Understanding Students Strengths and Struggles

Stephen Peters wrote, "You Don't Know Enough About Me to Teach Me". Across the country and abroad, teachers are meeting face-to-face with students that are of different ethnicities. In order for teachers to make a difference in the learning of a child, one must first understand them. When a teacher understands a child, he or she can best serve that child academically. Does a race of an individual really matter in the classroom?

Poverty Myths

There are many myths that plague low income students. These myths do more harm that good for the students. Here are a few myths: poor people are unmotivated and have weak work ethics; poor parents are uninvolved in their children's learning because they do not value education; poor people are tend to abuse drugs and alcohol; and poor people are linguistically deficient. What are your thoughts? Are these myths or facts?

Whose School Is it?

Often times, our nations suburbs experience dramatic demographic changes. Many families that were once residents in urban/inner city areas get career opportunities and changes, and move to "better" areas. They move with the intentions of sending their children to better school. The change is also made to relocate to better living conditions. An inner city area in South Carolina experienced moved its residents to a suburban area in the same city. Of course, the families that were moved from one complex to another one in a better area felt their prayers were answered. The long time residents of the suburban area felt their private areas, including the schools were invaded by these people. Teachers were having problems with children's behaviors that they have never had before. Many teachers and long time residents relocated to other areas of the city. Whose school is it anyway? Give me your thoughts.

Highly Qualified Teachers

What realy says that a teacher is highly qualified to teach? Is it high test scores? There are many teacher that are deemed highly qualified by Department of Education in their state, but aren't making the cut in the classrooms. There are also teacher who are considered highly qualified by the SDE but are making great gains in the classrooms. It's my belief that teachers are highly qualified when students respond successfully to their teaching. What do you think?

Whose Problem is Poverty?

If two different socioeconomic groups of children go to the same school, the group with the greatest socioeconomic disadvantage will more than likely have lower achievements in school. Whose fault is it? Some would say that government is not or has not done its part in aiding those less fortunate. Others would say, "hard work pays off". It's unfortunate that children suffer as a result of someone not doing his or her part. They (the children) aren't asked to be born into such conditions.

Are school officials doing their share to make sure EVERY child is successful academically? Some say that low-income children often have no health insurance, and therefore no routine preventive medical and dental care is a factor for low performance in school. Their absences causes them not to successful as other groups of children.

NCLB and Urban Schools

Are children in Urban Schools being left behind? Year after year, the question remains the same. We may not find out if NCLB's affect on urban school are benefiting children until it's too late. The government has put in place many laws, mandates, and acts that are suppose to improve teaching and learning. However, standardized test scores suggests that much more improvement is needed, particularly in urban schools. Where do we go to from here? Should parents be included in these accountabilities place upon educators?