Within her five policy prescriptions Darling-Hammond suggested that "Schools have to be places that support good teaching, and the work that students and teachers are asked to do needs to be work worth doing."(The Flat World and Education). This suggestion correlates with the three R's (relationships, relevance, and rigor) supported by our district and stood out to me as significant. We need to ensure that our work with students is worth doing while also adhering to the standards that continue to change. Policies need to be improved and polished. Support needs to be given to schools and especially teachers so that they can make lessons "worth doing". These supports need to be given equally throughout all schools not just high-achieving schools.
Equal opportunity learning needs to be provided to all students especially with those in high-need populations and schools. We never know what type of genius might be stifled without the opportunity to grow. Our leaders need to move forward utilizing John Dewey's idea that we should treat every child as if they were our own giving them the best opportunities and have the same high expectations and ideals.
2 Comments
Paula
3/19/2018 09:03:35 pm
I like the connection that you made with the three R's (relevance, relationships, and rigor). I agree with you that equal opportunity needs to be in all schools, especially the populations that are lacking resources.
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Yolanda Webb
3/19/2018 09:26:04 pm
I agree with your perspective, especially in regards to treating all children the same as you would treat your own. It is unfortunate that too many people are behaving in a competitive narcissistic manner, subsequently they have this "if it is not my child, or child from my group I don't care" type of mentality. I believe this self-centered attitude is what helps to fuel inequities because it creates a space for a group of uneducated people to be at risk of being exploited in various ways with incarceration being just one example as explained in The Flat Earth. In addition, there are several ways to learn with the exchanging of ideas being just an example. A wonderful exchange of ideas can take place from both high needs and upper class communities when educational opportunities are equalized. Such an exchange of ideas can create a platform in which an increase in understanding academics and the world in general such as the political and economic construct in which we live in. Such a platform can also create a space to enrich a students perspective on various political, economic, social, etc. issues. Furthermore, as children listen to each other, they are likely to not grow to equate differences as inferior, subsequently they can come to an understanding irrespective of agreement. This can also become a way to increase communication skills as people listen and respond to differences of opinions. Lastly as educational inequities are deconstructed, children can hopefully grow to not view those as they see as "other" as someone they must oppress in order to maintain their position on an oppressive hierarchy, rather someone they can work with collectively.
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