These articles that we have read regarding tracking and ability grouping probably do not reveal much that we could not already have assumed on our own. They do, however, provide some firm statistical data confirming the belief that tracking benefits the priviliaged while bypassing those who are unfairly labeled as poor performers.

The fact that the pratice is based on PERCEIVED differences in acheivement and ability is key. This introduces an entirely new question of the fair practice of testing and its ability to reflect the abilities of a heterogenous student body.

I have always been good at tests. My grades in high school were abysmal, but my test scores and SAT score were high enough to keep the teachers and my parents off my back. Unfortunately, many students who are exceedingly talented and intellegent are left behind in todays rigorous world of standardized testing, which invites the assumption that they should be grouped with other poor performers.

Tracking and grouping might be beneficial if the school's greatest resources were focused on the groups of struggling students, but unfortunately this is not the case. AP classes and even duel enrollment classes are offered and encouraged for the successful students, like myself. Dr. Turner asked a very important, essential question of us all. If you are offered the opportunity to teach an AP advanced placement course, would you automatically accept the position? I like to think, with all of my college idealism, that I would be inclined to stay in the more difficult and more rewarding position, teaching those who truly need the help!

Referring to the question about teaching AP courses I would have to agree that I would also be inclined to stay in the low tracking classes because the reward would be greater. Especially after talking about the different views on tracking and hearing things from other students about tracking, it seems to me that we as future teachers can make a difference for those students stuck in low tracking classes. I know the difference may not come for every student, but atleast challenging the students in those classes and allowing them to succeed and become better students would probably be one of the greatest awards for any teacher. I mean in AP classes you know that your students are most likely going to go off to college and earn a degree, but helping those students that are looked down upon as never being able to go to college would be amazing and so beneficial to them.

This is also a question I have thought about a lot in my life. I definately benefited from ability tracking, I do not think I would be where I am today without it. yet I also realize that it would be easy to teach AP classes, I could share even more of my knowledge with the students and they all would perform well. But I feel that takes all the challenge out of teaching. I went to Philadephia on a mission trip this fall and I got the opportunity to go into one of the high schools there and look around at some classes. It changed my whole perspective on teaching, and it re-engergized me to want to teach. I walked out of that school in complete disgust that this school was in the United States of America and I as a citizen had allowed this school to deteriorate this far. So I made a pact with myself at that point that I would do my part to change it and that is why I want to join Teach for America after college so I can help change the inner-city and under-privledged schools like I saw. If I don't I am not sure who will. So that is why I am not going to teach AP classes unless there are AP classes in that inner-city school.

I think I would agree to teach an AP class but I would also request to teach other levels of classes as well. I would want to teach from tech prep to college prep. I think it would make me a better teacher by being around all levels of thinkers. I would have to work hard to teach all levels of students. I think it would also help me understand the learning processes of children.

I agree 100%. We all benefited from ability grouping. Most of us are in college because we took the college bound track. We all took the CP English classes or maybe even a few AP classes because those were required by the college we wanted to attend.
I believe if I were offered to teach an AP course I would take it. AP courses are just as challenging as your tech prep classes. With AP classes you have to challenge your students with higher thinking skills so they will be able to pass the AP exam. It would be just as rewarding for me to get my lower tracking students to learn as it would for me to get all of my AP students to pass the exam.

I know that I too benefitted from ability tracking and I really enjoyed those classes that gave me extra academic stimulus. I did notice that the more time I spent in advanced level classes the more intolerant I became of the "behavior problems" that were in basic level courses.
As a teacher, I would prefer to teach lower ability level children. I think with non-traditional teaching styles those children will benefit more - they have already proven that they need something different than what traditional public school can offer.

I definitley believe that I benefitted from ability tracking, and I could not imagine my school experience without it. I would like to believe that I could turn down an opportunity to teach an AP class, but the key word to that is "opportunity". As an entering Spanish teacher, I will have nothing but intro classes filled with students who mostly are there to fill their two year language requirement. Teaching an AP class would be such a delight to be able to deal with higher level Spanish as well as students who are excited to learn.


On another note, in terms of tracking and placing our resources on those who are academically "needy", how do you decide who recieves the resources? I know that we would all like to encourage and pull up those who are not achieving as well, but on the other hand, how can you take these resources away from those who are high acheivers? I am not saying that I disagree with providing better resources to those who are not tracked to be in AP and Honors classes, but at the same time you would be placing those who are capable at a disadvantage because they are most likely to go to college and when they arrive how will they succeed if they didn't have the resources in high school? We need teachers of all capabilities and of all beliefs on this subject to provide for all students.

I definitely benefitted from tracking. I was not placed in the "smarter" classes in elementary school, like most of my friends. However, by middle school I had caught up with the rest of the group and was even placed in the Advanced classes. I think that it is all individual whether or not this system works. For me, it seemed to be a good idea. I think ability tracking is different from tracking. Tracking seems more set in stone as far as choosing whether you are college prep or tech... I think that could be changed a little bit in order for students to change their minds. Also, if a student does choose to enter the work force after high school I don't think it should be looked down upon.

I don't think I benefitted from ability tracking, but it did not hinder me too much. I took the classes I wanted to take, most of which just happened to fall into my track. In middle school we were given a test to see which math we needed to start with in high school. I am a math concentration and have always loved the subject. But on the test I only placed into the regular math class, and not the next level up. Because of this I was unable to take anything higher than Advanced Math in high school because there was not enough time. I really wanted to take Pre-Calculus. It doesn't really affect me now because I am almost done taking all the math classes I need, but in high school I would have really liked to have been in the higher up class.
I think there should be more flexibility in the tracking system. If a student wants to take a class that interests but is not part of their track, they should be able to take it. The system could haveone or two open spots for students to pick anything they want to take. But to answer the question, I would teach the AP class and find ways to challenge those students, which could be just as hard as teaching a lower level class. Every student deserves an equal chance.

I would be hard pressed to say that I benefited from the college preparatory track that I was on in high school. I didn’t do very much in school and I sometimes wonder how I got as far as I did. Like Robby I was pretty good at tests and my writing skills were also above average. I was in the academically gifted programs in elementary and middle school, but I really never did anything. I never did home work. I did projects the night before they were due. I would often lose or forget the assignments I did do. So now, looking back on the whole thing, I don’t have any idea why I was in the college prep program. In truth I didn’t even want to go to college, and I didn’t want to be in high school either, so I didn’t stay. So I don’t really remember specifically what it was I did that prepared me for college. So for whatever that’s worth, there it is.

I def benefited from ability tracking. I was tracked right into great classrooms with amazing teachers and I wouldn't change it for the world. I was blessed to be able to take AP classes and do well in them- it has saved me a lot of time and money in college. As far as teaching AP classes? I know that in my first years I DON'T want to. Since I was an AP student I can say that I would have hated to teach some of my classmates. These students can be some of the worst behaved in the school. Many come with a know-it-all attitude that I would have a hard time dealing with. I want to work with kids who appreciate help. I don't think teaching AP would be any easier that teaching a standard classroom for me.