Introduction
The achievement gap, which can also be viewed as an opportunity gap, explains the difference in achievement between minority and white students. Indictors of this gap are shown through scores on standardized test, grade point averages, college enrollment and degrees earned. Research shows that the achievement gap can be seen before children even get to kindergarten. The question many people may ask when discussing the achievement gap is why is race synonymous with achievement. Chapter 2 of Creating the Opportunity To Learn entitled “What’s Race Got to Do With It” and the article “A Call for Change: Narrowing the Achievement Gap between White and Minority Students ” address the impact of race on education and achievement, and how …show more content…
The colorblind approach is to ignore children’s race, class and culture, and treat all children the same. The justifications for this approach are it would stop biases and prejudices in the classroom, and give all children the opportunity to succeed. However, critics of this approach point out that even if teachers adopted the colorblind approach, it does not guarantee that their biases still would not influence their teaching. In addition, research shows that when teachers recognize that students backgrounds impacts their educational needs, and acknowledge that biases influence teacher-student interactions; it would be easier to address their needs (Boykin & Noguera, 2011;Williams, 2011).
With recent research, the colorblind approach was proven ineffective, which prompted the creation of multicultural education. Multicultural education seeks to expose pre-service teachers to the history of race and class oppression, and force them to recognize and get rid of their biases. It also emphasizes the connection between race and education. Theoretically, this would help prepare teachers to teach diverse students. It is now accepted that teachers need special training to teach ethnically and linguistically diverse students (Boykin & Noguera, 2011;Williams, …show more content…
All three of these factors are something that can be changed. Policies can be created to help families living in poverty, such as, affordable housing and higher wages. The federal government can give schools funding on a need bases. For example, schools that have low test scores, and a high poverty rate should be given more money to support those students, and give them the resources needed for them to be successful. Lastly, teacher-training programs need to discuss race, not ignore its existence, and teach future teachers the purpose and need for multicultural education. It is very unfortunate that with all the recent research, the educational system has not changed. I think this is because people have become comfortable with seeing minority students’ fail, and because education has been this way for so long some people may feel it will take too much to get out of this rut (Boykin & Noguera, 2011; Williams,
The achievement gap, which can also be viewed as an opportunity gap, explains the difference in achievement between minority and white students. Indictors of this gap are shown through scores on standardized test, grade point averages, college enrollment and degrees earned. Research shows that the achievement gap can be seen before children even get to kindergarten. The question many people may ask when discussing the achievement gap is why is race synonymous with achievement. Chapter 2 of Creating the Opportunity To Learn entitled “What’s Race Got to Do With It” and the article “A Call for Change: Narrowing the Achievement Gap between White and Minority Students ” address the impact of race on education and achievement, and how …show more content…
The colorblind approach is to ignore children’s race, class and culture, and treat all children the same. The justifications for this approach are it would stop biases and prejudices in the classroom, and give all children the opportunity to succeed. However, critics of this approach point out that even if teachers adopted the colorblind approach, it does not guarantee that their biases still would not influence their teaching. In addition, research shows that when teachers recognize that students backgrounds impacts their educational needs, and acknowledge that biases influence teacher-student interactions; it would be easier to address their needs (Boykin & Noguera, 2011;Williams, 2011).
With recent research, the colorblind approach was proven ineffective, which prompted the creation of multicultural education. Multicultural education seeks to expose pre-service teachers to the history of race and class oppression, and force them to recognize and get rid of their biases. It also emphasizes the connection between race and education. Theoretically, this would help prepare teachers to teach diverse students. It is now accepted that teachers need special training to teach ethnically and linguistically diverse students (Boykin & Noguera, 2011;Williams, …show more content…
All three of these factors are something that can be changed. Policies can be created to help families living in poverty, such as, affordable housing and higher wages. The federal government can give schools funding on a need bases. For example, schools that have low test scores, and a high poverty rate should be given more money to support those students, and give them the resources needed for them to be successful. Lastly, teacher-training programs need to discuss race, not ignore its existence, and teach future teachers the purpose and need for multicultural education. It is very unfortunate that with all the recent research, the educational system has not changed. I think this is because people have become comfortable with seeing minority students’ fail, and because education has been this way for so long some people may feel it will take too much to get out of this rut (Boykin & Noguera, 2011; Williams,