Closing the Achievement Gap: A Strategic Response

Belinda Williams, Psy.D.

Positive Psychologist

Voice: 610 940-3830

Email: URBANED1

Welcome, Introductions & Set: Two Premises

1. Every child is capable of and responsible for learning.

2. Every person is responsible for teaching and learning.

Our Charge

To engage in a “ruthless assessment” of current practice

To generate powerful designs for addressing teaching and learning

To coalesce constituencies for impact To think strategically and act responsibly

The “Ruthless Assessment” of What is at Stake

The education, health and well-being of America’s children

The slow death of public schools, mostly serving high concentrations of poor and minority students

Neglecting these issues will • impede the intellectual well being of this country

• increase current prison enrollment

• undermine improving race relations

• increase violent incidences in children as young as five

What We Want to Accomplish To generate powerful designs by:

Understanding that every child has a right to an equitable and excellent education.

Believing that it is statistically impossible for 88% of a given population to not meet minimum competency levels.

Discussing the possibility that if children are not achieving perhaps there are other conditions that should be considered.

Why This Work, Why This Topic?

To coalesce constituencies for impact Teachers and parents have lost hope and enthusiasm in

their ability to educate children who are considered difficult to reach.

This problem cannot be solved by placing blame; it can be solved by creating partnerships with educators, parents, students and community representatives.

As educators it is our professional responsibility to educate all children equitably with the expectation that they can and will learn.

Think Strategically… Act Responsibly

Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How… – Who is responsible for students who are not achieving?

– What can I do to create a difference?

– Why are some children failing while others are achieving?

– When will we stop blaming and start achieving?

– Where can we get help?

– How can we eliminate the achievement gap?

Experience and EducationJohn Dewey, 1938

…A primary responsibility of educators is that they not only be aware of the general principle of the shaping of actual experience by environing conditions, but that they also recognize in the concrete what surroundings are conducive to having experiences that lead to growth. Above all, they should know how to utilize the surroundings, physical and social, that exist so as to extract from them all that they have to contribute to building up experiences that are worthwhile… There was no demand that the teacher should become intimately acquainted with the conditions of the local community, physical, historical, economic, occupational, etc., in order to utilize them as educational resources. A system of education based upon the necessary connection of education with experience…must… take these things constantly into account.

Creating Change

Creating change is a matter of will and nothing else.

The truth is, it does not matter what the current status is but rather what it should be.

Leadership to Move Beyond Restructuring to Reculturing Education to Close the Gap

“The Deeper Issues”The Real Challenge for the 21st Century

– Define the “All Children Agenda”– Introduce Theoretical Integration– Change the System and Structures– Redefine Comprehensive Reform– Implement Whole School Reform– Redefine Outcomes/Results

Trends in NAEP Reading Performance

160

185

210

2351988 1990 1992 1994 1996

Low PovAll SchsHigh Pov

188

225

210

217

211

190

Average Scale Scores of 9 Year Old Public School Students, by Poverty Level of School

NAEP Proficiency Reading Scores for the Five Major Ethnic Groups in the US

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

1992 1994 1998 2000

White

AfricanAmerican

Asian

Latino

NativeAmerican

Factors that Contribute to Low Academic Performance

Parents Lack of

resources/funding Poverty Students Low teacher

expectations Teacher preparation Behavioral issues and

classroom management School

Some students don’t care Problems at home Don’t study Some teachers don’t

explain the work Environment Students are not prepared Family issues Teachers should expect

more Parent Support

Presumed What Students Said

Actual Factors That Contribute to Low Academic Performance

Parent Involvement Expectations

– Teachers

– Parents

– Students Poor relationships Culture Attendance Environment School

Culture and Learning: An Integration of Evidence, Theory and Practice

How the Brain Learns: Multiple sensory input and prior experiences.

Piaget: Schemes as actions that have structure. Dewey & Vygotsky: Experience/Culture. National Research Council: How people learn. Consortium for Policy Research in Education: Teaching

Practices. Ladson-Billings: Using culturally relevant experiences.

What Teachers Can DoThe most important characteristic students look for in

teachers is “caring”.

The time they take in teaching– How well they prepare– How they make classes interesting

The time they take to listen The time they take for extra-curricular activities How they value student’s language and culture

– Learning about the cultural history of others– Demonstrating comfort in the knowledge or presence of

other cultures Nieto, S. (1996) Affirming Diversity

Average Reading Score Results for the Nation

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992–2000 Reading Assessments.

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992–2000 Reading Assessments.

Significantly different from 2000.

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992–2000 Reading Assessments.

Significantly different from 2000.

Parental Involvement

Epstein, J.L. (1987, 1992) Four forms of Parental Involvement• School communication

• School participation

• Home discussions

• Home supervision

The parent involvement that has the greatest impact on student achievement is home discussion. Home discussion means meaningful conversations about the schoolwork students bring home. Most schools and parents dedicate most of their time to school communication (newsletter, telephone calls, etc.) and school participation (meetings, conferences, etc.).

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992–2000 Reading Assessments.

Significantly different from 2000.

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992–2000 Reading Assessments.

Significantly different from 2000.

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992–2000 Reading Assessments.

Significantly different from 2000.

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1992–2000 Reading Assessments.

Significantly different from 2000.

“Since we were born with boundaries set against us some just choose to go along with the stereotype that we are less and that we don’t count for anything. Some don’t have the mindset to achieve and some just need motivation and guidance to help them.” 10th grade student

A Profound Statement

What You Can Do… What You Must Do!

First and foremost take responsibility Model what you want to see Get and Lend a second pair of eyes Showcase your successful models – publish! Celebrate your victories, learn from your mistakes Always take a moment to teach

Next Steps

A Brief Overview Questions and Answers Adjournment