WTF is THAT?!?!

Teaching a poor proficiency class is really challenging. It's challenging not because it is difficult to come up with a level which suits them. It's not challenging in terms of coming up with materials or exercises. It becomes difficult because you know that there is 1 kid that does not fall in the same category as them.

One of my form 3 class consists of very, very slow learners. It isn't their fault and it's really nothing to do with attitude entirely. I feel that these kids just lack direction and are of course a little bit slower in terms of their mental capacity. They aren't special ed kids but I would say they aren't too far away from that level. It really is very difficult for them to catch simple concepts and remember them. Drilling becomes a very popular choice here and to me, it is kind of effective for them.

That isn't the underlying problem in my class. I find it most disturbing that there is this one kid who is a clear level ahead of the rest of them. In fact, he is a good 5-6 levels ahead of the class in terms of English competency and mental capacity. I don't mind him being smart at all, the only thing I could wish for is for my kids to be as bright as they can be; the slower classmates become overshadowed completely by his ability to keep up with the materials that I present to the rest of them. 

Telling him to cool it and let others have a chance isn't helping him either. Being the active and exuberant kid that he is, he finds it very demotivating to be told to cool down and let others try to answer questions or solve problems that he could demonstrate very easily. At a student's perspective, I can understand how unsatisfying that learning process can become.

Having said that, I told the other teachers about this one kid who should be shifted to a class where he would benefit more from - at least in his English. Many other teachers concurred that he was a clear cut above the rest and some even said that his Mathematics belonged to the 1st class and was very hampered during these classes. I told the class teacher who also identified this issue and brought it forward to the administration. Here is the following excuse:

We cannot transfer him because he registered late in the school. He also has low marks for one subject (if I'm not mistaken, KH) and therefore cannot be shifted to a better class. More importantly, we cannot transfer him to a better class because of his late registration in the school.

I know...

You're going "HUh!??"

I'm going WTF is THAT?!!