambitious structure crashing down. kaže: I've been wondering lately what exactly qualifies someone to earn those kinds of accolades or recognition. $1.75 It makes me wonder about the actual pay scales for school security guards and those who look after kids in our buildings—is the compensation truly fair given the weight of that responsibility? I don't mean this to be an insult, but rather just a logical conclusion drawn from what was actually said.

That’s exactly it. Only a fool would take offense at that, and let's be honest, there are plenty of those running around among us. Some people might try to get poetic about it and call them Don Quixote, but I prefer a more grounded perspective: we’re essentially just glorified babysitters. We spend our time tailoring reviews to suit whatever order comes in, because if we didn't play along, we'd find ourselves facing nothing but trouble.

Quincy:

If you aren't willing to stand up and fight for your own profession, then nobody else is going to step in to do it for you. Honestly, I feel like the first real step toward making a change is walking away from the union you’re currently in, because right now, they act more like an extension of the status quo than anything else, essentially just reinforcing the very system that keeps us stuck.

Honestly, why should I feel the need to fight for some noble calling? At the end of the day, I’m working for a paycheck, not to chase after some lofty set of ideals. Feel free to judge me all you want.

It’s a simple matter of value and necessity; if a parent truly finds themselves in need of their child, they will make the effort to invest in them, because when you don't pay attention to someone, it's clear they aren't actually a priority in your life. It works the same way with society at large—when a community decides that education is a fundamental requirement for its future, they will fund those schools and pay the costs, and in return, they reap the benefits of a well-educated citizenry.

Come on then, let’s hear them—go ahead and share your stories about getting laid off. 😁 It feels like you could search every corner of this country from New York to LA and still never stumble upon a single decent mathematician, physicist, linguist, or computer scientist. Honestly, we really need to start bringing some real talent to the table.

Hold on a second, it feels like you're actually asking us to step in and do all the heavy lifting for you. 😁

It feels like nobody actually wants to work in education anymore, unless they simply don't have any other viable career paths available to them. You end up left with those who stay in the field only because they’ve reached an age where pivoting to a different industry in this economy just isn't a realistic option.

I honestly feel like restoring the dignity of this profession matters far more to parents and students than it does to me personally.

I honestly don't understand why we're still going in circles on this thread about people just trying to minimize the headaches and friction in their daily work lives. Why should anyone go through the stress of constant conflict? They do it for the sake of social good, or some grand educational mission, or lofty principles and dignity—all that high-minded stuff that sounds great in theory but doesn't actually put food on the table or pay the mortgage. Personally, I'm not about to ride into battle for Truth and Justice if the cost is my own mental health and sanity. At the end of the day, I care less about the next generation than most of you seem to, and I'm perfectly fine with that. Feel free to keep bickering all you want. 🕺

I have the ability, the drive, and the actual know-how to get my job done right. If I'm not given that opportunity—if you make it difficult for me or create unnecessary friction that leads to nothing but burnout and constant stress—then I’ll simply find a way to work around those obstacles just to stay sane. That’s really all there is to it.

Well, I don't think that's entirely the whole truth, even though I tend to agree with you most of the time.

In every organization I've ever worked for, I've run into absolutely brilliant teachers who truly love what they do and take immense pride in their work. Of course, you also find the lazy idiots—but let's be honest, those people would be absolute disasters in any other profession, too.

Even with this weather being such a disaster, trying to push through school feels like an uphill battle. Honestly, there’s zero point in extending the academic year at this stage. What on earth would we even gain from it?

What I am essentially requesting is that you meticulously review this entire thread and systematically debunk every single instance of mindless trolling directed at any individual forum member.

If you find that task particularly daunting, I suggest you examine the posts by Olivia Murphy24, where she repeatedly leaps at Sarah Doyle54 and engages in nothing but blatant slander.

Otherwise, please enlighten us as to why she is being shielded here, and precisely what makes her particular brand of nonsense so uniquely special.

Well, that's precisely the situation we find ourselves in today 😕

Those reforms were an absolute disaster; they haven't achieved a single thing 🤦

wanderinggardener12 said:

