Creating Conditions to Creating Conditions to Raise Student Raise Student Achievement:Achievement:

What it Takes to Leave No Child What it Takes to Leave No Child BehindBehind

Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D.Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D.

Steinhardt School of EducationSteinhardt School of Education

New York UniversityNew York University

Why is it so hard?Why is it so hard?

Expectations: We have never before Expectations: We have never before expected all children to achieveexpected all children to achieve

Beliefs: We have assumed that Beliefs: We have assumed that intelligence is an innate property - intelligence is an innate property - some have it, some don’tsome have it, some don’t

Skills and Strategies: Many districts Skills and Strategies: Many districts still don’t know how to serve all still don’t know how to serve all childrenchildren Children in poverty and special needs Children in poverty and special needs

Failure of PolicyFailure of Policy NCLB moves us forward by requiring schools to NCLB moves us forward by requiring schools to

produce evidence of learning, but:produce evidence of learning, but: Ignored standards related to the conditions Ignored standards related to the conditions

required for learningrequired for learning Focused too narrowly on using tests to measure Focused too narrowly on using tests to measure

learning learning overlooked importance of instructionoverlooked importance of instruction

Narrowed focus of curriculum to test preparationNarrowed focus of curriculum to test preparation Relied on pressure as strategy to improve schools Relied on pressure as strategy to improve schools

without strategies to intervene and provide without strategies to intervene and provide supportsupport

Ignored non-academic needs of childrenIgnored non-academic needs of children

I. What we know about I. What we know about the achievement gapthe achievement gap

It mirrors other disparities (health, income, It mirrors other disparities (health, income, employment)employment)

Tends to follow consistent patterns with Tends to follow consistent patterns with respect to the race and class of students respect to the race and class of students

External conditions affect academic External conditions affect academic performance (e.g. health, housing stability, performance (e.g. health, housing stability, poverty)poverty)

Influenced by a history of perceiving race and Influenced by a history of perceiving race and intelligence as linkedintelligence as linked

We have historically seen the pursuit of We have historically seen the pursuit of excellence and equity as conflicting goalsexcellence and equity as conflicting goals

Confronting the Confronting the Achievement GapAchievement Gap

Manifest on most indicators of Manifest on most indicators of achievement (grades, test scores, achievement (grades, test scores, graduation rates, discipline patterns), key graduation rates, discipline patterns), key areas:areas: Discipline - punishing the neediest studentsDiscipline - punishing the neediest students Special education - removing students due to Special education - removing students due to

our inability to meet their needsour inability to meet their needs English as a second language - perceiving non-English as a second language - perceiving non-

English speakers as deficientEnglish speakers as deficient

Normalization of FailureNormalization of Failure Tendency for staff to treat patterns of Tendency for staff to treat patterns of

achievement as “normal”achievement as “normal” You know normalization of failure is a problem if:You know normalization of failure is a problem if:

Complacency - Staff has grown accustomed to Complacency - Staff has grown accustomed to the predictability of academic outcomesthe predictability of academic outcomes

Rationalizations - Teachers and administrators Rationalizations - Teachers and administrators explain low achievement by blaming parents explain low achievement by blaming parents and studentsand students

Beliefs - Staff believes that culture and biology Beliefs - Staff believes that culture and biology determine intelligence rather than access to determine intelligence rather than access to resources and educational opportunity resources and educational opportunity

We know we are succeeding in We know we are succeeding in closing the gap when the closing the gap when the

backgrounds of students (race and backgrounds of students (race and class) cease to be predictors of class) cease to be predictors of

achievement.achievement.

