Connecting the Dots: How Race in America's Classrooms Affects Achievement

While reading this article I had many issues with the assumptions that people seem to make based on an individuals race. In the article it says from the beginning, American constructions of race and class have determined who had access to education. It goes on to talk about how schools ability group. Some of these groupings are inaccurate by language barriers, culture barriers and testing anxiety. The biggest problem I have with this is that students that are grouped in a lower class are being measured lower and are not expected to achieve. Another concept that is misunderstood by our community is that intelligence is something that is inherited. I have huge issues with this because the country as a whole is not only labeling your parents, but also labeling you based off of your parents' performance. If this is how it really works where did all the brilliant scientists come from? If it is hereditary how come their parents didn't come up with the ideas first? My next issue comes from IQ testing. This was supposed to be used as a test for an individual in their environment and should only be used as such. Again, there are barriers in IQ testing including language, culture and testing anxiety. To fix the issue teachers should use some of the following intervention ideas: Communicate your expectations in many ways, offer a genuine smile, greet the students by name, call on all students, prompt further thinking, and make effort to include the students culture in activity.