My high school did quite well. To begin with, I am always hard pressed to give a 5.

A 5
implies perfection to me. Overall, my school split it down the middle to me. Doing really well
with Literacy and grade level curriculum, protecting and extending instructional time. The areas
that I felt were a little behind were innovatively, expanding teachers roles and responsibilities,
addressing students social and emotional needs and involving parents in their childrens
education. I considered our readings and feedback I have heard from other teachers. There is
also of my own personal opinion.
Our school is strong in school spirit and it is a school that is well known in the
community. When I was thinking about our school, I was thinking about our football team. We
are never good, yet people pack the stadium. Alumni come from many past generations wearing
our school colors and so proud to support the football team year after year and loss after loss. I
think that literacy is important on our campus. During our daily announcements the kids have a
vocabulary word of the day. For myself, I teach a pilot program through Pearson. It is called ILit.
I find it innovative and the kids do seem to enjoy it. The school encourages me to learn more
about the program and use it as much as I can in the classroom. As far as delivering age
appropriate curriculum and content. I do think that we are on target for offering the content, I
think that our kids are lacking reading skills and perhaps struggle to keep up with where they
should be. As stated by Bowman in Cultural Diversity and Academic Achievement. The
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NEAP) reported that students from low
socioeconomic backgrounds and many children of color consistently achieve below the national
average in mathematics and language skills, with the gap widening as children continue through
their school years. This could be the case in our school. We do have a large low socioeconomic
group.

When it comes to organization of instruction the school has this down to a very organized
system. Students know what is expected, when it is expected and the flow of their schedule and
the goals they should be attempting. Teachers are quick to offer academic recovery and extend
their school hours to assisting students after school. Also true is that our school offers many
students a Learning Center. This is a place where students can come to catch up and have
instruction from a teacher in classes where they may be struggling. I find this to be supportive
and strong. Students know that they can have the support they need to be successful.
The area where I think our school lacks is in the areas of innovatively, expanding
teachers roles and responsibilities. Addressing students emotional needs and finally involving
parents in their students education. I think our teachers are overwhelmed, there is simply too
much to do and not enough people to do it. There is no doubt that teachers love the students but
there is not a push to be active in the community with the things they are accomplishing. As
stated by Gloria Ladson-Billings But That's Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally
Relevant Pedagogy These fluid relationships extended beyond the classroom and into the
community. Thus, it was common for the teachers to be seen attending community functions
(e.g., churches, students' sports events) and using community services (e.g., beauty parlors,
stores). The teachers attempted to create a bond with all of the students, rather than an
idiosyncratic, individualistic connection that might foster an unhealthy competitiveness. I know
this sounds like an age old problem, but it is ridiculous to think that any of us could complete the
paperwork that is expected of us, and be in the students lives. Our school brings in an outside
agency to help SOME students struggling with various things in their lives. It is not until recently
that they are talking about having a mental health counselor full time for struggling students to
talk with. This is another area that falls on the teachers.

If I could redesign some of the things in our school, the first thing I would do would
allow our aides to work full time and receive benefits. The majority of our aides represent our
community and by treating them this way, it is a reflection on us as a school. As stated by John
Attinasi there is the concept or group of concepts about multiculturalism. As a movement,
multiculturalism affects school leaders, parents, community members, and society as a whole.
Multiculturalism challenges the vertical view of cultural development as the refined production
of an elite (mostly white men of leisure and power) and recognizes, from an anthropological
perspective, that all cultures have resources and value Academic Achievement, Culture, and
Literacy. This certainly holds true in the decisions made in our district. We continue to not offer
benefits, doing the bare minimum and not value what the cultures can give to us and how they
can make us better as a school. As I stated about Bowman also talks about the low
socioeconomic students ranking low on tests. I wonder if we are asking students if their parents
can read or if their families need support. Instead we put the kids in Special Education, calling
them out in front of their peers for not fitting in the box.
Essentially, we have some work to do to be better. As long as we acknowledge that we
need to be better for our families, our students and our community we can get there. If we
continue to follow in the same place, nothing will change. We all know kids are resilient, but
imagine how we could make them soar if we listened to what they were telling us they need to be
successful. They can be our leaders once we give them that opportunity.

My points:
Promote Literacy: 4
Deliver grade-level curriculum/content: 4
Organize instruction: 4
Innovatively: 3
Protect and extend instructional time: 4
Expand teachers roles and responsibilities: 3
Address students social and emotional needs: 3
Involve parents in their childrens education: 3

References
Attinasi, John: Academic Achievement, Culture and Literacy CD Lee 1994.
Bowman Barbara T.: Cultural Diversity and Academic Achievement Urban Education Program
1994.

Gloria Ladson-Billings: But Thats Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy G Ladson- Billings -1995.