[Sir Michael]

Schools still place kids in tracks (separation by ability level), but its not quite so obvious anymore. Instead of remedial science, science, and advanced science, students are put into science, honors science, and AP science. Same thing. Plus they have magnet schools, where brighter kids can go and focus on one area, although here, they have just been used as a magnet to get white kids into the ethnic neighborhood schools.

In a recent classroom observation I did of an 8th grade physical sciences class, the teacher had two "developmental" (low) classes and two regular classes. In her words, "the content is the same, just the method of delivery is different," and that was true. She just was more careful with the lower kids to more carefully explain things, give them more concrete examples, and to make sure they took good notes.

In our teacher ed classes we are taught to teach to the highest level in the class. Sure, some kids may fall behind, but they can be helped by the faster students, and anyways, the lower kids will end up achieving more than if you lowered your expectations anyway.

People tend to act, behave, and learn how you expect them to. It has been all too true in this country that teachers get a low impression of a class, and they treat them that way, and guess what, the students live up to those lowered expectations.