When I say track, some may automatically assume I mean academic tracking. You know, that evil way some kids are "guided" toward either a more challenging curriculum or an easier one. That isn't so much what I mean in this case. I have noticed statistically that students of color, students of poverty, and students who speak English as a second language are most likely to be tracked (in the less rigorous path). This in comparison to students of other cultural backgrounds, SES, home languages.....I'd rather not even get into something that complex or controversial. That is for another day when I don't have report cards due, reading response journals to get back to, and a day's worth of teaching to get caught up on after a sub today. On a side note, 4th grade has had its 2nd core content meeting of the year-and about 3/4 the year is up. Don't even get me started on that, because then I will start going on about the need for systems of organization (let's plan to plan....).
Back to the tracking track (Yes, that was a very special sentence). When I think of tracking in the elementary sense, I am not really thinking, oh the smart kids get this, the ones who aren't quite there don't. In terms of ability, I get a mix every year. No ma'am, no sir, I am thinking more of behavior. Let me paint a picture:
There are at least 3 fourth grade teachers each year at my school. Usually at least one Bilingual Ed Teacher, and two English classes. Well, I guess technically one English and one ESL (I am the ESL class, by the way). At any rate, ESL or not, my class is predominately English dominant kids, though I do get kids who are learning English from time to time. That part is fine with me. That is what I am certified to do. Plus, that is something I enjoy doing.
What gets me is not that part. I have noticed (or rather it has been pointed out to me) a "feeder" pattern of students. There is a third grade teacher in which I get most of her kids, and a fifth grade teacher who gets most of mine. I am not sure how classes are determined at your school, but our administration mostly sets our classes up. They try to make gender and ethnicities pretty even as well as ability levels. What I have noticed, however, is that they also try to put certain types of kids off on certain teachers. Let's think about that....
Over half of the kids in my class this year were in this 3rd grade class I will call 3A. Only 3 kids in my class are from the other English 3rd grade which I will call 3B, and 2 of those 3 I had to request. Every class has its array of characters, and that I have. I also notice, however, that I get a concentration of "unique" children. Don't get me wrong. I love my kids, and apparently I rock their socks too, cause many kids request to be in my class. I have even heard of 2nd graders and kinder kids who are already planning to be in room 312. Love or not, I do get a concentration of "unique" ones. Let me give examples of uniqueness.....
1. There are the "Bills" of the years. Bill is all over the place, yells everything out, and is extremely impulsive. He means well, but has a hard time with self control, self management, restraint, etc....Often slobbers on himself/others, and chews his clothing when stressed.
2. The flight risks. I get the ones that have tried to run away from school (some have succeeded). Literally.
3. Angry children, who are often angry for good reason, yet nonetheless, mad at the world. They are verbally and physically aggressive toward peers and sometimes adults as well. I have heard every swear word in the book, and have had to evacuate my kids from the room from angry kids "going off."
4. The slick talkers. I like to call them the Eddie Haskells of my class.
5. The ones who "need an extra push." This could be academically (maybe they struggle with one content area, hey, maybe they struggle with them all...usually they struggle with them all..) or socially.
And here are a few of the faces. I bring this up with administration, and I am always told one of the following responses....
1. "But you do so well with them!"
2. "Now you know KIS would just put them out everyday..." (I will have to introduce you to KIS one of these days-it is someone who has been teaching longer than I have been alive. Seriously.)
3. -insert some comment about my skills-drop student in my class.
Or there is my favorite response -the smile and segwey into another topic of discussion. Like that is going to make me not notice my demographics or when a child has been clowning in their class, suddenly they need to spend the day with me? I may be nearsighted, but I am not blind.
I considered this after talking to one of my vertical teammates. She was saying that there are always a group of kids in her class that take so much of her energy that they need a separate class all their own. I told her that she was their separate class. I challenged her to look at the rest of her grade level. Yes, there is "specialness" in every class, but who has the most specialness in her grade-guess who-she did. And whose former kids were most of them? Mine. And who had them before me? Yep. So what does this all mean, teacher? Well, I will tell you what I think...
I do think administration tries to match us with equitable classes in terms of ethnicity, gender, and ability. Some teachers won't get some of the special cases because I guess it is tenure in a way. Like a perk for teaching a long time. Sorry, but there are other things I want to do in education eventually. I don't intend to be teaching 4th grade until....
Sometimes maybe it is because of relationships I build with my kids. The argument is that some teachers who shall remain nameless, well, might not seek that relationship to that degree. Yes, maybe it is true that I may be patient at times with those kids and all kids I welcome, no matter how off the wall they are. But does that mean it is ok for some teachers to just not want to deal? Or excuse me, rather not have to deal? Everyone does get some specialness-there is plenty to go around. However, there have been some kids that I was straight up told, "yeah, they needed to be with you." Is that a compliment or a cop out? Wrap that around your brain.... I need a hug, and apparently I need to grow in life.