"Grouping by perceived abilities is fraught with peril for students."

"This can lead to labeling, (the "nerdy group" or the "dumb group") something teachers want to avoid at all costs. Afterall, a huge part of our job is to make our students feel confident and secure." Does the potentiality of a student getting stuck in the "dumb class" outweigh the potential benefits of that student feeling "comfortable" in that class? Should we think more about the future of that child rather than the present?

" 'Between-class ability grouping' -- separating students not only by ability but by classrooms -- 'has no benefit for anybody,' said Prof. Robert E. Slavin, a research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University. Professor Slavin, who has studied tracking and conducted extensive reviews of other research on the subject, says segregating low achievers might hurt them academically and clearly has negative effects on their behavior, social development and prospects for post-secondary education."