The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-09-22

At the opening OF School No. on
October 2, a new plan of classified
ton of pupils which has been APP
proved by the school board will be
begun in the fifth grade
Heretofore. the pupils entering this
grade, which is the lowest grade in
School No. l, have been divided into
four groups without any reference
whatever TO the fact that among the
number were many pupils above the
average in mental capacity, and that
not a few others were below the
average. Under this sort of classic
cation the pupil whose mind was
quick and active was held pack, while
one whose mind acted slowly was
dragged along at too rapid a pace.
The result has been HABITS of idle
ness in the one case and mental con-
fusion In the other. The one lost
interest because he had not enough
10 do, and the other became discour-
aged because he had too much to do.
The plan, an outline of which is Civ
on below, is calculated to remedy
this defect
Divided Into Groups.
The pupils entering the tl-,h grade
will be divided at the opening of
school into three groups: % a group
composed on pupils above the average
in mental development, who will be
able to master the fifth grade work
In six months; CD a group composed
OF pupils of average capacity, who will
find the fifth grade work as at pres
ent mapped out a proper years task;
and 90 a group composed of pupils
who. for one reason or another, are
poorly prepared, who ure slow TO
think and slow to act, and who, ac-
cordingly, will require as long as ten
months TO do what their more alert
companions will easily accomplish in
six or eight months. The principal
elements to be considered in making
this grouping are the record made by
the pupil for the last year, his age,
and the recommendation of his last
years teacher where this can be Sc
cured.
The first group Ito be called Section
A il has been estimated, will contain
about thirtgbfive pupils. IN charge
of them will be placed a teacher, who
will move them on over the fifth
grade work as rapidly as possible,
with a view to completing it at the
end of six months. At that time these
pupils will be examined and those
passing creditably will begin at once
in the same room and under the same
teacher the work of the sixth grade
If any should fail at this point they
will be dropped back with Section B
OF c, and complete the fifth grade with
them.
The second group Ito be known 6
Sections B and c. will be the largest
pOl IiV1ep f<Nr.
pupils VIII do the usual amount of
work and complete it in the usual
ume-eight months
The teacher in charge of the third
group (Section d. will move her pu-
pills along at a pace consistent with
thorough instruction. Not more than
four-fifths of the ordinary years work
Will be completed by this group in
any one year. A pupil failing in this
section at the end of the year will
lot go back into the sIowmoving
section which is a year behind him,
nut he may go, instead, into one of
the faster moving sections of the next
years fifth grade.
Al the beginning of the second
year after this plan has been put into
checI Section A, with one-rhird of
me sixth grade work already COM
pieied, will be able to finish the re-
M"Ihlng two-thirds in the nrst half
VI the year Thus, at the end of one
year and half this particular group
W pupils will have completed the
SI"hRlar school course, which ordinar-
Hy requires four years.
section ID, the slow-moving section,
VIII require two months of the Sec
Qua year TO complete the fifth grade,
""u IN the remaining six months of
c.a' Year they will complete three
n''As Of the sixth grade work. Con-
uHu'NS In this way, they will COM
pete the ordinary four years work
IN five years.
Advantages of System
-, ne advantages or this new group
Elah can more readily be understood
"nfn The defects Of the old lockstep
.slem are clearly seen. Last year
oHiy 90 per cent. of the pupils who
suffered the fifth grade were promoted
lAe sixth grade. What will become
y. me SO per cent. who dropped out
~ ialled of promotion at the end of
~ year? Some of them, hopelessly
discouraged, will not return to school
al A few will have made up their
SiIu,clencles during the summer and
~ al De examined and promoted to
| sixth grade at the opening of
t"ooi; and others will go back to
starting point to begin IN a half
a. .ed way the march over again.
4. hder the old plan the pupils moved
- Sul!d phalanX, with an interval of
h.af1