Tracking in Schools: The Process
STEP 1: Research some of the key components of tracking vs. non-tracking, including the challenges and advantages associated with each, in order to gain some background knowledge on the topic and how it is prevalent in schools today.
In order to guide your research, I have developed some questions for you to answer. Converse and collaborate with your group members in order to provide the most detailed responses possible. These questions are designed to outline your research.
Resources:
Step 2: Research the challenges and advantages associated with both inclusion and tracking in our education system today.
Answer the following questions by references the resources/links provided:
1. What are the major advantages of tracking?
2. What are the major disadvantages of tracking?
3. What are the major benefits of nontracking?
4. What are the major cons of nontracking?
Resources:
Step 3: Choose a position on whether or not you think your school should track students by level of academic ability.
With a partner, discuss the information you obtained from the previous steps. Make a “Pros and Cons List” and decide whether or not you believe schools should have tracking. Make sure to consider the wide range of audience (students, teachers, administrators, parents, etc.) that this decision will affect along with the following questions:
(Remember to utilize the resources provided above)
Step 4: Draft a letter to your principal persuading him/her to either support or oppose the tracking of students by level of academic ability.
Each student should draft his or her own letter based on his or her individual stance on the issue. Use the information you gathered in the steps above to form your argument. Defend your ideas with evidence provided for you in the links. Remember, you are trying to convince your principal to either enforce tracking or forbid it, so be as persuasive as possible. You must back up your ideas with examples from the links. You can also provide personal examples. Remember, if you argue your point strong enough, you can make a huge difference in the academic, social, and emotional success of your peers!
In order to guide your research, I have developed some questions for you to answer. Converse and collaborate with your group members in order to provide the most detailed responses possible. These questions are designed to outline your research.
- What is the history of tracking?
- What are the educational implications of tracking?
- What are the political implications of tracking?
- How did academics, race, and politics lead to Evanston Township High School’s recent decision to eliminate tracking?
Resources:
- The Tracking and Ability Grouping Debate: The History of Tracking http://challengebychoice.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/the-history-of-tracking.pdf
- Education Matters: A Publication of American Educators, Should Your School Eliminate tracking: The History of Tracking and Detracking in American Schools? http://www.aaeteachers.org/newsletters/aprilnews05.pdf
- Education Week Article: Tracking. Should schools—as the engine of democracy provide relatively similar curricula for all students? http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/tracking/
- YouTube Video: Who Is Accountable- Tracking Students: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7u49N-30_Y
- Chicago Tribue News Article: Evanston Township High School District 202 Eliminates honors Humanities Course http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-12-14/news/ct-met-evanston-detracking-vote-2-20101213_1_honors-students-incoming-freshmen-freshman-humanities
Step 2: Research the challenges and advantages associated with both inclusion and tracking in our education system today.
Answer the following questions by references the resources/links provided:
1. What are the major advantages of tracking?
- How does tracking benefit “gifted” or high-ability students?
- How does tracking benefit struggling students?
- How does tracking enable teachers to improve their lesson plans?
- How does tracking affect the range of course options for students?
2. What are the major disadvantages of tracking?
- How does tracking create social improprieties? (ie: who students are friends with)
- Does tracking favor students of a certain socioeconomic background?
- Does tracking cause teachers to place unfair expectations on students?
- How does tracking affect minorities?
- How does tracking effect students’ self esteem?
3. What are the major benefits of nontracking?
- How does nontracking affect educational opportunity?
- How does nontracking benefit or harm low-achieving students?
- How does nontracking benefit or harm high-achieving students?
- How does nontracking affect social harmony and understanding?
- Can nontracking be solved with different forms of assessment?
- How can nontracking affect parent involvement?
4. What are the major cons of nontracking?
- Does nontracking slow down or hamper the achievement of high-ability students?
- How does notracking affect teacher expectations?
- How does nontracking affect teachers in general and how they are trained?
- How can nontracking affect parent involvement?
Resources:
- Ability Grouping- Tracking and Grouping Alternatives http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tItvMjRxL_c
- Data helps reveal the pros and cons of tracking in high school http://www.ernweb.com/public/1107.cfm#.UTVQx6la2ao
- Education Week Article: Tracking. Should schools—as the engine of democracy provide relatively similar curricula for all students? http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/tracking/
- YouTube Video: Who Is Accountable- Tracking Students: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7u49N-30_Y
- The Consequences of Ability Grouping and Tracking http://www.macalester.edu/courses/educ59/PIE/Keiser-%20PIE.htm
- Ability Grouping: Pros and Cons http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ability-grouping-pros-and-cons.html
- Bright Hub Education: The Pros and Cons of Ability Grouping http://www.brighthubeducation.com/classroom-management/19620-pros-and-cons-of-ability-grouping/
- YouTube: Pros and Cons of Tracking Debate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkwX0k5dixM
- TEACHnology: Does Grouping Students By Ability Work? http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/equity_excellence/tracking/
- Research Spotting on Academic Ability Grouping: http://www.nea.org/tools/16899.htm
- Hot Topic: Does Ability Grouping Help or Hurt http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/classmgmt/abilitygroup.htm
Step 3: Choose a position on whether or not you think your school should track students by level of academic ability.
With a partner, discuss the information you obtained from the previous steps. Make a “Pros and Cons List” and decide whether or not you believe schools should have tracking. Make sure to consider the wide range of audience (students, teachers, administrators, parents, etc.) that this decision will affect along with the following questions:
- How will your decision affect underprivileged students who have not had the same type of teachers, resources, and educational opportunities that you might have had?
- How will the opposing side react to your position? How will you defend yourself to those on the opposing side? Will you be able to provide them with enough solid reasons on why your position is what’s best for our schools?
- Take into account your personal level of success in the classroom. Do you think your decision would be different if you were a higher-achieving or lower-achieving student?
(Remember to utilize the resources provided above)
Step 4: Draft a letter to your principal persuading him/her to either support or oppose the tracking of students by level of academic ability.
Each student should draft his or her own letter based on his or her individual stance on the issue. Use the information you gathered in the steps above to form your argument. Defend your ideas with evidence provided for you in the links. Remember, you are trying to convince your principal to either enforce tracking or forbid it, so be as persuasive as possible. You must back up your ideas with examples from the links. You can also provide personal examples. Remember, if you argue your point strong enough, you can make a huge difference in the academic, social, and emotional success of your peers!