The Track System in the US and Germany. Its Potential and Limits

Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject Pedagogy - School System, Educational and School Politics, grade: 1,7, University of Göttingen, language: English, abstract: "Almost any school system in the world features some form of assigning students to educational tracks by ability - be it tracking between school types or within schools" (Lüdemann & Schwerdt 2010). This essay will look at the different tracking systems in the United States of America and in Germany and compare these systems and approaches. Which principles underlie the tracking approach and which functions does it aim to fulfill? Schools, as a mirror of our society, are one of the major institutions in everyone's life to implement structures and mechanisms to support the already existing social conditions. Our society can be described as a meritocratic model in which positions are distributed according to talent, effort and achievement. Within our schools, these distribution processes can best take place following a well-structured curriculum and guidance through teachers and educational counselors. "A school is run by and for the society, and, hence, it may implement any kind of selection the society considers desirable. Because the school's curriculum represents the skills, knowledge, and values considered essential to the society's welfare, a student's ability to master this curriculum represents an ideal test of his capacity to take responsibility in society" (Rosenbaum 1976). Accordingly, schools are not only places of opportunity but should also fulfill selection requirements of the society. Not everyone can become a doctor or judge, therefore, schools encourage students to choose their educational courses according to their potential and aims. "Most people know that selection processes operate in different stages of their lives, but they don't know how selection restricts their opportunities in far-reaching ways" (Rosenbaum 1976).