Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take Another Route - Jeannie Oakes

Jeannie Oakes discusses the negative effects regarding tracking and grouping students based on their ability. In her writing, she explains the consequences and uneven opportunities this system might have on students. Oakes calls it "unequivocal" and compares the high-ability group versus the low-ability group saying the high-ability students receive more advantages and a better learning experience compared to those who are not as advance. She uses an example from John Goodlad's national study of school, reported in the book A Place Called School where students in high-ability English classes were reading modern literature, learning expository writing, and vocabulary that would help increase their scores on college entrance exams. In these courses, critical thinking and problem solving skills were evident from the content being taught. Whereas in a low-ability course, students were learning basic reading skills, memorizing, and repetition. Because of the content taught in these courses, students were not exposed to skills that would help them move into higher classes. Tracking and grouping students only displays the unfairness within the system. High-ability students are receiving better instruction, more material to work with, and a positive learning environment. Students who are low-ability are receiving the opposite. Oakes recommends some alternatives to tracking. Some alternatives are creating a meaningful curriculum that is complex, challenging, and relates to real life, evaluation that supports learning, and student evaluation. All of these are a positive and superior substitute compared to tracking.

I agree with Oakes. Tracking only segregates and creates a stigma for each type of group and it is definitely unfair. For example, high-ability students are focused on more because of their capability and smarts, whereas low-ability students receive little to nothing because of their skill level. This shows that students who are smarter can amount to anything and students who are not as smart are pushed enough to get by. Educators need to present the same attitude towards every student no matter what their skill level is. It's their job to help each student become successful.

My question for the class would be aside from Oakes alternatives, what other ways could we give each student an equal learning opportunity in order to help them become successful?

TED Talk - Allen Chen - This TED Talk presented by Allen Chen discusses why student tracking should come to an end. Within his reasoning, he compares three students: one who is highly intelligent, another who is average, and one who is below average.