Harebrained Idea #1

And where would I start?

With the fact that we choose to organize schools around a child's "Date of Manufacture", to steal an idea from Sir Ken's presentation. That the year of birth is the most important thing about our children and so many decisions about our kids are based on the year they were born.

So, I would start by choosing a new metric by which we should decide which student goes where. (I have more ideas about the need to divide students and how we divide them for later posts.)

I think the primary metric we should use for deciding how to divide up students is their reading level. So much of learning is dependent upon the ability to read, and this skill is necessary in many subject areas. (Please note that I said "primary", I think there can also be a role for secondary metrics as well. A topic for a later post.)

If the group of students you are teaching all have a similar reading level it has a significant impact on what you are able to do as a teacher. In our current model the classes I teach can have a reading range that varies from grade 2 to grade 12. This enourmous range makes it very difficult to ensure that the lessons I teach reach every student.

How would we go about determining reading level? I think that one test or assessment tool would be entirely inadequate. I think we should use at least three different tools and that we should spend significant time on it. Something this important shouldn't be determined quickly, which is what we do now.

Here are three suggested components that I believe would be important for determining reading level:

• Use a computerized test perhaps one like this one. (I am not an expert there may very well be better ones.)
• A paper and pencil based test, perhaps multiple choice, but perhaps not.
• An assessment by an expert teacher, to be done last and which will have the most importance.

What's more, I would suggest that the reading level be re-tested frequently and that this decision about where a student is placed not be set in stone. (A topic for another blog post.) We believe that students brains can grow and our school system should reflect that belief.

More in this series:
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth is
Harebrained Idea #1
Harebrained Idea #2