----- Original Message ----- From: Esther Revivo - estherrv@xxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Hakbatzot I will respond as a former pupil, a survivor of the N.Y. State public school system. While we did have "regents classes," (those for pupils aiming for a Regents diploma, as opposed to a vocational or simply "non-regents" diploma,) the classes were heterogeneous. I remember as a pupil being bored out of my skull. We studied by rote and never used our brains until entering university. The results of heterogeneous classrooms can be compared to clothing marked "one size fits all," which actually boils down to "one size fits NONE!" The weakest pupils feel intimidated by the brilliant answers given by their intellectual classmates; the gifted kids are bored silly, and only a minority of the middling level pupils have their needs met. Your principal, anonymous, is a blithering idiot ('scuse me,) for imposing such an idea without discussing it with his "rakazei miktzoah." Why in heaven does he HAVE a rakezet/rakaz in each subject if for a weighty decision such as this one he doesn't consult them? You have my commiserations! Having survived 18 principals over my 32 year long career, I finally lucked out when we got our present principal. Hopefully the ETNI poll will help convince yours to rethink his decision. All the best- Esther Revivo ----------------------------------------------- ** Etni homepage - http://www.etni.org or - http://www.etni.org.il ** ** for help - ask@xxxxxxxx ** ** to post to this list - etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** -----------------------------------------------