Closing the Achievement Gap
3 credits / 45 hours
Instructor Jessica Haase
Course Description
The achievement gap is something that we all, as educators committed to helping our children, play an important role and responsibility in closing. Without an honest and open discourse, however, finding and addressing the major factors influencing the achievement gap within our own classrooms, schools, districts, and communities, it is difficult to implement change. Teachers enrolled in this course will be guided through a close and collaborative examination of the practices and needs particular to their places of work. Over the next five weeks, we will collaborate in scrutinizing data, teaching trends, and student perception to arrive at an understanding of what we can do to help close the gap not only as educators within a given classroom, but as potential leaders among colleagues and students in setting standards of practice that promote achievement for all.
$285.00 – $580.00
Course Description
The achievement gap is something that we all, as educators committed to helping our children, play an important role and responsibility in closing. Without an honest and open discourse, however, finding and addressing the major factors influencing the achievement gap within our own classrooms, schools, districts, and communities, it is difficult to implement change. Teachers enrolled in this course will be guided through a close and collaborative examination of the practices and needs particular to their places of work. Over the next five weeks, we will collaborate in scrutinizing data, teaching trends, and student perception to arrive at an understanding of what we can do to help close the gap not only as educators within a given classroom, but as potential leaders among colleagues and students in setting standards of practice that promote achievement for all.
Course Objectives
Students that enroll in this class will...
Know
- what the achievement gap is and which students “fall” into it.
- all of the most important data and statistics regarding disparities in achievement in the United States.
- what causes the achievement gap.
Understand
- how current practices may either intentionally or inadvertently isolate minority students and turn them away from education.
- how effective teaching practices and positive school/district policy can affect student achievement.
- how systemic discrimination results from hidden inequities in opportunity.
and Be Able To
- identify current practices within his or her district, school, and/or classroom that contribute to or help close the achievement gap.
- handle / discuss ideas in closing the achievement gap with both honesty and sensitivity.
- use student perception to guide change in their own classrooms and schools.
- immediately implement a variety of teaching tools and strategies that can help close the achievement gap in their classrooms.
