What happens when people “achieve”? Why do reactions to “achievement” vary so profoundly? And how might an anthropological study of achievement and its consequences allow us to develop a more nuanced model of the motivated agency that operates in the social world? These questions lie at the heart of this volume. Drawing on research from Southeast Asia, Europe, the United States, and Latin America, this collection develops an innovative framework for explaining achievement’s multiple effects—one which brings together cutting-edge theoretical insights into politics, psychology, ethics, materiality, aurality, embodiment, affect and narrative. In doing so, the volume advances a new agenda for the study of achievement within anthropology, emphasizing the significance of achievement as a moment of cultural invention, and the complexity of “the achiever” as a subject position.

No school improvement effort can be effective without addressing school culture, and in this book you'll learn how to put in place the five pillars essential to building a culture of achievement.

Most classrooms contain children from a variety of backgrounds, where home culture, religious beliefs and the family′s economic situation all impact on achievement. This needs to be recognised by teachers in order to establish fair, respectful, trusting and constructive relationships with children and their families, which will allow every child to reach their full potential. This book looks at real issues that affect teachers in the classroom, and examines a variety of influences affecting child development. It provides you with the theoretical and practical information you need to ensure you understand the complex factors which affect the children in your care, and it encourages good, thoughtful teaching. Dealing with some of the less widely addressed aspects of diversity and inclusion, the book considers: - children who are asylum seekers - the notion of ′pupil voice′ - what diversity and equality mean in practice - gender and achievement - looked-after children - social class - disability - ethnicity and whiteness This book is essential reading for any education student looking at diversity and inclusion, and for teachers in role looking for advice on how to meet the professional standards.

Contemporary public policy assumes that the achievement gap between black and white students could be closed if only schools would do a better job. According to Richard Rothstein, "Closing the gaps between lower-class and middle-class children requires social and economic reform as well as school improvement. Unfortunately, the trend is to shift most of the burden to schools, as if they alone can eradicate poverty and inequality." In this book, Rothstein points the way toward social and economic reforms that would give all children a more equal chance to succeed in school. This book features: a summary of numerous studies linking school achievement to health care quality, nutrition, childrearing styles, housing stability, parental economic security, and more ; aA look at erroneous and misleading data that underlie commonplace claims that some schools "beat the demographic odds and therefore any school can close the achievement gap if only it adopted proper practices." ; and an analysis of how the over-emphasis of standardized tests in federal law obscures the true achievement gap and makes narrowing it more difficult.

Teachers make a difference. The success of any plan for improving educational outcomes depends on the teachers who carry it out and thus on the abilities of those attracted to the field and their preparation. Yet there are many questions about how teachers are being prepared and how they ought to be prepared. Yet, teacher preparation is often treated as an afterthought in discussions of improving the public education system. Preparing Teachers addresses the issue of teacher preparation with specific attention to reading, mathematics, and science. The book evaluates the characteristics of the candidates who enter teacher preparation programs, the sorts of instruction and experiences teacher candidates receive in preparation programs, and the extent that the required instruction and experiences are consistent with converging scientific evidence. Preparing Teachers also identifies a need for a data collection model to provide valid and reliable information about the content knowledge, pedagogical competence, and effectiveness of graduates from the various kinds of teacher preparation programs. Federal and state policy makers need reliable, outcomes-based information to make sound decisions, and teacher educators need to know how best to contribute to the development of effective teachers. Clearer understanding of the content and character of effective teacher preparation is critical to improving it and to ensuring that the same critiques and questions are not being repeated 10 years from now.

No plan to increase achievement and enact reform in the social studies classroom will succeed without recognizing the central importance of the teacher as the gatekeeperof instruction. In this book, Thornton details why teachers must develop strong skills in curriculum planning and teaching methods in order for effective instruction to occur. Thornton helps teachers to develop a vision of their practice that will build strong social studies programs and inspire students to learn. This book features replicable examples of the kinds of reflective practice that will enable teachers to animate classroom instruction and create a dynamic social studies curriculum and an analysis of how teachers adapt and shape state and district level curricula and classroom materials to fit the specific needs of their students, and a model of how to develop an instructional program with suggestions for lesson planning.

Build teacher capacity to promote students′ authentic intellectual work In spite of numerous reforms to improve rigor and relevance in the classroom, our schools have been slow to change. This work provides A research-validated, field-tested framework that can be applied across grades and disciplines A powerful professional learning component that emphasizes teacher collaboration Detailed examples of lessons, assignments, assessment tasks, and student work Backed by over 20 years of research, the Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) framework helps school-based teams improve the quality of instruction, assessment, and curriculum for higher and more equitable student learning. "Newmann and colleagues offer a refreshing approach to research and professional development, which deeply honors teachers′ critical inquiry and collaboration. Thanks to their insights, educators finally have a framework for promoting rigor and relevance across all grades and subjects. Those who join this journey will reap the rewards of increased teacher engagement and improved student learning." Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Stanford University "Authentic Intellectual Work enables educators to overcome challenges to Common Core implementation. Newmann, Carmichael, and King explain how the AIW approach builds the culture of collaboration and trust required for successful school reform. Importantly, they show how collective professional development among teachers and school leaders can enhance educators’ learning and practice, leading to more equitable student outcomes." Greg Anrig, Senior Fellow The Century Foundation