Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take Another Route by Jeannie Oakes (Quotes)
"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. Compared to teachers in high ability classes, they seem to be more concerned about getting students to follow directions, be on time and sit quietly. " This quote is definitely an example of somewhere that schools can take a different route, I found this quote reminding me of my high school. I was in honors classes where we learned and behaved, because of our teachers. And the students in lower ability classes were often found to be wandering the halls, in in-school suspension, or at home because of trouble, and they weren't learning as much as we were able to because their teachers focused so much on behavior rather than academics.
"A vast amount of classroom research has identified many of the necessary academic and social conditions needed for students to work together productively. With cooperative learning strategies, for example, students can exchange ideas and help in small groups. Frequently they will work at separate but interrelated tasks." I think this is a great change that classrooms could make, I feel like working together and being able to discuss processes while working is beneficial. Especially when the tasks are all different, it isn't about copying it will just be about helping each other learn. This has potential to help students learn together and collectively to improve classrooms and schools as a whole.
"In classrooms where the curriculum consists of a sequence of topics and skills that require prerequisite knowledge and skill mastery, mixing different skills is difficult." This reminded me of fifth grade, my teacher gave us a test she couldn't help us on and we were supposed to use a protractor. Half the class was fine, but myself and other classmates did not learn how to use a protractor the year before with our teacher and our new teacher told us that we wouldn't have passed fourth grade if we hadn't learned that. This was extremely frustrating, while I know it is necessary to expect some knowledge from previous years, that previously required knowledge is not always there.
"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. Compared to teachers in high ability classes, they seem to be more concerned about getting students to follow directions, be on time and sit quietly. " This quote is definitely an example of somewhere that schools can take a different route, I found this quote reminding me of my high school. I was in honors classes where we learned and behaved, because of our teachers. And the students in lower ability classes were often found to be wandering the halls, in in-school suspension, or at home because of trouble, and they weren't learning as much as we were able to because their teachers focused so much on behavior rather than academics.
"A vast amount of classroom research has identified many of the necessary academic and social conditions needed for students to work together productively. With cooperative learning strategies, for example, students can exchange ideas and help in small groups. Frequently they will work at separate but interrelated tasks." I think this is a great change that classrooms could make, I feel like working together and being able to discuss processes while working is beneficial. Especially when the tasks are all different, it isn't about copying it will just be about helping each other learn. This has potential to help students learn together and collectively to improve classrooms and schools as a whole.
"In classrooms where the curriculum consists of a sequence of topics and skills that require prerequisite knowledge and skill mastery, mixing different skills is difficult." This reminded me of fifth grade, my teacher gave us a test she couldn't help us on and we were supposed to use a protractor. Half the class was fine, but myself and other classmates did not learn how to use a protractor the year before with our teacher and our new teacher told us that we wouldn't have passed fourth grade if we hadn't learned that. This was extremely frustrating, while I know it is necessary to expect some knowledge from previous years, that previously required knowledge is not always there.
I also think that it's unfair to assume that everyone has prior knowledge on every subject. I completely relate to your protractor story, I still struggle using them and at this point it feels too late to ask
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