I suppose I should have expected this level of discourse, though perhaps my expectations were already buried beneath the weight of too many redundant debates. Is there truly any point in engaging when the conversation feels like circling a drain? One wonders if we are actually seeking clarity or if we are simply performing for an audience that has long since stopped listening. It seems we are destined to tread these same worn paths, over and over, until the very concept of progress becomes nothing more than a tired joke. kaže:
I’ve reached a point where I no longer hold any expectations regarding grades. Is there really much to be gained from tethering one's sense of worth to a letter on a transcript? Not particularly.
Honestly, it’s all quite irrelevant to me. I feel no particular urge to go around bragging about it over coffee, posting about it on some internet forum, or making a spectacle of myself at the office. Why would I?
I find myself wrestling with this desire to be genuinely satisfied with what she manages to accomplish on her own terms, rather than measuring her success against some arbitrary standard I’ve projected onto her—though, if I’m being completely honest with myself, I haven't the slightest clue what those standards should actually be.
At the end of the day, my only real priority is that she stays healthy, happy, and genuinely content. I don't need her running through the halls in some state of manic euphoria, but I certainly wouldn't want her waking up with that hollow, sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach—the kind caused by the constant dread of looming exams, demanding teachers, or the sheer social pressure of her peers. Is it too much to ask for a childhood free from that specific brand of morning anxiety?
If we want someone to actually gain a realistic sense of their own capabilities—to truly understand where they stand—we need to provide feedback that carries some actual weight. We should be telling them exactly what they’ve mastered and precisely which areas require more study, repetition, or deep dives. It shouldn't be this vague, patronizing nonsense like "you just need to try harder for an A," or worse, handing out participation trophies based on effort or "good vibes" rather than actual competence. Why settle for superficial encouragement when we could be providing something meaningful?
Honestly, I can’t help but feel that the weight of this falls more squarely on the shoulders of the teachers than the parents. Of course, we notice certain things about our kids—those little everyday developmental markers that happen entirely outside the classroom. We see if they're reading a bit faster or slower, whether their handwriting is a mess, if they can handle basic mental math without using their fingers, or how they process simple logic. Those are things we observe at home, regardless of what school is doing. But when it comes to the actual curriculum—the stuff that's officially taught and expected for their grade level—I find myself thinking that, in my view, the responsibility lies with the instructor. Is it really the parent's job to ensure the academic syllabus is mastered, or is that precisely why we have educators in the first place?

It’s true that when you look at different aspects of a child's development, the sheer level of individual variation is staggering, isn't it? There are these massive gaps in how kids process the world, and frankly, that's the fundamental hurdle they face the moment they step foot into an American elementary school.
And let’s be honest, what people fail to grasp is that this responsibility lies squarely with the parents, not the child. But is it really too naive to assume that a parent will suddenly develop a sense of accountability overnight if they haven't cultivated it already? It seems unlikely, doesn't it? Unless there is some direct intervention—and one has to wonder why such an intervention would even be triggered—targeting both the parent and the child simultaneously. Perhaps the school system could step in, though wouldn't that only become a reality if signs of genuine neglect became impossible for the administration to ignore?
And this is the supposed "extra curriculum" parents are expected to tackle alongside their child’s actual schoolwork—assuming they even have the mental bandwidth or the sheer willpower left to attempt it.
I’m sorry, but I honestly don't think that Summer, myself, or the others who have been vocal about not wanting to work with kids for school projects actually fall into that category; at least, based on what our own children are already picking up, it seems certain that when they head back to class, they’ll be hitting the ground running with exactly the kind of knowledge you're describing.

If we’re going to circle back to the core of this issue... I find myself staring at the massive mountain of curriculum expected from first graders—and honestly, most of those early elementary years—and wondering why on earth we insist on attaching grades to it. Does anyone truly see the point in quantifying such fundamental learning?
Is a child truly capable of reading, or are they simply going through the motions? It seems to me that there is a profound, almost existential distinction between a kid who actually understands the weight of the words on the page and one who is merely decoding symbols without any grasp of their essence. Does the ability to recognize letters even equate to comprehension, or are we just witnessing a mechanical process?
Does he actually possess the capacity to handle basic addition or subtraction? It seems like such a fundamental skill, yet one can't help but wonder if the mental gears are truly turning behind that expressionless gaze.
Does this individual actually possess the basic cognitive capacity to list the days of the week, or is that ability simply beyond their grasp?
Does he actually have any concept of how time passes, or is he just perpetually lost in his own little world?
Does he actually have the multiplication table memorized, or is that just another thing he’s managed to overlook?
Don't give me that nonsense—as if we can't simply implement a standard one-to-five rating scale if we actually wanted to. Why must everything be made more complicated than it needs to be?
Perhaps he wasn't quite aware of his potential back in February, but by May, everything changed; he mastered it, truly conquered it, and that kind of realization stays with a person for a lifetime.
And what exactly is he going to get for that on his report card? 😕

