Cathy Davidson Classroom Makeover Analysis

Class systems and social classes have always played a substantial role in society. The classes vary - from those born into a higher class to those that start at the bottom and work their way up or just stay at the bottom. Society splits itself based on the social status of individuals that today is essentially based off income. It has always been advantage and opportunity that has pushed people ahead in the ranks. In today’s American society, success seems to stand at the pedestal of priority. Parents expect it, pop culture inspires it, and children in the process, are pressured to stand one day at the top of this pedestal. For centuries, it has been up to our educational systems to make success a possibility for the future and upcoming generations. …show more content…
What happens to children who do not become lucky enough to ace a test and therefore be transferred to a better school? Should teachers be encouraged to teach students beyond their perceived capabilities? How might race influence the type of education one can receive? And as interesting as it would be to have all those questions answered, there aren’t any actual true answers to them because of how the education and social systems are set up. In an essay by Cathy Davidson titled “The Classroom Makeover”, she asks that educators must “unlearn” in order to construct new teaching methods that better engage and evaluate their students. In her essay, Davidson addresses the “one size fits all” model which is the educational construct where everyone is taught in the same way, under the same conditions, about the same subjects. It is a construct where educational systems have narrowed down the tested skills; have narrowed down their “attentions” to math and reading, thus discrediting students for having any outside specialties (Davidson 61). Relevance is also a key factor in boosting students’ attention spans and keeping them in school. When a pupil is able to tie what they learn in lessons to the world around them, absorbed information is able to fill another purpose other than for scoring high on tests. When these further purposes are acknowledged, students are more fascinated and engaged with the lessons. When they see how information can potentially have an impact on themselves; how lessons can be applied to their everyday lives, or even enrich and add on to their existing curiosities and interests, students want to pay attention. Classes are still very apparent in this present day. It’s easy to see what kids will and will not get ahead just based on how wealthy their family is