Creating the Opportunity to Learn: Moving from Research to Practice to Close the Achievement Gap, Sep/2011

After years of applying more pressure on schools to raise achievement levels for all students, particularly those who underperform their mainstream peers, the achievement gap today remains virtually unchanged. But the reality is that there's proof that, under the right conditions, all students can achieve at high levels. Instead of "quick-fix reforms" that promise "miracles" but deliver little, here's a book that delves into the research to provide you with realistic solutions for catching up children in danger of failing and dropping out. Two giants in the fields of education, psychology, and equity—A. Wade Boykin and Pedro Noguera—reveal bold truths about the achievement gap, including:

Why it's a mistake to explain and rationalize the persistence of the achievement gap on the basis of a single influence, such as poverty, family background, or culture.

What is wrong with popular approaches to closing the achievement gap.

Why it is critical to focus on the assets that each student brings to the classroom, rather than on the perceived deficiencies.

Why pluralizing the cultural conditions in schools increases the possibility that a greater number of students—from a wider range of backgrounds—will learn.

Drawing from the evidence from successful schools, this definitive text provides you with a promising framework for addressing the key actions that need to be replicated in schools everywhere, such as

Promoting and enhancing student engagement in learning and addressing avoidance behaviors.

Raising the levels of three key personal behaviors: self-efficacy, self-regulated learning, and incremental ability beliefs about intelligence.

Cultivating constructive classroom dynamics and transactions such as positive teacher student relationships and collaborative learning.

Here's your opportunity to understand why some school districts are making more progress than others, to make sure

About The Authors:
A. Wade Boykin is a professor and director of the graduate program in the Department of Psychology at Howard University. He is also the executive director of the Capstone Institute at Howard University.

Pedro Noguera is an internationally recognized thought leader on addressing issues of equity and diversity in public schools. He is the Peter L. Agnew Professor at New York University s Steinhardt School of Education, the executive director of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, and the co-director of the Institute for the Study of Globalization and Education in Metropolitan Settings.