Of course, one should push him to refine his craft, to find that extra gear of speed and precision; isn't that the whole point of mentorship? It seems only logical to sit a child down and dissect their shortcomings, to identify exactly where they are stumbling and, more importantly, to understand the root of those failures. Is he rushing headlong into mistakes out of sheer impatience, or is he perhaps moving too slowly and losing momentum? Does he simply lack the eye to spot his own errors, or is there some deeper disconnect at play? I am firmly convinced that his work can be elevated—that these flaws can be smoothed away—provided he is given lucid, direct guidance on what needs mastering, the most efficient path to achieving that mastery, and a clear idea of who might actually be capable of helping him along the way.
Is there anything more hollow than those little classroom competitions where teachers try to rank students by who earned an 'A' versus who settled for a 'B'? It feels less like fostering a love for learning and more like a calculated attempt to motivate kids through a relentless string of grades. Does anyone truly believe that a child’s worth or their drive to succeed can be distilled into a GPA? We tell them that if they just chase that next perfect mark, they’ll find fulfillment, but isn't it just a cycle of chasing shadows? It seems to me we are simply training them to be obsessed with the metric rather than the knowledge itself.
When a student misses a perfect score by a mere fraction of a point, there are a thousand different reasons why that grade might slip through their fingers. Perhaps it was a momentary lapse in concentration, a misunderstood instruction, or simply an unlucky break during the exam. Yet, when everything is boiled down into one standardized, universal grading rubric, all those individual nuances—and more importantly, all that grueling effort and hard work leading up to the moment—just vanish. It’s all flattened into a single number, isn't it? And we shouldn't overlook how much this matters, especially for those little ones just starting their journey in elementary school.
It strikes me, quite often, that we pour an exhausting amount of energy into these endless debates over letter grades and GPA percentages, don't we? We obsess over whether a report card is a triumph or a disaster, yet how much of that focus is actually directed toward understanding what a child truly excels at, or where they genuinely struggle? We dissect the numbers, but do we ever really stop to look at their actual strengths, or identify the specific skills they still need to master to survive in the real world? It makes one wonder about the fundamental purpose of all this academic striving—what is the ultimate point of accumulating this vast sea of knowledge if we aren't teaching them how to actually use it?
Let’s be honest, there’s a massive divide here; you have plenty of teachers who provide incredibly thoughtful, constructive feedback alongside a grade, but then there’s a huge contingent that just drops a number and leaves it at that.
It feels like progress is being measured strictly through raw data points and digits.

I couldn't agree more with everything you've laid out.
Providing descriptive feedback is actually quite effective—especially when it accompanies a numerical score and includes verbal commentary on the student's performance. It adds much-needed context.
Take, for instance, a second-grade science quiz where a child might circle a picture representing spring clothing, only to be marked wrong because the test designer decided a different icon was the "correct" seasonal marker, or perhaps they mention watering plants in the spring, which is logically sound, yet they lose points because the key required them to identify a tractor instead. If that child receives a B, does that truly mean they haven't mastered the material required for an A?
Or consider an English literature assessment where a kid writes that a character went to a hardware store instead of a bakery, or fails to mention that a whole sequence was just a dream, leading to a lower grade based on rigid rubric requirements rather than actual comprehension. Does a B in that scenario really signify a failure to grasp the story?
I wouldn't want anyone to get hung up on these specific scenarios, though they are entirely possible, but I would love for those advocating for strict grading in first or second grade to stop and think: how does a seven-year-old feel? They’ve learned to read, to write, and are grasping complex concepts in every subject, yet every single step they take is funneled into a grade that essentially tells them they failed, even when their answers were based on common sense, lived experience, or genuine understanding. How does it affect a child to be met with a mediocre grade five or six times in a row? Every child processes this differently. One kid might answer "yesterday" to the question "What happened before today?", another might say "Sunday," and another might say "the past." But if the textbook and the teacher's answer key only recognize "yesterday," the latter two are deemed incorrect. Is a child truly lacking intelligence just because they noted that before today was, say, their uncle's birthday?

And what happens when a parent looks at a progress report and sees nothing but a single grade accompanied by a heavy-handed note about the importance of the exam, with no other feedback to balance it out? What are they supposed to make of that, and what kind of action are they even expected to take?

The questions are phrased quite poorly, I'll give you that.
Instead, they really ought to ask, "By what name do we refer to the day that preceded today?"
If a student has actually been paying attention in class and listening to the teacher, they'll realize the expected response is "yesterday."
And that's precisely where the catch lies—it isn't about finding some absolute, cosmic truth; it's about meeting the specific expectation set by the prompt.

I run into this exact same frustration when I'm studying a foreign language.
We all know there can be multiple grammatically correct tenses to use in a given sentence.
Yet, if I'm tasked with converting a passage into one specific tense, people start complaining because I didn't choose the *one* version they had in mind, even though my choice was technically accurate.
But then again, if you hadn't been listening closely to the instructor, trying to solve it would be an absolute nightmare.

