"Closing the Achievement Gap" - Kati Haycock

"Closing the Achievement Gap," by Kati Haycock brings up many issues today with the public school system. Specifically, the article talks about the problems that many minority and low income children have in achieving the level that is achieved by America's pre-dominant white population. As future teachers how do we make sure that minorities aren't slipping through the cracks of the system? What do we do as future teacher to take an active role in closing this achievement gap.
I think it is pretty safe to say that one of the largest problems is funding for schools with a majority of minority children. Although it is ultimately the parents duty to make sure their child is provided with a good education, not all schools are created equal. Many parents simply choose the school in their neighborhood, meaning if one lives in a low income minority area, the school will be a reflection. Good teachers teach at good schools, it is just plain and simple. If we want to increase the math and reading proficiency of minority youth we need to provide the best teachers at the low income level. As usual it is the system and government complacency that is failing. Hopefully, now that Bush is out of office, and we finally have a minority President for the first time America, new hope will come to these schools.
Although this is going to sound prejudiced, I believe that a lot of teachers give up quicker on minorities. For example, some students such as latino, may not even be able to speak, read or write in English. As a teacher, it is ten times more difficult in this case scenario. Honestly we can only expect so much from our teachers. The solution to this problem lies in getting minority children in this scenario extra help, after school or within the community. We also have to instill pride and self-worth for these students, and not them fall subject to accepting negative stereotypes that they may hear, especially with the affluent white community.
As America continues to grow and become more and more multi-ethnic, our system faces increasing demands. It is our take and duty as future teachers to not only be aware of these problems but arise to the task of solving them. In my opinion teachers should at the very least have rudimentary Spanish speaking skills and be willing to work for troubled school areas, where they are needed most. Finally, I believe it is finally time to quit the complacent attitudes that most school districts have, and make state legislature to place a merit pay system to reward those teachers that really matter. I was very disappointed when this did pass in Oregon, last election.