Creating The Opportunity To Learn Chapter Summaries

Summary
Chapter 8 of Creating the Opportunity to Learn by A. Wade Boykin and Pedro Noguera discusses why some schools are making more progress than others in closing the achievement gap. The chapter describes how two schools that are similar in the demographics and challenges hindering achievement, can have two different results in their efforts to close the achievement gap. One school saw improvements because they recognized the problems and implemented research based strategies to help all students be successful. The other school did not because they did not fully acknowledge the gap, and accept their role in ensuring all students succeed. Boykin and Noguera described how some principal “do not merely admonish their staff with slogans or speak in platitudes about their commitment to academic success, rather they take on decisive steps to ensure that academic achievement remains the priority of their school” pg. 145). This quote highlights the purpose of the chapter because it is all about the actions taken toward raising achievement, not just the speeches and
rallies behind it.

One school did not acknowledge low achievement as a school wide problem, but attributed the low achievement to negative influence of family peers. In addition, this school tracked their students, did not encourage certain students to enroll in advancement placement course, and the parents felt the administration had low expectations of children of color. The other school offered tutoring afterschool, implemented a reading program, and partnered with a local college to offer college credit courses, and parent felt that the teachers did extra to help their children succeed. In the end, the second school saw improvements.

Strong Points
This chapter presents crucial information on how raising achievement can be difficult even with all of the research and resources available on the achievement gap. The authors stressed that change starts with the leadership of the principal/administration, and trickles down to the teachers and the overall school environment. The descriptions of how schools viewed the gap, and what strategies they implemented exemplified why the achievement gap has either closed or widened. The comparison of two schools with similar backgrounds on their effort to close the achievement gap was helpful in understanding how some schools improve and others do not.
Professional Opinion/Suggestion

Chapter 8 addressed the reasons for why some schools with similar demographics are able to raise achievement and some are not.
It provided examples of strategies and programs implemented that either can either close or widened the achievement gap. Since research shows that the schools effort to close the achievement gap starts with the leadership of the administration, I think school leaders should spend their professional development days focusing on interventions for academic achievement, and have access to research based strategies that have a track record of success in other schools. In addition, school leaders should be paired with each other for professional support and advice. I think it could be overwhelming to have the responsibility of raising achievement for a traditionally low-performing school, and school leaders are often time expected to know exactly what to do, which is not always
true.

Personal Reflection
In discussions about the achievement gap it seems as if the teachers are always the one to be blamed. However, this chapter emphasizes the importance of school leadership. The attitudes and directions from the administration up top trickles down to the teachers and into the classrooms. Research shows that for schools to close the achievement gap they need stability in leadership, avoid political conflicts, implement researched based strategies, monitors student improvement and provide early interventions allows for all students to be successful, and close the achievement gap. Unfortunately, these are not the strategies that all schools use to address academic concerns, which is why so many schools continue to fail. In general, I believe failing schools need to revamp their ideologies and possibly their school leaders. School leaders are responsible for creating the school culture and invention strategies, which are key components in ensuring that all students are successful. If the school leaders are not willing to make a change that is prove beneficial, then I think the change needs to start with the administration.