“An achievement gap refers to the observed disparity on a number of educational measures between the performance of groups of students, especially groups defined by a) gender, b) race/ethnicity, and c) socioeconomic status.” Website K-12 Academics
Locate information that cite specific statistics (brief concise paragraph) regarding underachievement of each group (A-C). Based on the text readings, and additional research, why might a teachers and schools do to alleviate some of the disparities? Provide specific practical examples! (One paragraph!!!) End your blog with a question.
Respond to a peer question with actual research and information from the text. Be sure to cite your sources in your blog.
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Sheets, R. H. (2005). Diversity pedagogy: Examining the role of culture in the teaching-learning process. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
ReplyDeleteGurian, M. (2001). Boys and girls learn differently: A guide for teachers and parents. New York: Jossey-Bass.
Sociological Comparisons between African-Americans and Whites. Retrieved June 9, 2010 from http://www.runet.edu/~junnever/bw.htm
Men and women are different in more ways than what we can physically see. Aside from fulfilling our societal-implied gender roles there are measurable differences in the way our brains work. In the classroom we tend to see females excelling at verbal and written communication skills before males (Gurian, 2001, p. 38). This, plus the fact that girls also can concentrate more deeply and for longer periods, can lead to higher test scores for females (2001, p. 37). This could possibly be addressed in the form of portfolio-based grading, rather than rely on strictly written examinations. Also, this method could allow for a greater range of factors in which to judge improvements made, rather than assigning a definitive letter grade to a child. This could allow a child who had slipped through the confidence to keep going when faced with adversity in life. In 1999, the median net worth in households headed by older black people was $13,000, compared with $181,000 for older white householders (www.census.gov). This disparity could be solved through confidence-building exercises, such as classroom meetings, and collaborative group activities in the classroom. Instilling confidence at a young age is crucial because African Americans have a higher dropout rate, lower incomes, and higher rate of incarceration. These are reciprocal occurrences, and beginning with the dropout rate will help to improve the quality of life. Creating after school programs could also benefit these students, as they could be tutored or even mentored. These programs could very well benefit children from lower socio-economic backgrounds also, and give emotional support because research shows these same children have a higher level of stress in their homes (Sheets, 2005, p. 32). Aside from the after-school programs, teachers could support these students by encouraging discussion and perspective-taking exercises in their classrooms.
Here’s my question:
According to Sheets, 90% of school age children prefer the company of their same gender, and children tend to foster friendships with their same race. Knowing this, and the fact that an overwhelming majority of teachers are both a) female, and b) Caucasian, what are some ways we can begin to make intimate connections with our students so that they feel successful in school and in life?
In response to Katie:
ReplyDeleteI think you could possibly do ice breakers in the beginning of the class year to integrate students and have them all interact with one another and the teacher. This would prevent students from grouping to the normals students they tend to want to be around. You could also do an interests survey so the teacher could find out how to relate to the class if it is a very diverse one.
Socioeconomic status has a lot to do with acheivement in school. These children aren't given the same opportunities as some with a higher family income. They may not be exposed to computers or just the essentials materials to be successful. Some researchers believe that this could be the most important indicator of a childrens educational plans. Researchers interviewed and tracked 25,000 students, beginning in the 8th grade, over a six-year period and found no significant differences by gender, race, or ethnicity in the highest-achieving students' choices and access to education(Socioeconomic). Some researchers believe that its not the lack of income sometimes but the stress in the home environment that accounts for the negative adjustment of children.
Boys and girls also just learn differenlty. They see things through a different perspective. Research has shown boys interept the world as moving objects through space. They say girls work well in circles, facing eachother. Girls do well with descriptive phrases and color overhead presenations(Kaufmann). Ethnically, children are brought up differently and experience different things growing up. Growing up children, due to their socialization in a society that perpetuates racist practices and attitudes, develop racist attitudes and knowly display racist behavior (Sheets). Out of the three tops we touched on, what do you all think effects acheivement the most?
