Close the Achievement Gap Simple Strategies That Work

Introduction
Introductory Comments
Achievement Gap Facts
A Story: Through the Cracks
The Matthew Effect
The Field Trip
Heads Together
Six Simple Strategies to Close the Achievement Gap
1. Set High Expectations: Get Kids Emotionally Involved
Quote: "They don¿t teach us enough."
Strategies:
Brain Principles
Student Choice
TESA -- Teacher Expectations, Student Achievement
Facing the Day with Feelings
The Right Way
Reflection: What Teachers Make
Film: Dead Poets Society
2. Challenge Students to Think: Teach Higher Order Thinking
Quote: "Make kids think."
Strategies:
Three-Story Intellect
Fat and Skinny Questions
Unpack the Language
The Threaded Model
Nine Best Practices
Reflection: The Average Child
Film: Saturday Night Live: The Best of Jerry Seinfeld "World War II 101"
3. Require Rigor: Require Complete Sentences, Standard English, Formal Register
Quote: "Good Morning, Class. I¿m Miss Hobbs!"
Strategies:
Down Memory Lane
Diagramming Sentences
Put Words in My Mouth
The Sentence Squad
Mr. Pete¿s Questions
Reflection: Mr. Parnes¿ Questions
Film: To Sir, with Love
4. Leave Nothing to Chance: Revisit! Review! Re-teach! Revise!
Quote: "I told them what they¿re supposed to know."
Strategies:
Revisit with a Two-Minute Buzz
Review by Dialing 4-1-1 and Connecting
Re-teach the MI Way
Revise for Precision and Accuracy
Reflection: Invitation to Learn
Film: Teachers
5. Make No Excuses: Encourage At-Risk Participation
Quote: "What is it about me you can¿t teach?"
Strategies:
Fishbowl, Card Game, and TAG
Co-operative Learning Strategies
Whole Group Strategies
Partner Strategies
Reflection: Yoüre a Hero to Someone
Film: Mr. Holland¿s Opus
6. Insist on Results: Emphasize Reading
Quote: " When kids can¿t, won¿t or don¿t read, nothing else matters."
Strategies:
Learning to Read
Loving to Read
Getting Kids to Love to Read
Self-Selected Reading
Vocabulary Building
Comprehension Strategies
Delve Into Data
Reflection: Let the Data Tell the Story
Film: Pay It Forward
References
Bibliography
Poem