Teaching to Change the World - Book Report/Review Example

Teaching to Change the World al Affiliation) My personal perspectives on the book teaching to change the world are similar to the authors. First, there are schooling inequalities. Not all schools have the facilities that are conducive for learning. Not all schools have the basic educational facilities like high quality classrooms, high academic standards, up to date library and computer technology. In addition, there is inequality outside school. Many American schoolchildren face economic inequality and isolation, as well as inequality in the basics of life.

They come from Low-income families who work for long hours for low income. They lack adequate food, housing, and health care. This affects them greatly as they are not able to concentrate on the studies. For example, lack of adequate housing affects a student’s ability to perform well. The current educational practices that relate to the book include the following. Making school knowledge has meaning by using curriculum guides in different grade levels and subjects. Some of the subjects taught in schools include Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and English language.

However, there is a struggle over the school curriculum. There is an exclusion of people of color, especially women. Oftentimes, students of color who are working class get the exposure to different programs that reflect diverse educational policies. In addition, schools have policies and laws to make them effective, efficient, and equitable. Moreover, there is a distribution of resources to support all students learning needs but this will depend on what kind of school a student attends. Most students in suburban schools have qualified teachers, and the resources to be successful in post-secondary education (Oakes & Lipton, 2006).

Students in urban schools are unloved and have minimal resources. The schooling outcomes bring the differences in opportunity. African American and low-income children lag behind and more often take low ability and drop out of school at higher rates. They do not perform well in school, few proceed to college, and fewer earn college degrees. On the other hand, the whites have better income, perform well in school, and proceed to earn degrees. There are increased expectations from public schools as the society has charged the schools with several social responsibilities like preserving the American culture and supporting the economy of the nation.

The author’s perspective addresses the current educational practices by designing instructions that make students achieve high expectations. Teachers need to challenge procedures that reflect low expectations. Moreover, teachers need to have a classroom culture that encourages sharing and cooperation in the classroom. Students tend to be more alert and productive in an activity-setting environment other than being engaged in a single activity over a period (Oakes & Lipton, 2006). Additionally, teachers need to provide effective preparation by using brainstorming ways to extend student understanding before beginning a lesson.

They also engage in cooperative groups where the more capable students teach slower students. Finally, to curb on the gender differences in using technology, teachers plan to support all students and ensuring there is equality in the distribution of all the resources. In conclusion, students need to feel cared for by their teachers and the entire school culture should show that students are important. ReferenceOakes, J., & Lipton, M. (2006). Teaching to change the world. Boston [Mass.: McGraw-Hill College.