Why Schools Need To Take Another Route

Tracking: by Jeannie Oakes

This article was short and to the point. I will say that I have some mixed emotions on this subject, although after reading the article I can see why the author feels strongly against tracking. As a parent I have a tendency to see it as a positive teaching strategy for my own children because when they are grouped by ability they are given the oppurtunity to work without the interuptions that the the author talked about in the low level classes. I personally know several public school teachers and a couple of them have said that in a 50 minute class periode their actual instruction time achieved is about 30 minutes due to interuptions. I dont think this is the best way way to serve our higher performing students. I dont feel getting rid of tracking is the answer, I feel that providing better quality and more enriching education for the lower level students is a beeter way to go. Teachers shouldnt assume that those students aren't capable of producing high quality work and therefor should raise the standards for these students. I think the more I read the article the more I flip flop between agreeing with her and opposing her views.

1)Few widespread schooling practices are as controversial as ability grouping and tracking. I picked the opening as a quote to comment on because I think people have opinions on this and can back it up with ligitimate reasons, but then you have a child of your own and sometimes the opinion that you you had changes because you see the actual effects on learning from the inability to make heterogeneous classrooms work at their highest potential for ALL students.
2)The achievment gaps we observe among students of differing abilities are exacerbated by the failure of classrooms to provide all students with the time, opportunities, and resources they need to learn. Not all children learn at the same pace or need the same resources for learning which is another reason that I dont totally oppose tracking.

3) Unless teachers have the time and the autonomy to deliberate about, develop, and experiment with fundamental changes in school organization and classroom practices, alternatives to tracking are unlikely to be intelligently concieved, enthusiastically endorsed, or successfully implemented. This is the big picture. Until we as whole in this country put education on the top of the list of priorities, we are going to continue to struggle with a system that is failing to provide our students with the most enriching, challenging , thought provoking education that they all deserve and need to be successful in their future.