Diversity Pedagogy (Sheets)
How Boys and Girls Learn Differently - Carol Kaufmann
http://www.rd.com/make-it-matter-make-a-difference/how-boys-and-girls-learn-differently/article103575.html
Socioeconomic Status Tops Study of Education Factors - Jean
In response to John:
ReplyDeleteI believe that the socio economic status is the biggest reason for acievement disparities. If you are poor you are more likely to have grown up in a single parent home with parents who are not as educated on average as people from higher economic status. The people in your surroundings are more likely to be in similar situations and the value placed on education is low and the attitudes toward education are not healthy ones. However the biggest issue in my opnion is the school that you go to. If you are from poverty you most likely attend a school that is over populated and understaffed by faculty that is under paid. The teachers are spread to thin to make an impact on every student and many fall through the cracks. The best teachers are the ones with less children and children that come form families that value education. Private schools are perfect example of proof they always score higher on tests. Over the years, educational researchers have investigated many factors considered to
affect student learning. At the heart of this line of inquiry is the core belief that teachers
make a difference. There are continuing debates about how much the extant teachereffectiveness
literature (e.g., Brophy, 1986; Porter & Brophy, 1988) my question is why are so many children left behind and how much does being a title 1 school help learning in a community of poverty?
I feel that in order for teachers to address disparities in the classroom, he or she must first reflect on their personal backround and views diversity. Sheets says that teachers must recognize how their ethnicity, race, and socialization impacts student-teacher relationships (2005, p. 64). Reflection is very important because if you find some judgements in your thinking, than it's a great time to try to change. This is important because our students can see right through us sometimes. We need to model positive behaviors, acceptance and respect for others.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Katie's question if students feel your are supportive and on their side, it will help them look at school more positively, knowing someone believes they can succeed. Sheets says that teachers should "encourage students to notice and apprecitate their own physical traits and respect those of others" (2005, 64). I think that if we support this statement and encourage our students to feel this way, it will help the class to know they are in a safe and supportive area.
For a question, Wht are some ways we can encourage other staff members to help alleviate disparities in schools?
Sheets, R. H. (2005). Diversity pedagogy: Examining the role of culture in the teaching-learning process. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
One option schools could explore would be to offer after-school activities, from tutoring to clubs to sports, in order to help build feelings of confidence and community. This would take effort from staff members who must put in their time and energies in hopes that students would respond. I feel this would particularly affect those from low socio-economic backgrounds because it would give an additional resource for those students who may not have the support necessary at home. This directly ties to the information from the Black in America movie, when they state that black students are already behind their white or Latino counterparts by age 3. This indicates that it is indeed the home life or culture that could be presenting this discrepancy. It could be that we need to work even harder to catch them up once they do get to school. By offering the after-school activities it could offer some much-needed extra time to reach the population of students who may have nowhere else to receive the aid.
ReplyDeleteSo, are there any downfalls to us as teachers to volunteer our efforts to reach troubled students?
One option schools could explore would be to offer after-school activities, from tutoring to clubs to sports, in order to help build feelings of confidence and community. This would take effort from staff members who must put in their time and energies in hopes that students would respond. I feel this would particularly affect those from low socio-economic backgrounds because it would give an additional resource for those students who may not have the support necessary at home. This directly ties to the information from the Black in America movie, when they state that black students are already behind their white or Latino counterparts by age 3. This indicates that it is indeed the home life or culture that could be presenting this discrepancy. It could be that we need to work even harder to catch them up once they do get to school. By offering the after-school activities it could offer some much-needed extra time to reach the population of students who may have nowhere else to receive the aid.
ReplyDeleteSo, are there any downfalls to us as teachers to volunteer our efforts to reach troubled students?
