[quote=afx114]I think we also need to challenge the idea that higher income schools equal better quality teachers. Some of the smartest people I know are teachers, and they chose to take a lower salary to teach in lower-income and less “prestigious” schools because of their desire to make a difference and help out those who are less fortunate. I know a lot of teachers, and all of them have chosen this route. I wonder if this is just my personal little anecdote, or whether it has legs beyond my circle of teacher friends.[/quote]
I’ve worked in both low-income and high-income schools and concur with your findings.
Higher scores usually have very little to do with the talent or drive of the individual teachers, and in my experience, the teachers in low-income schools have to work five times harder to get the same results as their counterparts at the high-income schools (if they are lucky).
For those of you who have never worked in a variety of schools, you would not believe the disparity in student abilities upon entering kindergarten. From that point, teachers are working like mad to make up the difference, and very few of these students will ever truly catch up, let alone excel. It is sad, and this is the reason you see an emphasis on “0-3” education. Hate to say it, but a child’s foundation (early years — nurturing and exposure to “academic” and general knowledge) is critical.
