There’s a term that’s been insinuating itself into the language, mainly through its commonplace usage in popular media. You know it. Like ’sunsets’, ‘blood relatives’, ‘from the bottom of my heart’, and other colorful but misleading idioms, it’s taken on its own little bundle of taken-for-granted meanings. I’m thinking about it because it was an agenda item in a professional workshop I participated in last week. What do people mean when they say “achievement gap?” What is it supposed to mean to me?
Instead of thinking, “OK, I know what that is,” I was immediately uncomfortable hearing the words ‘achievement gap’ because they sounded odd coming from a guest speaker in the school library with the donuts, the tea, the books and the hard little chairs. The word itself felt like an intruder, like a relative you’d rather not see who shows up uninvited to a family gathering. Unhelpful. Uncooperative. Vague. Confrontational. Pointy. Non negotiable. I don’t think I’ve ever said “achievment gap” to describe anything on my own. It’s someone else’s word. It’s jargon for something that I don’t fully understand. Nonetheless, hearing it the other day in the school library coming from the mouth of another teacher started this thought that I haven’t yet finished with. I’m exorcising the demon, trying to stop the ringing in my ears.
Our guest speakers were there to lead us through an exercise. I might have been happier if we could have first talked about what an achievement gap might be, but instead we were asked to write down our thoughts about what caused the “achievement gap.” I was groaning inside. I wrote down a few things about how an achievement gap is a social construction, and not a real thing. We recognize it through standardized test results and the unequal distribution of wealth in our society. Everyone took a break, and I kept writing on my little scrap of paper.
We then watched a video called A Class Divided in which a teacher named Jane Elliot subjected her young students to a cruel lesson in discrimination and oppression based on their eye color. Parts of the video were funny because you could see some of these little characters weren’t playing her game. By the end of the day, though, she had them all pretty twisted. As a way of showing the other half of the class, “Now YOU see how it feels!” and to even the score, she had the kids switch roles the next day and double the damage. The lady meant well, but clearly we’re operating on a different ethical plane now than we were in the 1960’s when this abusive little piece of teacher research was conducted. The film we saw included footage of these kids discussing this event 15 years later when they’d reached adulthood. They thanked Ms. Elliot for her powerful lesson. I wonder how many students didn’t show up, and wouldn’t have thanked her. The point Ms. Elliot (and our presenters) were trying to make was that racial discrimination is irrational, it hurts, and it interferes with learning. Yes. I got that. Our presenters told us not to try this experiment with our own students. Uh…OK, thanks for the advice. And I won’t swallow rat poison anytime soon, either.
The good part came when we got together in small groups with the chart paper and the markers and had to answer discussion questions. The folks I sat with had an honest discussion with no whining about having to write on chart paper. We decided that even though test scores do indicate a difference in achievement among some of our students, the tests themselves are not immediately consequential. The real consequences are the unequal access to capital resources and power in society. Prejudice is real, and it is reproduced and reinforced in school. When we talked about the ways that school did this, one of the major culprits we identified was – that’s right – curriculum. We weren’t ready to go into our own individual racist tendencies, or the contradictions inherent in teaching both conformity to conventional values and individual freedom. Middle class values don’t easily admit knotty discussions in casual company.
Each group finally stood up and said pretty much the same thing to the other groups. Platitudes were offered regarding respecting individual differences and honoring diversity. It was time for lunch. We thanked our guest speakers and moved on to other business, but I’m still wondering about how this applies to me?
If I have anything to do with the “achievement gap” it must be somehow connected to a function that I serve which remains outside the scope of my intentions. If through my agency kids are failing to learn, then I better shape up and do something else. The “achievement gap” wasn’t created by teachers. It is the product of racist and culturally biased institutions that embrace middle class values and shun association with minority points of view. Why don’t businesses and corporations do something about the achievement gap? Ah, but they are. They have politicians pushing standards, and testing, and sanctions, and vouchers, and intelligent design. This entire issue is about getting kids ready to uncritically participate in the economy no matter what they might be asked to do. Like I do! It isn’t about teaching them to think for themselves, or to find fulfillment as human beings. No. The “achievement gap” is about induction into a middle class value system that endorses free markets ahead of free people. Kids who don’t buy in are forced out. Teachers too, eh? I wonder how long I’ve got.
The only way through this is going to involve creating a different classroom reality. It isn’t an achievement gap; it’s a reality gap. Whose world are we helping to build?
6 Comments
Hey Doug,
I appreciate your thoughts on this subject. It’s good to hear you work through your struggle with the concept of “achievement gap”… I want to comment, but I can’t think of anything to add, except a “Thanks!” and two stories.
