Point of View
Addressing the Achievement Gap
through Art
Claire Simanski
No Child Left Behind
(NCLB) has changed the
face of education in America. Now that the law is
coming up for renewal, it is time to
deal with the problems and inequities
it has created.
First, whatever the outcome, the
law has to be fully funded. Without
the proper funds, we cannot carry
out the intent of the law. Quality
education costs money. Millions of
dollars have been targeted to finance
research on the most effective methods of classroom teaching, money
that could have been spent on reducing class size, which has been proven
to close the achievement gap.
Emphasis has been placed on the
teacher as the main cause for the
achievement gap. Training, placements, guidelines, professional learning communities, exchange of ideas,
and close scrutiny of credentials
have all placed a great deal of stress
on teachers. Yet, NCLB has failed
to notice that there are two other
factors at work
besides schools and
teachers. We must
address the other
two parts of the
education problem
in this country: the
student and the parent.
Learning takes place when students look at, discuss, and make art.
to be addressed. Ideally, every child
should be ready for school when the
time comes. Television and computers are not a substitute for interaction
with parents. More time and money
needs to be spent on identifying and
helping at-risk children from birth to
age five.
Disciplinary Challenges
Time is always a problem for teach-
ers—time to work out methods and
new approaches
that that could help.
Yet no one teacher
or team of teach-
ers can provide
the answer for all
problems. Students
and parents must be ready for what
is expected of them. Students must
understand that education leads to
productivity in later life. Parents need
to parent so teachers can spend less
time disciplining.
In the artroom any child
can succeed as images
and examples can take
the place of words.
accommodate their learning styles or
particular needs. For the new immigrant, the arts offer a practical way of
entering our society. In the artroom,
any child can succeed as images and
examples can take the place of words.
Many immigrant children with no
English skills have not only done well
in the artroom, but have gained confidence in using English, made new
friends, and learned that they have
art skills that can gain them future
employment in this country. They
see that art from their own country
is respected here and understand that
they do fit in as well.
Social Challenges
Unfortunately, the achievement
gap starts long before a child enters
school. It may even start before the
child is conceived. High-risk pregnancies, low birth weights, parents with
addictions, and unhealthy surroundings are plentiful in our country.
These are social problems that need
Closing the Gap
There is an achievement gap in this
country that needs to be closed or
narrowed, so we can maintain our
standard of living, solve ecological
problems, find new sources for power,
and pull ahead in the twenty-first
century. Through art, we can make it
work.
Cultural Challenges
Children from other cultures learn
in different ways, and we are not differentiating instruction enough to
Claire Simanski is an art teacher at Herndon Middle School in Herndon, Virginia.
Simanksi@fcps.edu
