I have 24 students in my theory class. Some of them have never seen a musical note in their lives, some have been playing piano for 5 years or so, and some are just smack in the middle average. I gave a test on Friday on key signatures, scales, and clefs. About half the class failed and the other half passed. So my co-op said to me Friday after school, "I want you to take the kids that failed into a separate room and just drill everything that was on the test for the entire period. I will take the kids that passed and go on to minor scales with them."
I don't feel that this is right. Sooner or later the kids are going to realize and think that I took the "dumb ones" and my co-op took the "smart ones". This is going to create alot of anxiety in the class for the students, and I don't think this is good for them socially. But I really don't know what to do. The class is Toooo big, but the school won't split the class into 2 sections because that would mean that they would have to hire another teacher. All the other music teachers are maxed out with their teaching schedules. I know some of these kids are going to feel embarrassed once they catch on to what is happening. I don't want them to feel embarrassed or stupid.
Anybody have any suggestions before I have to teach this class on Tuesday. I also don't think that drilling the kids that failed the test is going to help much either. I need to find another way of explaining it to them.
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I feel that your schould have tested them on all of that information at once. How many little quizzes or assessments were made before the tests? I have a feeling that your co-op could have realized that some of the students were falling behind much sooner than now. I agree with you that they shouldnt be seperated. Maybe create a music buddy system where the students that know the information can go over and review with the students that dont. the power of peer teaching is more than teachers understand sometimes.
Ok, as a non-theory buff, I'm going to add my two cents.
I think that its unfortunate that the class cannot be split in two when there are obviously major differences in skill levels. My question is this: is this supposed to be a beginning theory class, or a more advanced theory class? I assume its supposed to be a beginning class, and as such, the pace should be catered towards the less advanced ones. And then, if the kids who are moving faster and done and completely bored, give them extra things to do that challenge them, but keep them in the same place.
I don't think the issue will be in terms of a social division between the "dumb" kids and the "smart" kids, the issue lies in the more advanced kids getting so far ahead that the less advanced kids are going to get left behind and never able to catch up.
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