The achievement gap between White and Black/Latino/Native American public high school students is not getting any better. Any progress we have made in recent years has come to a halt. Seemingly, we have focused on all those factors that might contribute to this gap – poverty, family structure, institutional practices, teacher support, and subject-specific teacher training.
Why hasn’t anyone examined whether culturally intelligent (CQ) teachers can significantly close this gap? Culturally intelligent educators possess the awareness, understanding, skills, and commitment to effectively relate to students from diverse backgrounds, students who need someone to believe in them, and someone who knows where they are coming from. I know first-hand what a difference even one culturally intelligent teacher can make. I am married to one.
My wife teaches high school math in one of the most diverse areas in the country; Montgomery County, Maryland. While she certainly has the requisite background in math, it is her CQ that sets her apart. Her expectations are high, her faith in her students is unwavering, and they know she cares. Her ability to adjust on the fly, be creative in the face of cultural diversity, and make that diversity a plus rather than a deficit help explain why her “low-achieving students” make such progress in her classes.
If we are truly concerned about closing this gap, why aren’t we taking a hard look at the impact of teachers’ CQ? Why aren’t we re-examining the cultural gap between teachers and their students and its impact on minority student achievement?
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Sir, first we have to ask who are we asking this question. Are we asking the folk who say that every child has a right to a decent education, and constantly close down schools and libraries, folks that give children no outlet because all of the PAL centers and recreation centers are closing. Your wife possesses the essential tools for a child to succeed. She cares, she’s flexible and creative. She addresses the whole child and not just a portion. Her children succeed because she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty. She knows what it takes for a a child to be successful in learning and I feel she has demonstrated it numerous times. She believes in their ability to learn and make them believe it too. The problem is, we really need to locate people with the same mindset and perhaps we could get the ball rolling. To the dinosaurs, CQ teachers may be frightening to them. They may think of you as unorthodoxed and a since of them loosing control of teachers and a system that could use new blood. Until the mindsets of the head hauncho’s change we will continue to see an achievement gap in children. Also, I keep in mind that if our outstanding educators aren’t supported the gap will increase. We live in a society that is interested in building new jails for our children instead of schools. Sister Bucher keep on keeping on, I’m rooting for you.
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