Sounds good on paper but try formulating lesson plans every day that target kids from 3rd to 9th+ grade level math (it is a 6th grade class).
Top it off with the fact that no special ed inclusion teacher ever visits the classroom and most classes have 26+ students. Oh, the classes are 50 minutes and the support from the administration is not there..that is no support with behavior issues at all.
Now, unfortunately, my district is moving to full inclusion which means that all of the students that are served in resource classes (small groups with a trained sp. ed teacher) will be in the regular classroom. So, going from a small group situation with a trained sp ed teacher to a large group with all students higher level and less personal attention. Smaller chance of building their confidence and having them experience success. Not only that, the time that I will get to spend with these students will be minimal since most classes have another 20+ kids that don't have a clue what is going on as well.
Teachers get a lot of crap here on free republic but honestly, most teachers that I know are busting their butt trying to do their job and do it well. The expectations in many cases are unreasonable (teaching 6 different levels successfully in a 50 minute math class, for example) and the level of support that teachers get from administration is sometimes lacking.
At my school another problem is that many of the parents are not well educated and are passing their educational values onto their children - which where I teach translates to unmotivated and uncaring kids...don't care about grades, failing, doing any homework...it is video games and TV, including many R rated movies.
I take responsibility for the things that I can fix and change in my classroom..however, lots of the problems in public education are out of the teachers control.
Not only are the normal students being cheated, so are the special ed and the gifted students. And, I might add, so are the teachers because most times, no matter what they do they can't win.
I am not a teacher, however I am a parent, and I couldn't agree with you more. Because I pay attention, I have seen exactly what some of the teachers are up against, whether it be parents who insist "little johny could NEVER be a problem" when he definitely is or "my little suzy is just too bright for this sillinss" when the reverse is the truth all the way to district bureaucrats who will not give them any backup support.