Quincy:

I simply cannot begin to express the sheer, unadulterated exhaustion I am feeling right now. It is one of those days where everything seems to be conspiring against my sanity, and frankly, I’m not even sure where to start with the chaos. My brain feels like it's been through a blender, and yet, here I am, attempting to compose myself for the sake of this forum. It's quite ridiculous, really. kaže: How much would you all be in favor of the idea that educators who teach problematic students, children with special needs, or those with cognitive impairments should receive higher salaries?

If I were in their shoes... 🤷
And just like that, I’m handing everything over on a silver platter, only to realize I'm getting paid significantly less for the privilege. It's quite a ridiculous situation, really. ☕

Quincy:

What would actually happen if a highly compensated professor were handed an entire class like this—one where they somehow managed to unlock that latent potential and truly spark their interest? Imagine a scenario where a student finally catches fire and ascends to a completely different level of academic excellence. Would those elite professors, the ones who exclusively teach the "gifted" tracks, just swoop in and snatch them up immediately? It makes one wonder about the systemic gatekeeping involved.

We should run a few tests on it first; if it performs exceptionally well, we can move it up to a higher tier.

Quincy:

I am certainly not advocating for segregation; rather, I find myself increasingly in favor of simply having smaller class sizes.

That only really works in theory.
It appears we have arrived at yet another instance of the same old distribution: an equal split of struggling, mediocre, and top-tier students. Nothing ever truly changes, does it? It is quite a repetitive cycle. Once again, I find myself tasked with drafting three separate lesson plans just to ensure I am addressing all three distinct groups simultaneously. It is rather exhausting, if I’m being honest.
It’s frankly detrimental to the classroom experience.

Nicole Morgan55 said:

Personally, I find myself focusing on the top and middle tiers of students; honestly, anything else feels futile and defeats the whole purpose of education.

Involving the Department of Child Services is really the absolute last resort—it only happens when a parent ignores official notices and the student has been failing most of their classes over an extended period. But even then, those are typically families where the situation is already well-known and it's clear the children are being neglected. I'm not entirely sure how the process unfolds from there, but I'll get back to you in a few months if none of our current interventions work and we are forced to contact CPS.
But isn't this actually more extreme:

Is there anything crazier than that? 😲
Well, certainly. In the higher grades, you see much worse: blatant behavioral issues, total neglect of schoolwork, constant instigation of conflict, outright vandalism of school property—and then there are those parents who simply have zero control over their kids. They can't enforce any boundaries, and even after a full-blown sit-down involving the student, the parents, the principal, the school psychologist, the counselor, and the teacher, nothing changes. It’s a complete stalemate.

As for this specific case, I haven't looked into the details, so I don't know if Child Protective Services has been notified or what the parental situation looks like. Since I'm not a teacher, I also wouldn't know if notifying the local social services center is mandatory in these circumstances.

Rachel Young3 said:I don't have a link yet
I heard about this from my mentor at school and some old college friends who are already teaching out in the field
I'm definitely going to grill her for more details on the whole thing...

That’s spot on. In elementary school, kids in grades 1 through 4 don't actually sit for summer school or make-up exams; they just move up to the next grade even if they have a failing mark. It happened a few times last year.
To give you a concrete example, there was one little guy who moved from second grade to third grade despite carrying a failing math grade that he'd been dragging along since first grade.😵
Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue what the logic is behind that system.

Nicole Morgan55 said:The problem with today’s society—and our politics—is this desperate push to inflate how many people have degrees, even if it means watering down the standards to get there. We’ve reached this point where if you don't have a diploma, you’re basically invisible, whether it's in business or some random journalism program. It’s like being a chef, a baker, or a plumber is somehow a disgrace now.

Probably just some leftover relic from the old days, when you’d land a cushy government gig or a political appointment right after college and coast until retirement. Sure, let's all try that now! Except back then it actually worked; today, between the massive oversupply of degrees and the economy being a dumpster fire, it's just not happening.

We’ve basically reached a point where we’re dumping massive amounts of taxpayer money into churning out highly educated professionals that the economy doesn't actually need—people who end up becoming more of a drain than an asset. It’s pure absurdity: we’re out here scrambling to import skilled labor like masons, carpenters, and chefs just to keep things running, while on the flip side, you've got people with advanced degrees struggling to find decent-paying work in America. Most employers around here just demand a college degree for entry-level roles that don't even require one.

To those parents in the quote who aren't feeling this system—maybe try actually spending some time with your kid instead. You'll probably see better results that way.

