Closing the Poverty and Culture Gap

'I can get future teachers to appreciate the role of culture and poverty, but it is very hard for them to translate that understanding into specific activities or strategies. This book provides so much more than any other text that I have ever used in an Introduction to Education course regarding working with diverse populations' - Rosemary Traore, Assistant Professor of Urban Education, 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; and, 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.