Talking Points #6 on Oakes

Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take Another Route by Jeannie Oakes
Premise- This article is about:

• grouping
• tracking
• government
• education
• teachers
• students
• strategies
• skills
• classroom
• classes
• average kids
• speed
• curriculum
• academic scores
• labeling
• opportunities
• evaluations
• opportunities

Author's Argument:

Oakes argues that students are academically labeled too early on in their education and this causes some students to perform better than others because they have a greater opportunity to succeed in school. She also believes that all students deserve an equal chance at an education, not just higher learning ones.

Evidence:

1) "Students who are placed in high-ability groups have access to far richer schooling experiences than other students" (178). This quote explains that students put into higher learning classrooms get better attention and resources from the teacher, and they will most likely go on to live a successful life. However, students who are in a lower learning enviroment are not getting as good of an education.

2) "One fact about tracking is unequivocal: tracking leads to substantial differences in the day-to-day learning experiences students have at school" (178). This quote alone proves how Oakes feels about tracking in schools, she believes that students in a higher group learn more than students in a lower learning group.

3) "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" (179). This quote shows that children placed in lower learning classes are at a disadvantage because the teachers are not focusing enough on academics.

4) "Heterogeneous groups of students will probably do best in classrooms where the curriculm content is challenging, complex, related to real life and- most of all- rich with meaning" (180). This quote shows that students have a greater chance of succeeding if they are challenged, which would require them to be placed in a higher learning class.

5) "To be successful, heterogeneous classrooms probably need to lean toward placing students more in charge of their own evaluation--checking their own understanding and asking for and providing feedback" (181). The shows that Oakes believes the key to students success is to include more responsibilty on the shoulders of the children, and allow them to give feedback.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

I really enjoyed reading this article because I felt that the author clearly got her point across with being too repetitive. The article showed me just how important it is to give all children an equal oppurtunity at education and that dividing children will lead to success for some, and failure for others. In my school at which I perform my service learning, the children who need extra help I assist them with. They are still learning the same material and are in the same classroom with everyone else, they just need a little more attention.