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Pushing Past the Achievement Gap

Pushing Past the Achievement Gap. Gloria Ladson-Billings University of Wisconsin. Problem with “Achievement Gap ”. Semantic Academic performance is not static Problem characterized merely as one of student achievement. We have other “gaps”. School Funding Gaps Health Gaps Wealth Gaps.

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Pushing Past the Achievement Gap

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  1. Pushing Past the Achievement Gap Gloria Ladson-Billings University of Wisconsin

  2. Problem with “Achievement Gap” • Semantic • Academic performance is not static • Problem characterized merely as one of student achievement

  3. We have other “gaps” • School Funding Gaps • Health Gaps • Wealth Gaps

  4. Problem with Achievement Gap • Substantive • Not new • Imbedded in our thinking about poor children and children of color

  5. The language of deficiency • “The parents just don’t care • “These children don’t have enough exposure/experiences” • “These children aren’t ready for school” • “Their families don’t value education” • “They are coming from a ‘culture of poverty’”

  6. “The parents just don’t care” • Parents express their care in a variety of ways • Parents may not be informed • All parents are not asked to participate

  7. “The children need exposure/experiences” • “Experiences” used as a substitute for teaching • Sympathy as a proxy for rigorous teaching • Giving students “permission to fail” rather than “demanding success”

  8. “These children are not ready for school” • What does being “ready” mean? • If we presume the home environment to be detrimental why not have them come regardless of our perception of “readiness”? • When to start school is a variable • Wealthy families have the luxury of giving students more time

  9. “These families don’t value education” • Poor families place higher value on education • History disputes this claim of not valuing education • The meaning we give to behavior varies depending on who is engaged in it

  10. “They are coming from a ‘culture of poverty’” • Poverty is not a culture • People are getting rich talking about a “culture of poverty.” • We have a “pedagogy of poverty” (Haberman, 1991)

  11. Giving information Asking questions Giving directions Making assignments Monitoring seatwork Reviewing assignment Giving tests Reviewing tests Assigning homework Reviewing homework Settling disputes Punishing non-compliance Marking papers Giving grades Pedagogy of Poverty

  12. Not an Achievement Gap… • An Education Debt • Centuries of neglect and denial of education • Exclusion from the political process • Engaged in unethical and immoral treatment

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