Why are so many students not doing well?
Why
are
so
many
students
not
doing
well
?
Why is there such a huge achievement gap between urban and suburban students?
Why
is
there
such
a
huge
achievement
gap
between
urban
and
suburban
students
?
Just this week, in my school the seventh grade team leader called a meeting to discuss academic detention.
Just
this
week
,
in
my
school
the
seventh
grade
team
leader
called
a
meeting
to
discuss
academic
detention
.
The purpose of the detention is to allow students who are doing poorly a second chance to redo the work.
The
purpose
of
the
detention
is
to
allow
students
who
are
doing
poorly
a
second
chance
to
redo
the
work
.
Now if a student did not understand an assignment I have no trouble allowing that student to redo a test or give some extra credit work, but if a student did poorly because he/she opted not to do the work out of sheer laziness, that student should not be given a second chance.
Now
if
a
student
did
not
understand
an
assignment
I
have
no
trouble
allowing
that
student
to
redo
a
test
or
give
some
extra
credit
work
,
but
if
a
student
did
poorly
because
he/she
opted
not
to
do
the
work
out
of
sheer
laziness
,
that
student
should
not
be
given
a
second
chance
.
And parents should be held accountable for their children.
And
parents
should
be
held
accountable
for
their
children
.
That is another reason why there is such a huge achievement gap.
That
is
another
reason
why
there
is
such
a
huge
achievement
gap
.
All children should be monitored at home in order to achieve great success in school.
All
children
should
be
monitored
at
home
in
order
to
achieve
great
success
in
school
.
Perhaps it might be a great idea for urban school districts to offer free classes to parents on how to help their students at home.
Perhaps
it
might
be
a
great
idea
for
urban
school
districts
to
offer
free
classes
to
parents
on
how
to
help
their
students
at
home
.
Of course this idea is far fetched, after all we do not want to offend the parents.
Of
course
this
idea
is
far
fetched
,
after
all
we
do
not
want
to
offend
the
parents
.
What we will do instead is to spend a fortune on teacher training because if the kids are not doing well it must be the fault of the teacher.
What
we
will
do
instead
is
to
spend
a
fortune
on
teacher
training
because
if
the
kids
are
not
doing
well
it
must
be
the
fault
of
the
teacher
.
That kind of mindset, if allowed to continue will be a perfect recipe for greater achievement gaps.
That
kind
of
mindset
,
if
allowed
to
continue
will
be
a
perfect
recipe
for
greater
achievement
gaps
.
I started working at my current school in August and I have been in the teaching field for 25 years.
I
started
working
at
my
current
school
in
August
and
I
have
been
in
the
teaching
field
for
25
years
.
What I believe is that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make that horse drink.
What
I
believe
is
that
you
can
lead
a
horse
to
water
but
you
ca
n't
make
that
horse
drink
.
You can't force kids to change bad habits over night, nor can we afford to lower standards just so a kid can pass a class.
You
ca
n't
force
kids
to
change
bad
habits
over
night
,
nor
can
we
afford
to
lower
standards
just
so
a
kid
can
pass
a
class
.
Why are so many students not doing well? Why is there such a huge achievement gap between urban and suburban students? Just this week, in my school the seventh grade team leader called a meeting to discuss academic detention. The purpose of the detention is to allow students who are doing poorly a second chance to redo the work. Now if a student did not understand an assignment I have no trouble allowing that student to redo a test or give some extra credit work, but if a student did poorly because he/she opted not to do the work out of sheer laziness, that student should not be given a second chance.  And parents should be held accountable for their children. That is another reason why there is such a huge achievement gap. All children should be monitored at home in order to achieve great success in school. Perhaps it might be a great idea for urban school districts to offer free classes to parents on how to help their students at home. Of course this idea is far fetched, after all we do not want to offend the parents. What we will do instead is to spend a fortune on teacher training because if the kids are not doing well it must be the fault of the teacher. That kind of mindset, if allowed to continue will be a perfect recipe for greater achievement gaps.  I started working at my current school in August and I have been in the teaching field for 25 years. What I believe is that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make that horse drink. You can't force kids to change bad habits over night, nor can we afford to lower standards just so a kid can pass a class.