PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident
University of Maryland Medical Center
By the time Sarai stepped into her first pharmacy classroom, she had finished 16 years of school. She is very sharp and well-liked by all her teachers. Sarai came straight out of college with great ambitions. On the other hand, Nicole had taken the non-traditional route. After getting her associate degree in paralegal studies, she worked for two different law firms for five years before deciding to go back to school to be a pharmacist. Nicole may not be book smart, but she worked hard to be where she is today. Sarai and Nicole each took very different paths to get to the same place but what, if anything, do they have in common?
The tracking system in education is a prevalent practice in the United States public school system for nearly a century. In a tracking system, students are separated into groups based on their academic ability. By separating students below, at, and above average into different classes, students can learn with peers who are of similar aptitude as themselves. It is different from ability grouping. Though both essentially separates students by their performance, ability groups are confined to a single classroom and tracking system is more permanent and will impact a student’s year to year experience.1
Sarai and Nicole were both subjected to the tracking system with very different results. Sarai’s consistently stellar performance in academic classes put her on a higher track. As she interacted with peers who are also high achieving, she was also motivated to prove herself more. Nicole struggled in a few of her classes early on. Thus, she was shuffled to the lower track. While she did well compare to other peers in the track, she never sought out extracurricular activities because no one else in her classes did either.
What are some ways that tracking may benefit education? When students have similar abilities, they tend to progress through the curriculum at a similar pace. The teachers can then focus solely on teaching and challenging the students academically as they progress through the curriculum. Proponents of the tracking system do not want struggling students to burden the teacher and stall the performance of high achieving students. Some argue this also benefits the students who may need more individualized attention too. If the teacher was able to progress at a slower pace, these students can learn the fundamental knowledge well before being exposed to more complex concepts. By allowing students of similar aptitude to learn together, the tracking system can also help address the self-esteem issues that sometimes arise in a classroom of students with mixed abilities. High achieving students may overshadow other students in their eagerness to answer questions, finish tests faster, and learn new things. Therefore, in theory, the smaller classrooms in a tracking system may provide a safe space for students to learn at their own pace.2
Despite these theoretical advantages, the tracking system in education has its drawbacks. Unlike Nicole, some students sent to a lower tracking group may stay in that group their whole time in the education system. Expecting less of these students, a teacher may change the way he or she teaches and this may lead to a self-fulfilling prophesy when the students do not excel. Additionally, the tracking system can unintentionally promote segregation within the school system; separating minority and low-income students from students from generations of higher socioeconomic standing.2
Tracking system in pharmacy schools have less to do with academic ability of the students and more to do with the intended career goals. For example, students geared towards retail pharmacy are less inclined to take inpatient clinically focused electives such as internal medicine or critical care. Likewise, students who want to be clinical specialists may be sparse in the pharmacist-in-charge classes. This form of tracking may be beneficial so that students can focus on improving skills that are useful for their future careers.
The tracking system has its pros and cons. As educators, we have to be aware of potential prejudices and help all students succeed in their desired career paths.
References:
1. What Tracking Is and How to Start Dismantling It. http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108013/chapters/What-Tracking-Is-and-How-to-Start-Dismantling-It.aspx. Accessed 27 Oct. 2019.
2. “The Pros and Cons of Tracking in Schools | PublicSchoolReview.Com.” Public School Review, https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-tracking-in-schools. Accessed 27 Oct. 2019.
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