Failure is not an OPTION

Journal 2

This article is about the achievement gap and how each student fairs. The article tries to justify its claim by saying that the low scores are a result in race, ethnicity, poverty, disability, and non-english speakers. The article goes into how we need to use different strategies for each student rather than give everyone the same test. If we keep doing the same test with the same type of kids in the same environment than nothing is going to change everything will stay the same. The achievement gap will not move most likely resulting in lower scores.

1.) What can we do?
The first thing is to stop teaching for the test. In our society in school we are so focused on getting that A or passing the state achievement test or getting that grant for the school that we have lost the will and passion for the actual learning for students. What we do now is teach them how to repeat the answers we want them to say, not record the information they want to keep as students. Just in my personal experience it is all about getting that A and passing that test rather than retaining exciting and interesting information.

2.) As a teacher what will I do?
As a teacher I have always believed in being creative with my students. I always wanted to be a little artsy and have the kids show me their interest and skills. There might be situations where one kid might shine in one are and not another. I want my kids to excel in all areas and show me each and every one of their strengths. I believe this is how we get the gap closed.