Untangling the achievement gap in American classrooms is probably one of the most urgent issues facing teachers today. Gender, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status all factor into the performance of students and as educators we must all ask ourselves the sometimes self-incriminating question of why? Sheets asserts if there is to be parity in the classroom, we can begin by holding a mirror up to ourselves with an honest evaluation of how we think “since the patterns of thinking that we internalize determine our actions” (p.29). Jawanza Kunjufu, a noted educational consultant, has methodically analyzed the underachievement of African American boys in the classroom. In what he terms the “fourth-grade failure syndrome,” Black boys are at a higher risk for actively disengaging from school and often loose the enthusiasm and high achievement that predominated earlier grades (Kunjufu 2010). Many theorize that an important factor in shaping the future of African American males is predicated on female teachers. To keep these students engaged, we must incorporate culturally relevant teaching into our lessons and take into account that this segment of our student population has complex needs. Increasing the number of African American male teachers in primary grades would help to provide a different classroom dynamic and potentially improve self-esteem which correlates with academic achievement. Question: If we can readily pinpoint when African American male students lose interest, what can we do to prevent it?
ReplyDeleteSheets, R. H. (2005). Diversity pedagogy: Examining the role of culture in the teaching-learning process. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
African American Images/ www.africanamerican images.com. Retrieved June 12, 2010
Question: Downfall to us as teachers to volunteer our efforts to reach troubled students?
ReplyDeleteResponse: If you look hard enough you can always find a downside to volunteering with students who need additional support. The thing to probably focus on is the impact you can have, instead. If you are doing it genuinely to support the student, that desire to help a child will trump any potential backlash or repercussions that can occur because you did so. Imagine if you do nothing at all?
In response to Dawnyelle:
ReplyDeleteI think there are several things teachers and schools can do to make sure the interest of the African American male students is not lost. Sheets reminds us that teachers can use daily learning-teaching interactions to better prepare our students (p.44) As teachers, to keep the interest of the students we need to be sure that these interactions are real and make an impact. We need to build that community and make sure all students feel that they are important in education and to one another.
As a school system, the facts are here. If the studies show that we have a pinpoint time frame when African American students lose interest, then there should be programs put into place to prevent this from happening. One other thing schools should look is the teaching materials. The textbooks should have images and stories relating to all cultures; however, in third and fourth grade we should be sure the content relates specifically to the African American males.
It is a special focus point 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers need to be made aware. It is our job as educators to not “lose” any of our students, and increase their interests in education.
Sheets, R. H. (2005). Diversity pedagogy: Examining the role of culture in the teaching-learning process. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Similarly, I tend to see in my classes that the low socioeconomic students are very hard to motivate. How can we work with these students, other teachers, and parents to improve their success rate?
Since the standards movement has recently been reinvigorated by the federal government the achievement gap has been brought back into popular discourse; especially with accountability policies becoming the leading topic for academic performance in public schools. In fact, some researchers believe that accountability policies may be to blame for the rise in the achievement gap, citing the fact that the gap was closing during the standards movement of the 1980s but increased when accountability was implemented in the early 1990s. (Harris & Herrington, 2006)
ReplyDeleteAn article by Robert Evans (2005) listed the following statistics:
*Many blacks and Hispanics do not attend preschool
*Low-income parents talk to and read to their infants and toddlers much less than professional parents
*There is a strong correlation between literacy and the number of books in a child’s home
*Black and Hispanic students change schools much more often than white or Asian students (27% as opposed to 13%)
*Only 38% of black students live with both parents; 75% of white students live with both parents
*Black children have significantly higher levels of low birth weight which can severely impair cognitive functioning throughout the lifespan
Evans (2005) also suggests two options for reducing the disparity: first, schools must be afforded more resources and safer, cleaner facilities especially in urban areas with high minority populations; second, teachers should make individualization and adaptation primary concerns in their instruction. This includes building personal relationships with students, communicating high levels of expectations, integrating key elements of minority cultures, and differentiating instruction.
Not directly responding to the achievement gap, but to student learning in general, Sheets (2005) suggests that teachers simply observe how students are responding to their instruction including the classroom climate, instructional strategies, and curricular content. Based on observation, modify your instruction to make sure you are taking the proper steps to increase their cognitive development (12). She also says that the incorporation of cultural knowledge creates a more meaningful classroom environment and leads to a quality education for all students. Even though we as teachers can’t solve the nation’s achievement gap, we can reduce the gap in our own classrooms.
Evans, R. (2005). Reframing the achievement gap. Phi Delta Kappan, April 2005, 582 – 589.