II. Dimensions of the GapII. Dimensions of the Gap

Preparation Gap - Poor children arrive at Preparation Gap - Poor children arrive at school less preparedschool less prepared Limited literacy/vocabulary for poor Limited literacy/vocabulary for poor

childrenchildren Limited access to high quality early Limited access to high quality early

childhood educationchildhood education Opportunity Gap - Limiting access to Opportunity Gap - Limiting access to

rigorous courses, highly skilled teachersrigorous courses, highly skilled teachers Tracking, labeling and low expectations limit Tracking, labeling and low expectations limit

opportunitiesopportunities

Other Aspects of the GapOther Aspects of the Gap

Teacher-student gapTeacher-student gap Relationships between students and adults are Relationships between students and adults are

strained or weakstrained or weak Lowest achievers alienated and estranged from Lowest achievers alienated and estranged from

schoolschool School - Parent gapSchool - Parent gap

Parents of lowest achievers not involved with Parents of lowest achievers not involved with schoolschool

Strained/antagonistic relations with parents Strained/antagonistic relations with parents

Need for a Paradigm Need for a Paradigm ShiftShift

Old ParadigmOld Paradigm Intelligence is innateIntelligence is innate Job of schools is to Job of schools is to

measure intelligence measure intelligence and sort accordinglyand sort accordingly

Inequity in resource Inequity in resource allocation: best allocation: best resources to highest resources to highest achieversachievers

Focus on achievement Focus on achievement as measured by test as measured by test performanceperformance

Discipline used to weed Discipline used to weed out the “bad” kidsout the “bad” kids

New ParadigmNew Paradigm Intelligence and ability Intelligence and ability

are influenced by are influenced by opportunityopportunity

Job of school is to Job of school is to cultivate talent and cultivate talent and ability among studentsability among students

Resources allocated Resources allocated based on student needbased on student need

Focus on “whole child”Focus on “whole child” Discipline used to Discipline used to

reinforce school values reinforce school values and normsand norms

Conditions Needed to Raise Student Conditions Needed to Raise Student Achievement:Achievement:

Systems to facilitate Systems to facilitate school effectiveness school effectiveness Diagnostic assessmentDiagnostic assessment Early intervention Early intervention

proceduresprocedures Evaluation to insure Evaluation to insure

quality control quality control On-site, ongoing On-site, ongoing

professional professional developmentdevelopment

Extended learning Extended learning opportunitiesopportunities

Cultural Changes:Cultural Changes: Supportive Supportive

relationships between relationships between teachers and studentsteachers and students

Willingness among Willingness among teachers to share ideas, teachers to share ideas, curricula, materials curricula, materials

Practices reinforce core Practices reinforce core valuesvalues

Peer culture where it is Peer culture where it is “cool to be smart”“cool to be smart”

Partnerships between Partnerships between school, community and school, community and parentsparents

Recommendations for Recommendations for closing the gap:closing the gap:

External partnerships with service External partnerships with service providers to address unmet non-academic providers to address unmet non-academic needsneeds Health, nutrition, counseling, etc.Health, nutrition, counseling, etc.

Quality control in interventions through Quality control in interventions through ongoing evaluationongoing evaluation Title I and Special EducationTitle I and Special Education

Key principles:Key principles: Kids who are behind must work harder and Kids who are behind must work harder and

longer under better conditionslonger under better conditions Improving the quality of teaching is the most Improving the quality of teaching is the most

effective way to raise student achievementeffective way to raise student achievement

Close the Preparation Close the Preparation GapGap

Increase access to quality early childhood Increase access to quality early childhood programsprograms Provide professional development for providersProvide professional development for providers

Use summer school and after-school programs Use summer school and after-school programs to address needs of kids who are falling behindto address needs of kids who are falling behind Build safety net - use data to identify kids who are Build safety net - use data to identify kids who are

falling behind early, intervene earlyfalling behind early, intervene early Transition - design strategies to identify and Transition - design strategies to identify and

provide support to students moving from provide support to students moving from elementary to middle school, middle to high school.elementary to middle school, middle to high school.

