tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post8534918725686192912..comments2024-03-16T13:43:21.762-04:00Comments on Schools Matter: The Research and Policy Implementation to Support DetrackingJames Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462754705431590571noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-8442295980703486192010-01-16T11:19:14.769-05:002010-01-16T11:19:14.769-05:00We may have integrated the schools but not the cla...We may have integrated the schools but not the classrooms. Come to my high school of 1900 and look in any classroom. If you see 29 of the 30 students are white, you're looking into an honors or AP class. If the class appears to be "diverse", it most likely is a regular class. Honors classes have mostly veteran teachers with students who are all focused on achieving college admissions. Their parents are strong advocates for them and their education. The classes are fast paced, stimulating, and productive. Classroom management is not a concern. Homework is completed by all students, and all students are engaged in the instruction or class activity. In the regular classrooms, attendance is a major problem, classroom management consumes a significant amount of time, the pacing of instruction is slowed to the lowest level student,home work is usually completed by half the class, and many students are not engaged in the class's instruction or activity. Programs like AVID, Achievement Via Individual Determination, reach into this under served group of students and encourages and supports them in taking honors and AP courses. This program offers a peer support group for minorities who desire to go to college. Education needs to reverse this trend of classroom segregation, and we have the technology to implement many methods that can overcome this archaic approach to learning.John Rinkanoreply@blogger.com