Tracking

Alicia Robinson
Critical Topic #2
Tracking

The practice of tracking within a school may assist in segregation based on race and socioeconomic status and prevent students from reaching their full academic potential. Ability grouping may give educators the chance to work in a smaller ratio with students at similar levels. However, the groups in which the students are assigned, are often based on test scores, or even the ideas of the teacher. Unfortunately though, standardized testing is not an equal measure of ability and teacher’s perceptions may be based on classism or stereotypes.

At the start of a student’s academic career, his or her teacher may not know much about the child. Gollnick and Chinn (2009) uses this example that groups are organized by non-academic factors. Depending on the child’s hygiene and physical appearance, they are judged on capability.

Teachers must first address their own feelings and realize their own stereotypes, which may be entirely subconscious and not at all malevolent. Schools need to view students as individuals, a part of, but unique in any cultural identity. If educators are trained to properly assess each student, tracking could help learners thrive in a challenging, small work group.

When tracking occurs in the poorest sense, the highest leveled group realizes their status and is motivated to work hard. Contrarily, the lowest of the leveled groups, may perceive their own abilities as insufficient, and it is reflected in their academic performance. The self fulfilling prophecy of the teachers, carries more weight in an eager to please child, than an educator may be aware. Where the high ability classrooms are encouraged with extra work and high standards, low ability groups are allowed to slip through the cracks. Standards of behavior also vary between the distinguished levels. Higher groups are inspired to interact with the world around them, to communicate and question and know. Whilst lower groups practice minimal challenges and often learn through memorization.

Paulo Freire describes two schools of learning, which I feel can represent the ways students at different abilities are taught in a tracking system. "Whereas banking education anesthetizes and inhibits creative power, problem-posing education involves a constant unveiling of reality. The former attempts to maintain the submersion of consciousness; the latter strives for the emergence of consciousness and critical intervention in reality" (King and Wang, 2007, p202)

As educators in a segregated and multi culturally rich society, we must thrive to teach students to the best of our ability. We cannot limit their potential by grouping learners into categories that may be based on our own misguided perceptions. We must be careful that stereotypes are eliminated and not encouraged through grouping, which often lasts through the child’s academic career. Children need to be taught empathy and respect for diversity; they need to all be challenged, inspired and supported to grow as learners, but also, human beings.





References
Gollnick, D and Chinn, P. (2009). Multicultural education in a pluralistic society.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
King, K and Wang, C. X. (2007). Comparative adult education around the globe.
China: Zhejiang University Press.