View unanswered posts | View active topics It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:28 pm



Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
 Social Class and Tracking 
Author Message
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:47 pm
Posts: 25
So, I wanted to propose a question.
:arrow: What do you all think about social class and tracking? Do you think that socioeconomic status palys a roll in which track a kid is placed into?

I would say that often the kids that get in trouble and really struggle in school are some of the poorest kids there.
:arrow: Now, is it better to group them with other "trouble" kids, which gives them more individual attention and can slow down the pace of class for learning issues. Or should these kids be included with everyone else?

Inclusion could give them an opportunity to sit in the back of class and shut down or disrupt the whole class. Or it could give them motivation and a chance to feel like they actually ahve half a brain. :?:
I'd love to know what everyone thinks :oops:


Thu Feb 10, 2005 4:14 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:47 pm
Posts: 27
Post 
Unfortuately, I do feel that socioeconmic status affects what track a student is put in. Although it is not a given that a lower class student is going to be a bad student, it is a common steriotype that shapes how a student behaves. If a student feels the teacher or administrators do not believe in them then how can they believe in themselves? I believe that this is what makes students act out. Also, money is many problems for students who want to go to college. We can say that there is always money out there for these people but that doesn't make it so. We are taking away the programs in which students can get this money. The government is taking away money from the school system and forcing schools to cut their arts (music, theatre,art) and athletic funding. These are the programs that give scholarships but they are slowly becoming nonexistent.


Thu Feb 10, 2005 5:33 pm
Profile
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:47 pm
Posts: 31
Location: Boone, NC
Post 
I agree with Allison that socioeconomic status affects what track a person is put on sometimes. And yes, a lot of the time, it is assumed that the bad kids are going to be in the lower socioeconomic status. I do not think this fair to kids. Just because they are in a lower economic class, it does not always mean they are the bad kids, some times they turn out to be the best in the class.
The idea of inclusion is one that I totally agree with. I think that it is a wonderful idea. I feel that any child would benefit from it. Yet, I do feel that there are specific instances when this is not possible. I feel that in these instances, a child should be given some inclusion time in a classroom, maybe one subject, if they cannot handle the whole day. I think they will benefit from just this one subject. Maybe through this they can build up to more subjects as they go along. Most likely, they are going to want to strive to be with the other students, because they like to be with their friends.


Thu Feb 10, 2005 7:18 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:47 pm
Posts: 20
Post 
Tracking students into the same social class is inevitable if they attend a school that is made of primarily people of that same social class. It's a cycle not easily broken, and unfortunate at times. I experienced a few interesting situations because I moved around a lot when I was growing up. I attended seven different schools from elementary to highschool, and they differed in "social status." A few were working class type schools, most of them were more middle-class institutions, but one school I attended in Missouri was a cut above the typical middle class school. It was a public school but obviously had enough funding to provide a plethora of resources to its students. It was a multi-story building that housed sixth and seventh graders only; the place itself was pretty state-of-the-art. I remember studying a lot of complex issues at the time; we had group discussions and a lot of creative projects. It seems to me, in retrospect, that more higher-level thinking skills were encouraged at this school, and I was never so pleased with education than in the short six months I was there. After I came back to North Carolina I was bored out of my mind in my generic middle school; I still remember that even up until the 9th grade I had already learned a lot of the material in my 6th grade classes in Missouri. It gets me thinking; if only EVERY student had the opportunity to be challenged and stretched than to be taught the same old stuff in the same way! If we as teachers hold higher standards and expectations of our students, I bet we'll be suprised at how many students, even the "sub-standard" ones, will rise to meet them. Tracking can't always be avoided, but we can inspire students to think for themselves.


Fri Feb 11, 2005 4:10 pm
Profile
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:47 pm
Posts: 46
Location: Lincolnton
Post 
Based on my experience working in a high school, I don’t see students being tracked by their socioeconomic class. From an outsider’s perspective, it may look as though it is happening. Certain considerations need to be look at. One being that the Honors and AP classes are usually offered only one time per semester while the regular classes have numerous offerings. Since an honors class is only offered once, it forces the other classes to fit around it.

Concerning behavior of the “poorerâ€


Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:09 pm
Profile
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:47 pm
Posts: 31
Post 
I do feel that status plays a role in a student's involvement in school but I think it does this in a different way. While it is true poverty limits the resources a child have, it also changes the mindset of the child. Children from poverty focus more on survival and how to help their families then how to advance themselves. After working with children in poverty I saw they just wanted to have something on their own for once. I feel that maybe this is a reason they want to go straight to work. Someone else posted that the "rich" children can be just as much of a behavior problem. Preach on honey! This was the case in my high school. The rich students were wild and partied all the time. The teachers were more apt to over look their misbehavior because of their involvement in sports or their parents ties to the community. Ok I will get off my soapbox now.

I am not sure about inclusion because I have no experience with it. I could be idealistic and say that it was great to have all types of students in one classroom. Then I could look at it from a teachers prospective and see that if may cause conflict and more stress on the classroom. I guess inclusion depends on the teacher and the students.


Sun Feb 13, 2005 3:50 pm
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic   [ 6 posts ] 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.