Research Update: School Makes a Difference in America

Few would disagree that effort and achievement are fundamental to our country’s leadership in the world. Yet, the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) studies show that, despite our efforts to raise academic standards, improve teacher quality, restructure schools, and provide quality curricula and materials, American students consistently score worse and study less than those in other highly-developed countries. How have we as parents, educators, and a culture reduced the significance of school and learning in the eyes of our children?

 

How do the cultural and social values of modern American society contribute to the erosion of academic effort? Competing American cultural values encourage students to spread their efforts over a variety of academic and non-academic activities. Both parents and teachers send mixed signals to students about the purpose of school. Our culture often steers students’ attention away from academic pursuits. Overscheduled teens are encouraged to pursue a wide variety of activities that compete with academics for their time and interest.

 

How do school policies and classroom practices limit student effort and achievement? With minimal effort high-ability students usually garner the most attention, receive the best grades, attain the highest test scores, and reap academic honors. Meanwhile, the efforts of the largest group of students, those with average ability, are often ignored. The labors of less-talented, low-ability, or disadvantaged students are seldom acknowledged. Too often, educators lower their expectations of them. When students who must work the hardest have the least incentive to do so, they become indifferent or disruptive. 

 

What classroom practices undermine effort and achievement? For a variety of reasons some teachers fail to insist that their students work to their full potential. Some feel they are protecting students from failure; some simply cave in to pressure from parents, students or others. Some offer challenging work but then undercut expectations by bargaining with students or offering them an easy way out.

 

What can we do to instill the drive to succeed? How can we raise the amount and quality of academic effort and achievement? It is imperative that teachers, schools, and parents examine their policies and practices. We must begin early and work together to:

·     Make academic effort and learning the highest priorities in every student’s life.

·     Communicate the message to students early, consistently, and continually: A good education comes first; there is no future without it. 

·     Act to focus students’ attention on the learning that is critical to their future: Education is a life-long process; every student must develop the inner drive to learn.

·     Define the skills all students must develop and all schools must teach: Academic success depends on knowing how to learn as well knowing what to learn;

·     Remember that the best intentions will fail unless educators tap the efforts and abilities of all students.

 

Let’s Talk:

How are you, your school and parent organizations addressing the challenge of refocusing students on effort and achievement? Tell us about the results of your efforts.