A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Background

Education Research has found that...

1. We have to think of "education" rather than just schooling. Education of a student includes not only what happens in the classroom, but also what goes on outside of school. It is, therefore, necessary to involve parents and the community at large in the education of children.

2. The achievement gap between African-American and white students is closing. This reflects the investment of American society in access and equity in education.

3. Schools can be initiators and coordinators of support from the community that will help students cope with the multifaceted problems stemming from poverty.

4. Our society needs to educate students for understanding, not just for memorization. When a student understands, he or she can then apply that knowledge to solve a problem or invent something new.

5. Learning does not take place in isolation. Students bring to the learning setting what they have experienced and the values they have been taught at home and in their neighborhoods. This affects how they respond in particular to reading, writing, and literature. Teachers can use this finding to more actively engage students in understanding what they read and adding depth of thought to what they write.

6. Students who take more courses and at higher levels learn more. All students, regardless of race, gender, or ethnic background, can learn to higher levels.

7. There are many preschool activities that children are attracted to naturally that help them toward learning specific skills in school. For example, there are activities that build up to writing: scribbling; "pretend writing;" drawing pictures to substitute for words; or using one or two recognizable letters with other letters or scribbles that correspond to some sounds in a word.

8. Teachers need opportunities and resources to grow into new teaching roles. They need to participate in learning communities, networks, and study groups to learn and be stimulated by their peers in professional interchange.