Close the Opportunity Close the Opportunity GapGap

Increase access to rigorous courses and Increase access to rigorous courses and increase supportincrease support AVID, MESAAVID, MESA Increase enrollment in higher level mathIncrease enrollment in higher level math

Insure equitable access to effective Insure equitable access to effective teachersteachers

Address inequities in parental resources Address inequities in parental resources by providing greater support to by providing greater support to disadvantaged students in college disadvantaged students in college advising, SAT prep, tutoringadvising, SAT prep, tutoring

Close the Relationship Close the Relationship Gap:Gap:

Move toward a new advising model in which Move toward a new advising model in which every teacher serves as an advisor every teacher serves as an advisor

Increase student connectedness to the school Increase student connectedness to the school through extracurricular activitiesthrough extracurricular activities

Hire personnel from backgrounds similar to Hire personnel from backgrounds similar to that of your students who can relate and that of your students who can relate and provide direction to students - moral authorityprovide direction to students - moral authority

Focus on improving teaching by:Focus on improving teaching by: Strengthening link between teaching and learningStrengthening link between teaching and learning On-site professional development in content, On-site professional development in content,

pedagogy and rapport with studentspedagogy and rapport with students Bring groups of teachers together on regular basis Bring groups of teachers together on regular basis

to analyze student workto analyze student work

Close the Gap Between Close the Gap Between Parents and SchoolParents and School

Engage parents in partnerships based Engage parents in partnerships based on respect and shared interestson respect and shared interests

Initiate contact before problems ariseInitiate contact before problems arise Design a variety of activities Design a variety of activities

throughout school year for parentsthroughout school year for parents Hire personnel who are effective at Hire personnel who are effective at

working with parentsworking with parents

III. What we Know About III. What we Know About Teaching and LearningTeaching and Learning

Good teaching matters -the only way to Good teaching matters -the only way to raise achievement is to improve instructionraise achievement is to improve instruction

We must teach the way students learn We must teach the way students learn rather than expecting students to learn the rather than expecting students to learn the way we teachway we teach

Teaching and learning must be regarded as Teaching and learning must be regarded as connected activitiesconnected activities Teachers must take responsibility for Teachers must take responsibility for

student learning and achievementstudent learning and achievement We must find ways to reduce teacher We must find ways to reduce teacher

isolationisolation

Improving Instruction: Improving Instruction: Building strong links between teaching Building strong links between teaching

and learningand learning Reflective teachingReflective teaching On-site and continuous professional On-site and continuous professional

developmentdevelopment Make use of skilled teachersMake use of skilled teachers Use staff meetings to discuss Use staff meetings to discuss

teaching and student needsteaching and student needs Aligning instruction to standards Aligning instruction to standards

and assessmentsand assessments Effective use of homeworkEffective use of homework

Professional Development Professional Development Activity: Learning from Activity: Learning from

student workstudent work Start with the standards: What should our Start with the standards: What should our

students know and be able to do?students know and be able to do? Examine the assessments togetherExamine the assessments together Examine student work together: What Examine student work together: What

patterns do you observe?patterns do you observe? Discuss strategies for improving quality of Discuss strategies for improving quality of

student work: What are the implications student work: What are the implications for teaching? How will we get our for teaching? How will we get our students to meet the standards?students to meet the standards?

Effective Teaching Strategies Effective Teaching Strategies for Reducing Academic for Reducing Academic

DisparitiesDisparities Active learning, interactive classroom, on-task Active learning, interactive classroom, on-task

learninglearning Moving away from the cemetery modelMoving away from the cemetery model

Teaching within the zone of proximal developmentTeaching within the zone of proximal development Constructivist, inquiry-based pedagogical strategiesConstructivist, inquiry-based pedagogical strategies SimulationsSimulations Socratic seminarsSocratic seminars Project based learningProject based learning Experiential learningExperiential learning Student leadership in the classroomStudent leadership in the classroom Public presentations of student workPublic presentations of student work

Interventions that workInterventions that work

AVID, MESAAVID, MESA Provides support to peer groupsProvides support to peer groups

Project SEED - early exposure to higher level mathProject SEED - early exposure to higher level math Popular culture in the classroom - Algebra ProjectPopular culture in the classroom - Algebra Project Accelerated summer schoolAccelerated summer school

Provides advanced preparation for studentsProvides advanced preparation for students After-school and community-based enrichmentAfter-school and community-based enrichment Extra curricular activities - sports, music, clubsExtra curricular activities - sports, music, clubs Transition classesTransition classes

