Closing Student Achievement Gaps: C.A.R.E. Strategies for Success

1. Closing Student Achievement Gaps: C.A.R.E. Strategies for Success Linda Cabral NEA Human & Civil Rights Mid-Atlantic Equity Conference April 2007

2. Objectives • Examine teaching & learning factors that help close achievement gaps • Become familiar with NEA resources for closing achievement gaps

3. WHAT ARE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS? •Achievement gaps exist when groups of students with relatively equal ability do not achieve in school at the same levels. •In fact, one group often far exceeds the achievement level of another.

4. Let’s Talk about Gaps…Not “A Gap” Gaps in achievement exist across the nation and within our communities, school districts, and schools. • Race/ethnicity • Income levels • Language background • Disability status • Gender.

5. Achievement gaps appear in the data on • Performance • Access • Attainment. EVIDENCE OF GAPS?

6. WHAT CAUSES THE GAPS? There is no simple explanation. Various factors contribute to or underlie the gaps— • The multiple effects of poverty • Poor home and community learning opportunities • Discrimination • Inadequate healthcare, and • Substandard housing and high rates of mobility.

7. C.A.RE.: Strategies for Closing the Achievement Gaps

8. Deficit View: Culturally deprived Failing or low achieving At-risk Unmotivated Assets View: Culturally enriched Unrecognized or under-developed abilities Resilient Engaged/self-motivated A New Vision of the Learners Who Experience Achievement Gaps

9. Chapter 1: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Education • Background on NEA’s work • Closing the Achievement gaps research references • “C.A.R.E. for All Students” focus of guide • Priority Learner framework • Connection to CREDE research • Structure of theme chapters

10. What’s in My Name?(Page 2–20) • Share with a partner the story of your name: • What does it mean? • Who were you named for and who named you? • If you could choose any name, what would it be, and why?

11. What Does Chapter 2 Talk About? • Why is it important for educators to know and understand diverse cultures? • Why is an understanding of the role of culture in learning so important now? • How is culture connected to language? • What can educators do? • Why is advocating for the understanding of the culture of our students important?

12. Culture: The sum total of one’s experiences, knowledge, skills, beliefs, values, language, and interests. Learning is greatest when the cultures of home and school connect. Contextualization: Connect teaching and curriculum to the experiences, values, knowledge, and needs of students Learning through Observation-Modeling: Promote student learning through observation by modeling behaviors, thinking processes, and procedures C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standards

13. Culture Check-InPage 3–4 • Rate yourself on each item 1-5, with 1 being “not at all” and 5 being “I do this regularly.” • Discussion: at your table, share one thing you do really well.

14. Purpose of Culture Activities • They establish a community of learners and leaders, incorporate student perspectives, and establish procedures, norms, and assumptions • They help you know your students and their families and engage families as a resource for learning

15. What Does Chapter 3 Talk About? Challenging closely held beliefs about student learning: • How Sally scores on the standardized test tells me what she knows and what she can learn. • We all know what intelligence is. You either have it or you don’t. Whatever a child’s IQ is, well, that’s it. • My students don’t speak English: How can I expect them to grasp math concepts and other complex topics?

16. Abilities: Intelligence is modifiable and multidimensional. Abilities are developed through cultural experiences; culture affects thoughts and expression. Challenging Activities/Teaching Complex Thinking: Challenge students toward cognitive complexity. Language and Literacy Development Across the Curriculum: Develop student competence in the language and literacy of instruction across the curriculum. C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standards

17. Purpose of Abilities Activities • Promote higher order thinking • Hold high expectations for all students • Look at multiple measures of assessment for multiple intelligences

18. Educator Reflection: Deficits into Strengths [Pg. 4-18] • Review the list of “deficits” in the handout “Our Words Matter” • Table discussion: find a way to change your perspective and describe each deficit as a strength

19. What Does Chapter 4 Talk About? • What is resilience and why is it important? • How do schools provide caring relationships for students? • Why are high expectations important? • How can you provide students with opportunities for participation? • Personal resilience strengths

20. Resilience: Displayed when protective factors alter a person’s response to risk (poverty, crime, etc.) factors in the environment. Resilient students exhibit social competence, problem solving skills, and a sense of future. Instructional Conversation: Teaching through conversation. C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standard

21. Characteristics of Resilience • Social competence • Problem-solving skills • Critical consciousness • Autonomy • A sense of purpose and future

22. Purpose of Resilience Activities • They build resilience through developing strengths-based practices. • They apply equally to building resilience in educators as in students.

23. What Does Chapter 5 Talk About? (1) Assumptions we make about students and what energizes them to learn: • Students don’t put a lot of effort into the work that they turn in. • My students are unmotivated. • There is nothing I can do to motivate my students.

24. What Does Chapter 5 talk about?(2) Moving beyond the assumptions: • How does an understanding of our students’ culture help us motivate them to excellence? • How can we tell if students are making an effort when we can’t see them doing it? • Are grades the only reward students should be trying for?

25. Effort: The energy used in reaching a goal. Maximized when students receive educator encouragement and high expectations for quality work. Joint Productive Activity/Teachers & Students Producing Together: Facilitate learning through activity shared by educators and students. Student Choice: Encourage student decisionmaking. C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standards

26. Purpose of Effort and Motivation Activities • They build on students’ unique interests. • They incorporate authenticity in the curriculum. • They help you differentiate instruction based on students’ academic needs and their interests.

27. Chapter 6: Community Support for C.A.R.E. Strategies • Research on parent and community involvement • Connection of ESPs to the community • Community connection activities • Connecting the classroom to the family and community

28. Parents in “hard-to-reach” families: • May not have initiated contact with the school to work together on the child’s education. • May have low-self esteem. • May not realize the importance of their role in their child’s education. • May be overwhelmed by trying to meet the basic needs of the family.

29. Chapter 7: Developing a Systems Perspective for School Organization • Core values • Continuous improvement • Policies, procedures, and practices in your school

30. Next Steps for Leaders How will you use what you have learned when you return to your school or work site?

31. What Can We Do Collectively to Close the Gaps? • In our classrooms? • In our schools? • In our school districts? • Communities? • States?

32. NEA Achievement Gaps Resources • C.A.R.E.: Strategies for Closing the Achievement Gapshttp://www.nea.org/teachexperience/careguide.html • Closing Achievement Gaps: An Association Guidewww.achievementgaps.org/nea/Associationguide.pdf • NEA’s achievement gaps Web site: www.achievementgaps.org • Strengthening the Learning Environment: A School Employee’s Guide to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Issues, 2nd Edition http://www.achievementgaps.org/nea/StrengtheningLearningEnvironment06.pdf • A Report on the Status of Hispanics in Education: Overcoming a History of Neglect (see www.achievementgaps.org) • Status of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Education: Beyond the “Model Minority” Stereotype (see www.achievementgaps.org) • The Status of American Indians and Alaska Natives in Education (see www.achievementgaps.org) • Public engagement projects – What Can We Do to Close Achievement Gaps and Make Sure that All Students Learn? A Community Conversation: Rhantgan@nea.org • 2004–2005 “Focus On” publications on closing the gaps www.nea.org/teachexperience/achievgapfocus0405.html

33. HCR Achievement Gaps TeamKey Contacts • Sheila Simmons, Ph.D., Director, • Human & Civil Rights, ssimmons@nea.org • Senior Policy Analyst & Program Consultants: • Denise A. Alston, Ph.D., dalston@nea.org • Linda Bacon, lbacon@nea.org • Linda Cabral, lcabral@nea.org • Marcella Dianda, Ed.D., mdianda@nea.org