Story 1 : I found this lesson plan for MLK day. http://atozteacherstuff.com/pages/268.shtml . The teacher only treats the boys in the class and offers no explainations while continuing the daily routine. Then, when the girls are getting pissed, she breaks into the lessons of King.
and
Story 2: When I was in Elementary school, we got a weekly reader. On the cover were pictures of 8 children our age. Inside, we were asked to pick the students we thought would be successful and of course we picked the white, well dressed, clean children. It’s such a strong memory because I felt tricked and I realised – very clearly – that I was prejudice. And that I couldn’t trust myself… It was a funny feeling.
ah… anyway, thanks for the food for thought!
nsl
I have been looking at the achievement gap at my school for over five years. One of the interesting things that I did was that I divided it out between race and gender. What I found out was that our minority females were doing great; however, boys brought a whole different picture. Looking at five years of data on middle schoolers, I found has much as a 30 percentage points difference between white males and black males. For the girls, there was only 4 percentage points difference.
I feel that achievement gap is caused by economic barriers. The wealthy kids have parents that send them to math and computer camps, get private tutors, prep classes in the summer, prep classes for SATs, etc. Most of my poorer families can only dream about these advantages. The wealthier kids also have economic advantages by having parents that don’t work weekends who can actually take them to museums of Washington, DC, hertiage festivals, trips to see different parts of the US, camping, skiing, hiking, being able to be part of the swim/soccer/football camps, etc. These experiences are rewarding and educational; poorer children do not get the chance to experience these extracurricular activities.
I know that our schools system offers camps during the summer which include fieldtrips but it is only 2 weeks during the summer. There is enough money to have longer camps to make even richer experiences for kids but we do recognize it and try want we can do.
great piece doug
while i think it is easy to point the finger at outside influences, surely any identified “achievement gap” must come back to the ability / intention (your word) of the teacher / educator. for many years i have been telling my students not to worry about whether or not they are good enough to pass because that’s my job; to worry about them passing and to therefore do everything in my power to make sure that they are exposed to appropriate information and learning experiences to bring them to a point where they are capable of successfully demonstrating competence. (i do so hate this eduspeak crap)
have a great day
Wow, powerful last 2 paragraphs. I just listened today to an mp3 of Elliot Washor speaking very quickly and too briefly. He mentions briefly the economic divide and the kind of democracy which he doesn’t want to live in. Worth a listen. The link’s in my blog post.
PS loved the ice fog video, and the little details of what it’s like to live in Alaska in the winter. I find such nuggets just as valuable as your other thoughts on learning and teaching.
Nice article, I wanted to follow it up with my own about the achievement gap.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!” Gunshots rang deep into my eardrums as Mickey Cobras and Gangster Disciples waged deadly war right outside of my rundown building. The cream-colored 16-story building named 5266 became a battlefield right before my very eyes. A walk to the corner store turned into a bloodbath as one man was beaten and murdered before my 10-year old eyes. A journey to Beethoven Elementary School became a game of “duck and dodge bullets.” It was not easy being a child of the Robert Taylor Housing projects during the mid-90’s, and it definitely wasn’t a picnic attending the Chicago Public School System.
During my young life I have attended about 5 or 6 different schools in the Chicago Public School System. My mother seemed to move us around frequently, nearly every year, to a more comfortable spot. Ironically, this last spot in the CHA (Chicago Housing Authority) was extremely uncomfortable. Suddenly things became unbearable—my brother joined the infamous Gangster Disciples street gang—shootings at DuSable High School, where he attended, became frequent—the war between GDs and MCs was bloodier than ever. My mother couldn’t bear the thought of seeing my brother’s obituary posted near the graffiti-plastered elevator doors like some of our neighbors. So, we moved to Lansing, Michigan to find a more “comfortable spot.”
I spent about 9 years in the Chicago Public School System and my memories are as clear as day. I remember the good teachers who encouraged me and told me “Black is beautiful,” and to “be yourself.” On the other hand, I remember the teacher who called nearly every child in class, “dumb and stupid.” I really needed the reassurance that my dark skin was beautiful because I was constantly taunted by other children. Of course kids will be kids, so my self-esteem was as low as sub-freezing temperatures. Although I maintained a B+ grade point average throughout high school, my intelligence wasn’t regarded by some teachers, but my Ebonics dialect and CHA resident status seemed to be the only factor to determine how they treated me. Only 2 out of my 4 teachers in one school setting were positive and motivating; the other 2 forced me to question the educational system. The fact that both teachers are still employed by the Chicago Public School System boggles my mind today.
As I reflect on my experiences as a student, unfortunately, I don’t have many positive memories to share. Out of all of the schools I attended and all of the teachers I have encountered, only two have made a positive impact on my life. Don’t think I am implying that there are no other teachers who make a difference in the lives of inner-city youth; I am only speaking of my personal experiences. I definitely wouldn’t try to offend another teacher like myself, because I know firsthand what teaching is like in the classroom setting.