Smaller classes for students who are behindSmaller classes for students who are behind

Helping students to Helping students to succeed: Demystify succeed: Demystify

school successschool success Teach study skills, form study Teach study skills, form study

groupsgroups Show students what excellent work Show students what excellent work

looks like and how to produce itlooks like and how to produce it Teach and explain code switching Teach and explain code switching

behaviorsbehaviors Discuss future plans early and Discuss future plans early and

expose students to optionsexpose students to options

V. Teaching Across Race, V. Teaching Across Race, Class and Cultural Class and Cultural

DifferencesDifferences Is it a problem?Is it a problem? Met Life Survey: 40% low income students, Met Life Survey: 40% low income students,

45% minority students report that they do not 45% minority students report that they do not identify with their teachersidentify with their teachers

Most teachers claim to be “color blind” yet Most teachers claim to be “color blind” yet many report having greater difficulty working many report having greater difficulty working with minority nd low income studentswith minority nd low income students

Disparities in achievement and discipline Disparities in achievement and discipline suggest that there is a problemsuggest that there is a problem

Good news - Students are less prejudiced than Good news - Students are less prejudiced than adults. They are generally willing to learn adults. They are generally willing to learn from anyone who cares and takes an interest from anyone who cares and takes an interest in them.in them.

Indications that cross Indications that cross cultural teaching is a cultural teaching is a

problem:problem: Normalization of failureNormalization of failure Differential expectations - lower standards for Differential expectations - lower standards for

minority studentsminority students Conflict in the classroom, lack of respect and fear Conflict in the classroom, lack of respect and fear

among teachersamong teachers Students perceive racial identity and achievement Students perceive racial identity and achievement

as linkedas linked Strained relations between teachers and students, Strained relations between teachers and students,

teachers and parents - distrust, hostility, suspicionteachers and parents - distrust, hostility, suspicion Tendency to blame students and/or their parents Tendency to blame students and/or their parents

rather than accepting responsibility for their role rather than accepting responsibility for their role in raising achievementin raising achievement

What does it take to What does it take to teach across cultures teach across cultures

effectively?effectively? Skills and cultural competence - you can’t teach Skills and cultural competence - you can’t teach what you don’t knowwhat you don’t know

Awareness of and willingness to unlearn personal Awareness of and willingness to unlearn personal biasbias

Ability to affirm the cultural identities of studentsAbility to affirm the cultural identities of students My research shows students respond well to My research shows students respond well to

teacher that demonstrate: teacher that demonstrate: Firmness, organization and structureFirmness, organization and structure Compassion - students need to know you careCompassion - students need to know you care Challenge- students are expected to learnChallenge- students are expected to learn Understanding - identify and empathize with Understanding - identify and empathize with

studentsstudents

Reflection:Reflection:

What are the barriers that keep you What are the barriers that keep you or your colleagues from being or your colleagues from being effective in teaching across racial and effective in teaching across racial and cultural differences?cultural differences?

How has your background helped or How has your background helped or hindered you in this work?hindered you in this work?

What skills, knowledge or information What skills, knowledge or information do you think you need to increase do you think you need to increase your effectiveness as a teacher?your effectiveness as a teacher?

Things to be aware of Things to be aware of when teaching cross when teaching cross

culturally:culturally: Avoid tendency to take a “color blind” Avoid tendency to take a “color blind” posture toward studentsposture toward students

Avoid tendency to stereotype your Avoid tendency to stereotype your students based on race or culturestudents based on race or culture

Be aware of how unconscious bias may Be aware of how unconscious bias may influence your interactionsinfluence your interactions

Strive to know yourself and your students Strive to know yourself and your students so that your relationships are not affected so that your relationships are not affected by race/cultural differencesby race/cultural differences

VI. What We Know About VI. What We Know About Safe SchoolsSafe Schools

Safety is a by-product of social Safety is a by-product of social relationships, not advanced securityrelationships, not advanced security

Cannot separate safety from Cannot separate safety from academic mission academic mission

Schools tend to have a shortage of Schools tend to have a shortage of adults with “moral authority”adults with “moral authority”

Social contract - students are Social contract - students are expected to obey in exchange for an expected to obey in exchange for an educationeducation

Use Data to Monitor Use Data to Monitor Effectiveness of Discipline Effectiveness of Discipline

StrategiesStrategies Examine patternsExamine patterns

Who is being disciplined? (race, gender, Who is being disciplined? (race, gender, academic profile, year in school)academic profile, year in school)

What is behind the misbehavior of students What is behind the misbehavior of students who are frequently in trouble?who are frequently in trouble?

