closing the achievement gap: what it takes to leave no child behind pedro a. noguera, ph.d. graduate...
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Closing the Achievement Gap:What it Takes to Leave No Child Behind
Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D.
Graduate School of Education
New York University
Technical vs. Adaptive work
Technical work - A focus on managing the operations of the system, insuring that procedures are working and that employees are in compliance with policy.
Adaptive work - A focus on the dynamic and complex nature of the work, its substance, meaning and purpose. Work guided by a long term vision, with medium and short term goals. An awareness that we are trying to achieve our goals in a constantly changing environment Ron Hiefitz - Leadership on the Line
I. What we know about the achievement gap It mirrors other disparities (health, income,employment) Tends to follow consistent patterns with respect to the
race and class of students External conditions affect academic performance (e.g.
health, housing stability, poverty) Poor students generally attend inferior schools or to be
assigned to less qualified teachers Academic patterns have often been in place for a long
time and tend to be accepted as normal
Achievement Gap
Manifest on most indicators of achievement (grades, test scores, graduation rates, discipline patterns), key areas: Discipline Special education English as a second language
Dimensions of the Gap
Preparation Gap
Opportunity Gap
Relationship Gap
Parent-School Gap
Performance Gap
What we know about student achievement All students learn but not at the same pace Students who are behind must work harder, longer and under better
conditions re-think Title I remediation programs
Students who are behind must be taught by competent teachers who care about them
Schools must adopt coherent and deliberate educational plans to meet student learning needs
Cultural Competence - Staff must understand how to work with students and parents from cultures different than their own
Closing the achievement gap requires increased access to rigorous courses and increased academic support for students who are behind
What we know about effective schools They have a coherent strategy for delivering high quality instruction
Teachers adhere to a common set of strategies In some cases, teachers follow a common curriculum
They have systems to monitor academic performance They use data to make decisions about school improvement
They engage in constant assessment Diagnostic assessment
They have shared and distributed leadership They create school cultures that affirm the importance of education
and place student needs at the center of practice They engage parents as partners in systems of mutual accountability
for teachers, students and parents
Analyzing your school
Which of the characteristics of an effective school is your school missing?
What do you need to do to acquire these characteristics at your school?What are the most significant obstacles?
What we know about students
Many are bored and alienated in school Much of what children know and how children learn is never
recognized in school Performance gap Achievement may not reflect ability
The desire to learn must be cultivated Less motivated students need support, encouragement and
regular feedback High achievers must be pushed to think critically and creatively Cultural relevance - Students must see how what they learn
can help them to improve their lives Many schools are characterized by an anti-intellectual student
culture
Key Questions about students
Is it “cool” to be smart at your school? Are motivated students and high achievers role models for others?
How do students learn the “codes of power”? Verbal and written communication in standard English Appropriate dress and attire
What avenues have you created to engage students: In leadership? Activities that interest them? With opportunities for input about your school?
II. What is the role of educational leaders in school improvement efforts?
Provide the vision: keep the big picture clear: Why are we doing this? What will we achieve?
Make it possible for staff to have time to meet and plan - develop “buy-in”
Keep things moving, but try not to impose decisions upon people Work with staff and parents to develop a clear
mission and clear priorities Provide support in areas where help is needed
Role of leaders continued
Help staff to understand Board and State policy Make the best of directives even if you disagree
with them
Create conditions that enable others to be successful Stay focused on morale and maintenance of high
standards Keep systems working - maintenance, operations,
etc.
Characteristics of Effective Educational Leaders Function more like coaches than generals Lead by example Share leadership, do not make themselves indispensable
- Your work is secondary to the most important activity in the school: teaching
Know their students and staff well Know parents and the community well Find balance between flexibility and decisiveness:
willingness to collaborate and willingness to make tough decisions
Skills Needed by Principals
Instructional leadership Knowledge of finance and budget management Public relations Human Resources Strategic Planning Data management/analysis Knowledge of social welfare service delivery
Three Adaptive challenges:
How are you responding to the needs of students who have traditionally under-achieved? What are you doing to insure quality in your use of Title I
finds and remediation services? What are you doing to engage their parents?
What is the district doing to address the needs of immigrant students? How effective are these strategies?
What are you doing to work within the constraints created by NCLB to insure accountability without denying enhanced learning opportunities for students or limiting the ability of schools to meet
the needs of the “whole child”?
Strategies for Raising Student Achievement:
Systems to facilitate school effectiveness Diagnostic assessment to gauge
learning needs of studentsTargeted remediationTargeted academic supportEarly intervention proceduresEvaluation to insure quality
control On-site, ongoing professional
developmentStrategic partnerships with
community
Normative adaptations:Reciprocity - Supportive
relationships between teachers and studentsCollaboration - Willingness
among teachers to share ideas, curricula, materials Deliberations - Opportunity for
staff to meet and to discuss goals and workStudent engagement-
strategies for addressing peer cultureSocial Closure - Partnership
between school and parents
III. Instructional Leadership: What We Know About Good Teaching
It’s not learned in school, it develops over time through experience
Experienced veterans can burn out and become less effective
It’s a combination of skill and art - it’s idiosyncratic
Evidence of good teaching must be based upon evidence of learning
Group Discussion:
What are you doing to improve the quality of teaching in your school?
Do you know who your effective teachers are? How are you utilizing them to help others?
What are you doing to engage teachers in your school improvement efforts?
Improving Teaching and Learning
Good teaching matters - low achievers tend to be assigned to less effective teachers
Many teachers expect students to adjust to the way they teach, rather than adjusting their teaching to the way students learn
Teaching and learning tends to be seen as two disconnected activities Teachers must take responsibility for student learning and
achievement Most of what teachers learn is learned on the job, not in
graduate school Find ways to reduce teacher isolation
Improving Instruction: Building strong links between teaching and learning
Reflective teaching On-site and continuous professional development
Make use of skilled teachers Use staff meetings to discuss teaching and
student needs
Aligning instruction to standards and assessments Effective use of homework
Professional Development Activity: Learning from student work
Start with the standards: What should our students know and be able to do?
Examine the assessments together Examine student work together: What patterns do
you observe? Discuss strategies for improving quality of student
work: What are the implications for teaching? How will we get our students to meet the standards?
Ongoing Professional Development Needed in:
Content Knowledge - Teaching is intellectual work
Pedagogical skill - We must teach the way students learn rather than expecting them to learn the way we teach
Relationship Building - students learn through relationships
Helping students to succeed: Demystify school success Teach study skills Show students what excellent work looks like
and how to produce it Provide intensive counseling for students and
parents Discuss future plans early and expose
students to options
Assignment for Next Meeting:
Come with a detailed description of the greatest adaptive challenge at your school
Identify and collect the data you need to measure and monitor this challenge (e.g test scores, grades, etc.)
History - What has been done to address this problem in the past? Why does the problem persists?
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