In high-achieving environments, teachers have high expectations for all students and provide an enriched curriculum. Maria Patterson, principal of Hollinger Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona, discusses the importance of high teacher expectations. A text transcript is available. High-achieving learning environments involve students in a variety of learning activities that are challenging and aligned with learning goals, promote engaged learning, and draw on the culture, life experiences, and knowledge of all students. They allow students to discuss, argue, and analyze issues and concepts.
Students explore, solve problems, and construct knowledge rather than just memorizing it.
Their work is authentic, engaging, and important, and it builds understanding from in-depth investigation. Henry Gradillas, principal of Garfield High School in Los Angeles, California, describes the effects of a challenging curriculum at his school. A text transcript is available. Instructional strategies teach all students both basic skills and demanding, higher-order thinking skills . A new view of at-risk students challenges the deficit model often applied to urban learners.