Where's the link?

Why bother watering down the curriculum for everyone when you can just focus on the kids who actually have what it takes? It’s pointless to drag down the high achievers just because some students won't or can't keep up. If they can't handle the standard coursework, there are plenty of other ways to deal with it—retaking a grade, hiring private tutors, or getting parents more involved at home. And if none of that works, we might eventually have to look at separating students by ability levels.

Setting all that drama aside, can a teacher actually call Child Protective Services if a kid is falling behind or bombing their classes? If so, has anyone actually seen that happen, and what was the fallout?

Personally, I find myself focusing on the top and middle tiers of students; honestly, anything else feels futile and defeats the whole purpose of education.

Involving the Department of Child Services is really the absolute last resort—it only happens when a parent ignores official notices and the student has been failing most of their classes over an extended period. But even then, those are typically families where the situation is already well-known and it's clear the children are being neglected. I'm not entirely sure how the process unfolds from there, but I'll get back to you in a few months if none of our current interventions work and we are forced to contact CPS.

Rachel Young3 said:And who exactly is going to be teaching a classroom full of absolute hooligans? 🤔

I just found out this year that under our laws here in the States, if a kid is still technically under their teacher's supervision, they aren't even allowed to be failed on a retake, let alone held back a grade...

Who cares who initiates it? Look at Germany—they’ve been running that kind of academic track system since after fourth grade.
I truly believe this is exactly what the American education system desperately needs right now, because, quite frankly, the current state of things is a total disaster.

Around here, that whole process of branching off basically happens at the tail end of elementary school, right when you’re being sorted into high schools based on your interests and your grades.
Honestly, we really ought to have handled this much sooner.
Even these supposedly "tailored" and individualized learning plans are nothing more than a joke. The reality is that we aren't actually adapting the curriculum to fit the children; instead, we’re just bending the teaching to suit the tests and oral exams. It’s because, frankly, there is simply no other way to make it work.

It’s quite a sobering reality, isn't it? I was just thinking about how some students—take those currently sitting in seventh grade, for instance—haven't actually mastered the fundamental basics. It’s a bit of a systemic tragedy, really. Without that core foundation, they find themselves completely adrift, unable to actually grasp the current curriculum, let alone build upon it to reach the next level. You can't exactly construct a skyscraper on a foundation made of sand, and yet, that seems to be the predicament we're facing.
I could tear them down if I really wanted to, but honestly, there’s just no point in bothering.
It strikes me as quite a profound failure of our educational system that students graduate from elementary school essentially empty-handed. They exit the system without having acquired any meaningful foundational knowledge, which is frankly disheartening. In an ideal world, they should have been transitioned into specialized programs designed for individualized instruction—environments where the curriculum is tailored to their specific learning pace. Instead of being left to flounder, these students could have benefited immensely from a more customized approach that actually meets them where they are.

Everything around here feels like it’s been flattened into one mediocre, indistinguishable blur. Honestly, we need an urgent overhaul to categorize things into bad, mediocre, and excellent. As it stands, the actual instructional hours and the quality of teaching aren't meeting anyone's needs—not even their own.

For those who truly excel, life tends to become rather monotonous.
If I decide to dive into more advanced material just to keep them engaged—because, let’s face it, they find it genuinely interesting and challenging—the rest of the class ends up suffering for it. It's a bit of a catch-22, isn't it?
It seems everything is just an uphill battle for the folks in Middle America lately. Everything feels heavy.
It is utterly beyond comprehension for those who lack any sense of quality.

It really does a number on one's motivation. Honestly, it’s quite detrimental to the whole drive to get things done.

Look, I’ll be the one to say it: go ahead and try to design a curriculum where students actually learn something and stay engaged. Just good luck with that. How on earth are they supposed to grasp any of this when the material is fundamentally incomprehensible to them? It’s a lost cause if they can't even follow the logic.

It truly breaks my heart when the most brilliant and genuinely kindhearted students are the ones who suffer. These kids have both the capability and the drive; their struggles aren't born from laziness or a lack of character, which makes it all the more frustrating. Honestly, I feel we ought to be setting them apart for specialized support. We should be giving our educational psychologists and teachers a clear mandate to prioritize these students—not just for their own sake, but for the long-term stability of our country and the integrity of our entire education system.

I still find myself advocating for the separation of students based on their German proficiency levels. It’s becoming painfully obvious in fifth grade just how much those who struggled during elementary school are falling behind. Honestly, it’s only going to get more difficult and tedious for them as they progress, yet we're stuck maintaining this mediocre standard of instruction that essentially serves no one. 🙂