- tracking
- fast kids
- slow kids
- average kids
- tracking alternatives
- heterogenous
- reform
Oakes argues that the current tracking system that schools use is inadequate and perpetuates the system of power and privilege; alternatives are not easy but if done right, will give all students a fair shot at a good education.
EVIDENCE
"Alternative strategies, while not simple to impliment, promise to help schools reach their goal of providing high-quality, relevant education to all students." (178)
"In fact, studies that control for instructional differences - providing identical curriculum and instruction to both tracked and mixed groups of students - typically find that high ability students do equally well in either setting. The fact that the students are tracked seems less important than that they have the other instructional advantages that seem to come along with classes that are highly able."(179)
"they should compare what a student knows after instruction with what he or she knew before." (181)
COMMENTS
I found the particular alternative strategy of focusing on grading based on learning instead of basing it on a standard curriculum that everyone has the same standard for. The way it is now, it fuels the american capitolist competitive nature. While some may argue that this is good, I believe the contrary. I do not have enough time to rant about this, or about the flaws in tracking that Oakes didn't mention, but hopefully i'll find some time before the semester is up.
1 comment:
I felt someone had to comment on this... As a current student I fell it is important to get an opinion on my idea of education. I think that it is allright that there are honors classes and middle level and lower level classes. I think of these like classes in society now. If someone can work really hard to earn their money, great. If someone did that on their schoolwork, even better. I think I just said this better than Oakes just now. :)
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