Closing the Achievement Gap in Disadvantaged Communities: Lessons from Successful Schools期刊界 All Journals 搜尽天下杂志传播学术成果专业期刊搜索期刊信息化学术搜索

按检索

Closing the Achievement Gap in Disadvantaged Communities: Lessons from Successful Schools

Authors:	Pierre J du Plessis

Institution:	1. University of Johannesburg, South Africapierredp@uj.ac.zahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8269-4469

Abstract:	Abstract The fact that all children must attend school has characterised South Africa over the past two decades. While many schools are struggling to address this challenge, others have made strides and progress in closing the gap between groups. This article recounts how these secondary schools have been able to narrow the achievement gap and sustain their success over time. The three schools described here are all large public schools that serve disadvantaged communities in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Data was collected during meetings with the three schools which consisted of two rounds of focus group and one whole group session. These meetings helped the researcher to gather important information about each school’s characteristics, school change process, school climate, role of the curriculum and instructional practices in promoting learner achievement. While each of the participating schools has unique characteristics, a set of important common practices emerged.

Keywords:	achievement gap disadvantaged communities classroom teacher training educational change