STAFF EDITORIAL: Below Basic, Proficient or Advanced. Where do you belong?

Think of your favorite teacher. What strategies did he or she utilize? The goal of a teacher is to ensure that all students in a classroom receive the education they deserve. Unfortunately, there is an educational success gap between students: The gap typically exists between the academic success of Hispanics and African Americans against Asians and Caucasians. This flaw in education is called the achievement gap and is one of the most significant problems educators are trying to solve.
Teachers have developed an approach to close the achievement gap: differentiated instruction. A teacher instructs a class of students whose academic capabilities range from far below basic to advanced. The teacher first assesses the students, then groups them into categories based on their ability or skill level. Next, he or she would have different lesson plans to either help the below basic group catch up, allow the proficient to practice or challenge the advanced. Once the entire class understands, the teacher can move on.
Realistically, the educator most likely would cater to one extreme and neglect the latter. The amount of commitment and time required for differentiated instruction to effectively work is immeasurable. Proof of this technique working is extremely rare. Alternatively, the advanced could be receiving the most focus, leaving the other groups of kids struggling to catch up. With bias residing in each of us, the idea of each student receiving equal attention is not realistic.
The type of teacher also plays a key role. One must also take into account the teacher’s judgment when constructing their educational capability groups. There are detrimental effects that a student can experience by being placed in a specific group, but more so if they were placed in the wrong group, which can easily happen.
Students must learn to keep up with the rigor of a course and life. Learning how to take the initiative and ask for help when needed enables growth, not only as a student, but also as a person. If a student doesn’t understand a concept and does not ask for help, his or her grade will suffer. The transition to college may be unnecessarily challenging.
In theory, differentiated instruction is a great way for all students to learn. In reality, it is flawed and requires a very good teacher who is willing to commit overbearing amounts of time and energy. In the end, the achievement gap should be closed through the teaching of good work ethic and through students taking the initiative to understand and truly learn.