Talking Point #6- Jeannie Oakes

Premise:

• tracking
• consequences
• "less able"
• strategies
• high ability
• low ability
• classroom
• curriculum
• cognitive abilities
• learning
• student education
• learning strategies
• group work

Arguement:

Oakes argues that "students who are placed in high ability groups have access to far richer schooling experiences than other students." Because tracking does in large part seclude students, stereotype them as less able, schools need to find an alternative to tracking.

Evidence:

"...school professionals and parents oppose tracking because the believe it locks most students into classes where they have fewer opportunities to learn. Many express particular concern about tracking's effects on poor and minority students, who are placed in low-ability groups more often than other students and are less likely to be found in programs for gifted students or in college preparatory tracks."

"tracking leads to substantial differences in the day-to-day learning experiences students have at school... students who are placed in high-ability groups have access to far richer schooling experiences than other students. This finding helps explain why it is that tracking sometimes seems to "work" for high-ability students and not for others."

"In low ability classes, for example, teachers seem to be less encouraging and more punitive, placing more emphasis on discipline and behavior and less on academic learning."

Comments:

Besides maybe Kozul, I found this reading most enjoyable. Although it was one of the shorter readings, I feel it was filled with as much, if not more, useful information as any of the readings. Tracking is a very common and important issue that teachers and students deal with everyday. Throughout my education, and even as young as Kindegarten, I can remember students being secluded from the class to get "extra help". I found this reading very interesting because it taught me about tracking consequences and the uneven opportunities that are related to tracking. It also taught me about tracking alternatives and how important a curriculum rich with meaning is. "When curriculum is organized around the central themes of a subject area rather than around disconnected topics and skills, all students stand the greatest chance of enhancing their intellectual development." This reading truly impressed and engaged me, while teaching me a ton of useful information.