Do disciplinary practices serve as an effective Do disciplinary practices serve as an effective deterrent?deterrent?

Which teachers/administrators give most Which teachers/administrators give most referrals? For what reasons?referrals? For what reasons?

Alternative StrategiesAlternative Strategies Base discipline on school valuesBase discipline on school values

Focus on changing behavior not getting rid of Focus on changing behavior not getting rid of studentsstudents

Respond early and often to minor infractionsRespond early and often to minor infractions What are the values behind school rulesWhat are the values behind school rules

Create school environments where all students Create school environments where all students are known (size matters)are known (size matters) Decrease alienation, increase personalizationDecrease alienation, increase personalization

Engage students more actively in schoolEngage students more actively in school Utilize extra curricular activitiesUtilize extra curricular activities

Alternative Discipline Alternative Discipline StrategiesStrategies

Effective deterrenceEffective deterrence Figure out what is causing persistent Figure out what is causing persistent

behavior problemsbehavior problems Extra work - in-school suspensionExtra work - in-school suspension Retribution to victimsRetribution to victims Community serviceCommunity service CounselingCounseling Parental involvementParental involvement Interaction with community agenciesInteraction with community agencies

VII. Basic Requirements for VII. Basic Requirements for Improving Relationships Between Improving Relationships Between

Parents and SchoolsParents and Schools Must be based on a recognition of Must be based on a recognition of

mutual need, responsibility and mutual need, responsibility and respectrespect

Must be based on the recognition that Must be based on the recognition that all parents can help their children all parents can help their children

Must be based upon understanding Must be based upon understanding and empathy for the situation and empathy for the situation confronting parents and familiesconfronting parents and families

Schools need personnel who can Schools need personnel who can communicate effectively with parentscommunicate effectively with parents

Possible Areas of Possible Areas of Cooperation Between Cooperation Between Parents and SchoolsParents and Schools

Parent-School Contracts - Formal agreements Parent-School Contracts - Formal agreements laying out expectations for all parties, including laying out expectations for all parties, including childrenchildren

Site-based leadership - Comer model, Chicago site Site-based leadership - Comer model, Chicago site councils, provide parents with decision making councils, provide parents with decision making roles at schoolsroles at schools Mutual accountabilityMutual accountability

Academic enrichment - math and literacy nights, Academic enrichment - math and literacy nights, diagnostic testingdiagnostic testing

Parent education - discipline, raising teenagers, Parent education - discipline, raising teenagers, talking to kids about sex, helping kids get ready talking to kids about sex, helping kids get ready for collegefor college

Developing the Developing the PartnershipPartnership

Effective use of the Parent-Teacher Effective use of the Parent-Teacher ConferenceConference Diagnostic assessmentDiagnostic assessment Concrete information on how they can Concrete information on how they can

help their childrenhelp their children Back-to-School NightBack-to-School Night

Creative strategies for explaining the Creative strategies for explaining the goals and mission of the schoolgoals and mission of the school

In-take interviews with parent and studentIn-take interviews with parent and student Rights, responsibilities and opportunitiesRights, responsibilities and opportunities

Contact information:Contact information: pedro.noguera@nyu.edupedro.noguera@nyu.edu imotionmagazine.com- education imotionmagazine.com- education

rights section for articles and papersrights section for articles and papers New book - City Schools and the New book - City Schools and the

American Dream: Reclaiming the American Dream: Reclaiming the Promise of Public Education Promise of Public Education (Teachers College Press, 2003)(Teachers College Press, 2003)