My post was asking 11:57-took me a long time to write!

I went to a top NYC private and we were separated in math and languages in middle school. There was some fluidity in math from year to year (mostly low moving up). All were put back together in high school.

So PP, would you agree that the word "tracking" is different and accepted (because of advanced/different curriculum) for advanced student, but we replace "differentiation" as a substitute for the word tracking for struggling kids because of emotional freight?

Some of the semantics bother me--it is common sense that all students have their progress "tracked" by their teachers. Parents get report cards, and spelling tests, and notes home that tell us about our children. I believe that "tracking" informally occurs regardless of whether it is in the same class, outside the class, pull out groups, etc.

Since I kind of take tracking as a given (formal and informal), my question is why we are ok with pull out groups and separate reading tables, but not separate class rooms and separate programs? Kids know the difference regardless of who the "smart kids" are.

My personal belief is that given our country's racial history, we equate separateness with segregation which is terrible and awful which no good person would want. Also because I personally want all children to keep that magic of childhood alive where dreams are possible no matter what and where you are academically and socially. So "adult messaging" is very important to me.

Most parents with means and buy into their version of the "advanced tracking" by going to private school which is especially important for minority parents because of teachers that may place minority children into the wrong track automatically as a reflex to skin color.


BUT I think unfortunately our discomfort as a society with both formal and informal "tracking" has led to all sorts of unfortunate side effects:

lack of vocational schooling;
college for all! model of education
wrong messaging to kids in both the "high" track and "low" track (You are smart and special!--hate this for kids on the advanced track)

I don't know what the answers are, but I have very mixed feelings on this topic.

Do private school track or differentiate?

Anonymous wrote:12:11 again. As a parent, I would not send my child to a school that did not track or differentiate or whatever you want to call it according to ability.

I agree with this, and it's one of the concerns I see arising at our well-regarded charter school. The focus is on bringing the bottom up, so to speak, but I've heard grumblings that the advanced kids (or even those on grade level) aren't provided appropriate instruction. I believe they are very anti-tracking. No so much an iss e in pre-k, but we're already starting to see it here.

12:11 again. As a parent, I would not send my child to a school that did not track or differentiate or whatever you want to call it according to ability.

Washington Latin

I don't know which schools but I see nothing wrong with "tracking"/"differentiation"/etc. according to ability. "Tracking" appears to be a loaded word around here but most parents want their child to be challenged at school and not bored.

And yes, it sucks if your child falls behind and is designated an underachiever unable to follow their same grade cohorts. Hopefully giving them extra help - which is what tracking/differentiation is suppose to do will enable them to catch up and work at grade level. Unfortunately, not all of us will grow up to be rocket scientists, or doctors, or lawyers...

Sometimes tracking is described as "leveling" a class.

Anonymous wrote:Depends what you mean by "tracking". Many schools divide kids into reading or math groups. By the time kids are older (say 2nd or 3rd), kids know who is in which reading group and why within the same classroom. People call it "differentiation" because they don't like the word tracking, but it is tracking within the same classroom.

Are we counting "in the class room differentiation" as tracking?

But I believe tracking implies that the kids continue along a prescribed path (curriculum) and can't return or switch tracks (for lack of a better word). Differentiation in the classroom for kids falling behind is meeting kids where they are at but keeping them on course with the rest of the students implying that once they catch-up they will not need the extra/different program. As for kids doing advanced class/curriculum through an actual program, e.g. AP, honors, or differentiated instruction, those kids are definitely on a different track than their classmates.

Tracking is a loaded word in DC. Elsewhere too.

Depends what you mean by "tracking". Many schools divide kids into reading or math groups. By the time kids are older (say 2nd or 3rd), kids know who is in which reading group and why within the same classroom. People call it "differentiation" because they don't like the word tracking, but it is tracking within the same classroom.

Are we counting "in the class room differentiation" as tracking?

How does it work at Deal, is it just for math? Anyone know if the local DCPS high schools give credit for a student who takes Pre-A, Alg and Geom. at Deal?

Wilson has academies. Deal has honors tracking.

Let's put are money where our mouths are. Tracking: what schools in DCPS (other than YY) do it and how's it going? Eaton was mentioned briefly - how does it work there? Are they stopping it? Why?