Identifying and educating advanced students with Jonathan Plucker (Ep 32)

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Aug 23, 2024

In this conversation with Dr. Jonathan Plucker, a professor and director of the Education Policy Program at Johns Hopkins University, he reveals the flaws in current methods for identifying advanced students. He advocates for universal screening to ensure equitable access to advanced programs. Topics include the importance of acceleration over enrichment, the drawbacks of de-streaming policies, and the need for flexible grouping strategies. Jonathan emphasizes that meeting the needs of every student, including high achievers, ultimately benefits all learners.

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Intro

00:00 • 4min

Rethinking Terminology and Approaches for Advanced Learners

03:33 • 24min

Accelerating Advanced Learning

27:46 • 7min

Empowering Advanced Learners

34:59 • 18min

Exploring Educational Equity and Differentiation Strategies

53:11 • 2min

Challenges of De-Streaming in Education

54:51 • 4min

Rethinking Education for Advanced Learners

58:44 • 5min

Math professor Anna Stokke speaks with Dr. Jonathan Plucker, a professor and director of the Education Policy Program at Johns Hopkins University, about advanced education, acceleration and academic streaming. Jonathan discusses the flaws in traditional methods of identifying advanced students and advocates for universal screening to ensure equitable access to advanced programs. They cover various interventions, including acceleration, and discuss the drawbacks of de-streaming or anti-acceleration policies. They also discuss equity concerns.

They talk about flexible ability grouping, the need to challenge stereotypes about advanced students, and more. Jonathan emphasizes that education should meet the needs of every student, including students who excel academically, and he provides concrete advice for accomplishing that. A key takeaway from this episode is that offering advanced programs benefits all students and, ideally, every school should include advanced programming. This episode is a must-listen for educators of any subject, parents and policymakers.

NOTE: The resource page contains a list of research articles mentioned in the episode: annastokke.com/ep-32-resources

TIMESTAMPS

[00:00:00] Introduction

[00:03:42] Terminology: gifted or advanced?

[00:07:58] Are labels a problem?

[00:10:54] Identifying advanced students

[00:21:13] Equity in advanced programs

[00:25:28] Meeting the needs of advanced students

[00:27:46] Effective interventions for advanced students

[00:31:29] Enrichment vs. acceleration

[00:34:59] Supporting learners beyond minimum competency

[00:38:42] The case of San Francisco Unified School District

[00:43:14] Problems with de-streaming and anti-acceleration programs

[00:48:16] Flexible ability grouping: A solution?

[00:53:18] Who benefits from flexible ability grouping?

[00:54:53] The impact of de-streaming on teachers and students

[00:58:42] What needs to change to support advanced students

RELEVANT PREVIOUS EPISODES

Ep 11. California’s math controversy with Jelani Nelson, Part I https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-d3bai-144ec76

Ep 12. California’s math controversy with Jelani Nelson, Part II https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-93gm5-144fc4c

Ep 15. Modern relevance in the math curriculum with Brian Conrad https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-gek66-148967a

Ep 19. The Calculus Project with Adrian Mims https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-fkbjk-14eb0a7

Ep 25. Understanding math reform ideology with Tom Loveless https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-7ih4c-15dbf9a

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-32-transcript

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-32-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Blue Dot Sessions – No Squirrel Connection, Cornicob, Balti
Podington Bear – Camp

Website: www.annastokke.com