The “Achievement Gap” is now a commonly used phrase to describe the vast difference in achievement rates between Middle Class Caucasian students and poor, disadvantaged minority students. Of course there are many other sub-groups in between. There is no surprise that an achievement gap is present because the quality of education is not the same across the board.
Many people have their opinions about why the gap exists, and we all agree that intelligence levels have nothing to do with it at all. Environment, self-esteem, low expectations, and a lack of connections are to blame for our children’s unequal education. I firmly believe that a student’s environment in and out of the classroom has a strong bearing on his or her achievement. Low-self esteem is a disease that is killing our children’s academic performance. Low expectations for academic performance from teachers and administrators are stifling our children’s’ growth like dwarfism. The lack of connection between the student and teacher is academically boring our students. I never understood why I was chosen to grow up on the South side of Chicago amidst all of the poverty, drugs and violence until I read the quote by Benjamin Elijah Mays, reading: “It is not your environment, it is you — the quality of your mind, the integrity of your soul, and the determination of your will — that will decide your future and shape your life.”
Whoa! If every student who lived in a destructive environment understood the meaning of this quote and believed every word of it, the achievement gap would close immediately. Not only did this quote motivate me, but catapulted me towards success. Although I experienced a life some would never imagine, I made a conscious decision to press forward towards a successful future. Soon after I moved to Michigan, I was plagued by stereotypes, racism, and low-expectations due to my physical appearance, Ebonics speech patterns, and Chicagoan mannerisms. As ambitious as I forced myself to be, I had new teachers to tell me that I wouldn’t succeed because I spoke Ebonics. What that teachers failed to realize was that I actually paid attention in English class and could speak “proper English” when I felt the need. This skill known as code-switching allowed me to turn off my “at home” language when speaking in places of “business.”
At the age of 15, I started speaking out against the injustices of the inner-city youth and entered several oratory competitions. I was ranked #1 in the state of Michigan two years in a row by the National Academic Decathlon. I literally brought people to tears during my presentations, and was considered a top-notch public speaker. I used my talent and started a motivational speaking business, which still exists today, and started speaking to children across the Midwest. That, of course only began my journey to success. Since then, I have won many awards on local, regional and national levels in the areas of public speaking, forensics and debate, community service, public relations, advertising, leadership, academic excellence, and education.
After earning my Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilberforce University, I decided to try and change the educational system by joining Teach for America, a national teaching corp. Shortly after my first year of teaching, I developed a writing program for my 80% ESL students and 20% African-American students who needed a boost in language arts skills. I found that less than 5% of my students met Texas state standards in composition writing, so I fought fiercely to change that. I used my experiences as an inner-city youth to pinpoint areas of weakness, and I designed a program to target my group of students. I found that environment, low self-esteem, low expectations, and a lack of connections from past teachers prevented my students from achieving on a higher level.
With only three weeks left before the test, I developed the I-Control Writing Program with my students in mind. I studied their thought-processes, what they were interested in, what environmental factors they faced, and what language barriers they were up against. I designed a program that included hip-hop culture such as low-rider cars, rap artists and songs. I also included popular culture such as their favorite cartoons, television shows, and movies. The students learned to incorporate 18 different elaboration strategies in their essays including facts, reasons, personification, hyperbole, and subordinate phrases. Within three weeks, my students went from limited proficiency status to proficient and commendable status. My students were able to connect to hip-hop and popular culture, and felt great about their abilities when they finally mastered the writing process.
What I have learned from creating educational products in reading, writing, and math, is that a child must learn by making connections. We are living in a new era when idols are no longer Dr. King and Rosa Parks, but Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. Hip-hop has played a significant role in the lives of inner-city youth, as they think about it 90% of the time. Why not use those things they enjoy to teach a skill, which is interchangeable. You can still teach reading, writing, and math skills, but if you change the word problems and materials to familiar terms, children will not only be excited about learning, but will make the connection needed to increase academic performance.
Not only should educators make connections with kids, but take every opportunity to boost every child’s self-esteem in the classroom. A simple, “you are so smart,” or “you have a brilliant mind,” goes a long way for a child who may hear “dumb or stupid,” in their environments. I believe that we need to respect our children in a deeper way by understanding who they are inside, and how they may feel about their situations. A child will learn anything you present to them as long as you can hold their interest long enough. Making a child feel they are valued makes a huge difference in the way they view you as an educator and the way they view themselves. We should start overcompensating for what our children lack at home. It may not be in our job description as educators, but it must be in the prescription to medicate and cure our children from a plague called the achievement gap.
Rachel, your eloquence and the power of your truth leaves me mute . I’ll come back to this after I gather my thoughts. Thank you.
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