Harris, D.N. & Herrington, C.D. (2006). Accountability, standards, and the growing achievement gap: Lessons from the past helf-century. American Journal of Education, 112, 209 – 238.
Sheets, R.H. (2005). Diversity pedagogy: Examining the role of culture in the teaching-learning process. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Harris and Herrington’s research indicated that the achievement gap in the US was decreasing when content and time standards were implemented (increasing number of school days, increasing course requirements, etc); then, when accountability standards were implemented – like those we see today – the gap began to widen. What are your thoughts on the correlation between these items?
Rusty,
ReplyDeleteYour question – how can we work with these students of low socio-economic status, other teachers, and parents to improve their success rate – is directly addressed in an article I read. Evans (2005) theorizes that the achievement gap in the US has far more to do with socioeconomic status and parental support than the public school system; not that school isn’t also to blame for the disparity, but that the focus on school is too narrow. He proposes that the major contributors to the achievement gap occur outside of school (584).
After reading the article, I think the best place to address the issue is in the early years (think preschool), but since we can’t always effect students in early childhood, the beginning of the school year may be the best place to start. We talked about motivation a lot last semester in EDUC 582 and I think that’s key to working with students whose parents may not value education, may not push their students to succeed, or may not even be present to monitor their child’s performance. Some ideas to get students started early since connecting seems to be key to everything:
*Summer reading lists make students cringe, but if the list isn’t try and boring (think graphic novels like Manga or Persepolis) students may actually read in the summer;
*Plan summer field trips to DC or other interesting places;
*Keep in touch with students over the summer through mailings about what’s going on in the community
Evans, R. (2005). Reframing the achievement gap. Phi Delta Kappan, April 2005, 582 – 589.
The gender gap: Although there are no significant differences in cognitive abilities, it is believed that social norms contribute to the disparities between males and females. Traditionally females have not been encouraged to study math and science, but this is slowly changing. Another factor is self-confidence between females and males. Females tend to underestimate their abilities and males tend to overestimate their abilities in high school, which could explain the disparities (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.defever/gender_differences_in_academics).
ReplyDeleteThe race/ethnicity gap: 17 year old African American and Latino students have skills across math, science, and english equivalent to 13 year old white students (http://www.subnet.nga.org/educlear/achievement/). 30% of white kindergarteners graduate college versus 16% of African American kindergarteners (http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/achievement-gap/).
The socioeconomic gap: 27% of Hispanic children, 30% of Black children, and 13 % of White children live in poverty. Children whose families fall in the bottom 20 % of annual incomes are six times more likely to drop out of school than those children whose families fall in the top 20 % of annual incomes (http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/achievement-gap/).
The NEA suggests the following strategies to close the achievement gap: embrace an agenda that focuses on all children; revisit assumptions about how learning occurs, and incorporate a wide range of disciplines; reflect on the how you think about your students, and the causes of underachievement; and, reflect on the types of learners you have in your classroom. The NEA also suggest following the C.A.R.E. model.
Culture – connect curriculum to experiences, values, and needs of your students.
Abilities – Challenge students to cognitive complexities, and develop language and literacy through cross-curriculum instruction.
Resilience – Teach through conversations.
Effort – Facilitate learning through activity shared by educators and students. Encourage student decision making (http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/mf_CAREbook0804.pdf).
Sheets (2005) suggests that teachers use learning-teaching interactions that incorporate multiple dimensions of diversity so that we can better prepare our students for a pluralistic society. In any classroom we can find ways to introduce diverse topics with a little extra effort on our part.
Question: The achievement gap obviously cannot be solved by the efforts of one teacher, so what are ways we can get cooperation from all teachers within a school, and even broader, within a district?
Sheets, R. H. (2005). Diversity pedagogy: Examining the role of culture in the teaching-learning process. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.defever/gender_differences_in_academics Retrieved on 19 June 2010
http://www.subnet.nga.org/educlear/achievement/ Retrieved on 19 June 2010
http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/achievement-gap/ Retrieved on 19 June 2010
http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/mf_CAREbook0804.pdf Retrieved on 19 June 2010