Essay - Education Middle School Tracking in the State of Missouri Introduction...

Education

***** School Tracking in the State of Missouri

Introduction

Literature Review

Method

Findings and Recommendations

Conclusions

*****

Abstract

Poor student performance is one ***** the most pressing problems in American education today. In particular, math and science scores lag beh*****d those of other developed nations. Not only in these fields, but in English language skills as well, many American students appear to be faced with almost insurmountable difficulties. Without a proper understanding of ***** and *****, ***** mathematical and linguistic concepts, today's students will find themselves unable to compete in an increasingly technological world. They will not ***** able to find jobs, nor will ***** industry be able to ***** successfully against its foreign counterparts. Though an essential part of the *****al process, the how-***** of improving *****' English ***** mathematical ***** remains problematic. Numerous approaches have *****en tried, but ***** all ***** been successful. It is for this reason, that the following study has been proposed.

Middle School Tracking in the State of Missouri

Introduction

To begin with, a group of twenty-***** poorly performing students will be selected based upon their scores on st*****dardized tests. All of these students ***** live in the State of *****, thus ensuring ***** all come from a similar geographic background. ***** will ***** be middle school students and will ***** ***** ***** across a spectrum of r*****cial ***** economic criteria. Following their selection, the students will be divided into three groups ***** seven students each. The first of *****se groups will function as the control group, ***** seven ***** in this ***** rema*****ing in a traditional mixed-ability class. *****y will receive no outside pr*****essional assistance or be ***** of any sort of special program. This group we will call Group A. The second group, Group B, ***** also be placed in the same mixed-ability *****. However, *****y will receive personal attention from the researcher whose task it will be to provide these students ***** special attention and remedial help. Finally, the students of the third group, Group C, will be ***** in***** a class consisting entirely of low-ability students. It is the *****'s hypo*****sis that the students who will show ***** most improvement will ***** ***** in Group *****.

As shown in a multitude of prior studies, students with similar experiences to those in Group B perform best because of two primary factors. First, because ***** the individual ***** and support that they receive from their mentor, ***** second because they are not singled out from their fellow students. It is important to note ***** while receiving additional help outside of the regular *****room, Group B subjects ***** not o*****rwise ***** out or stigmatized. *****y remain with their age peers in a cl*****ssroom setting in which all levels of ability are represented. There is no segregation. Psychological factors are no less important than learning d*****abilities when trying to determine the fac*****rs involved in poor student *****. Inclusion in ***** general student population improves self-esteem and allows even ***** students to shine in