| Educators' tendency to presume that all children come | | | | cultural environment because they have been |
| to school knowing how to behave appropriately stems | | | | inadequately prepared to deal with upcoming situations. |
| from a major misassumption which in turn replicates | | | | They do not understand the school culture, and it is not |
| other misassumptions... | | | | their fault. Where were they supposed to learn it? |
| Many educators operate under the major but mistaken | | | | Coaching they have received in their communities or |
| premise that once students, regardless of background, | | | | from their parents may be inadequate or impotent to |
| come to school, and are exposed to the same | | | | counteract the contrary expectations of their peers. |
| teachers, environment, books, etc. that they are ready | | | | Their inadequate preparation for what is expected |
| to assimilate, they can just plunge right in, quickly settle | | | | lands them in an alien school culture. Positioned for |
| into learning, and be ready to maneuver the school | | | | certain failure and rejection, they lose their confidence |
| culture. This umbrella assumption covers students | | | | and become insecure, awkward, and prone to making |
| regardless of culture or origin. The misassumption | | | | clumsy mistakes. These imperiled students resort to |
| replicates itself in myriad ways: | | | | acting according to their own devices. They must |
| Mere Propinquity to successful students breeds | | | | either sink or swim in the swift current of the |
| successful students. Just placing all students,( | | | | classroom, and much too often they sink in failing |
| regardless of color, culture, exposure to school values) | | | | grades, discipline referrals, suspensions and high |
| in the same school, in the same classroom, assigning | | | | dropout rates. |
| them the same teacher is enough to get all students to | | | | Students whose home and school values are |
| learn similarly. | | | | synchronized are at ease. They experience fewer |
| All students have been taught how to act | | | | conflicts with authority figures, and comply with school |
| appropriately at home, and will be able to transfer this | | | | requirements. They anticipate what is expected of |
| knowledge to new situations. Or that the socialization | | | | them because they have been prepared and coached |
| all students receive at home is consistent with what | | | | in their communities, their homes and by their peers. |
| they need upon arrival in school. | | | | Their school experience is relatively pleasant. |
| Symptoms of the Problem | | | | The solution therefore, must be linked to correcting the |
| Adept in their home culture, students feel natural. They | | | | misassumptions and providing special training to all |
| operate efficiently and confidently. Entering the school | | | | students so that they can not only learn what the |
| setting opens up a range of comfort levels in students. | | | | values of the school are but learn how to embrace |
| Some of them waltz in smoothly while others bumble | | | | them. Correct the achievement gap problem at the |
| clumsily. Some are unable to cope in the new school | | | | level of embracing school values. |