Readings: Schooling

Question 1

What are the pros of tracking?

Answer 1

Lessons are more finely tuned to abilities

Question 2

What are the cons of tracking?

Answer 2

Worse education in the remedial track, polarizing of subgroups creating hostility, discrimination against poor, ethnic minority students

Question 3

What kinds of influences does the advanced track have on students?

Answer 3

Positive influence on school achievement and course selection, ultimate educational attainment

Question 4

What is the desegregation effect?

Answer 4

Students have less attachment to their schools due to it being different from their cultural environment and feelings of being out of place. Attachment to school is higher when classmates are from the same ethnic group

Question 5

What is a more powerful influence on achievement: Family or quality of schools?

Answer 5

Family background

Question 6

What are the effects of Catholic schools?

Answer 6

Catholic schools teach the same values as the ones being taught at home, links between home and school become stronger and ultimately you get increased social capital

Question 7

How can teachers expectations influence students?

Answer 7

They are often accurate reflections of a students ability and create a self-fulfilling prophecy-poor children are especially susceptible to this.

Question 8

What helps to foster student engagement?

Answer 8

Students become more engaged when there are opportunities to display competencies, students are assigned work that is authentic-challenging, fun, and relevant to the real world