Closing the Poverty and Culture Gap: Strategies to Reach Every Student by Donna E. Walker Tileston
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
'Provides a rich collection of research for instructional strategies. The combination of a call to action and supporting strategies provides a tool kit for instructional leaders' - Mary Reeve, Director, Services for Exceptional Students
Gallup McKinley County Schools, NM
Many caring teachers have expressed a need for more help in improving student achievement, especially in low-performing/high-poverty schools. This research-based book offers a comprehensive set of instructional strategies that have been proven to make a significant difference in student learning when diverse cultures and poverty come into play.
Donna Walker Tileston and Sandra K. Darling provide a six-part framework to help teachers build on students' assets and strengths rather than attempt to overcome perceived disadvantages. Based on their extensive experience and gathered data, the authors discuss:
- Why some cultures are "turned off" by typical motivational approaches and what educators can do to reach students
- What research says about the brain's desire to learn
- How teachers can build on students' prior knowledge and help forge new connections
- The importance of resiliency, especially for students of poverty and diverse cultures
- Teaching procedural and declarative knowledge and preparing students for high-stakes tests
This practical resource provides the key structures for working effectively with students of differing cultures and poverty, ensuring higher student achievement in the diverse classroom.