The Educator's Handbook for Understanding and Closing Achievement Gaps
- Joseph Murphy - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
'No one is better positioned than Joseph Murphy to provide lessons for education leaders on this important topic' - Andrew Porter, George and Diane Weiss Professor of Education , University of Pennsylvania
'For too long, the achievement gap has been proclaimed, discussed, and then dismissed as a subject of despair. Seldom has it been systematically defined, placed in historical perspective, or positively addressed. Through thorough scholarship, comprehensive knowledge, and creativity, this book fills that void' - James W. Guthrie, Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor of Educational Leadership and Public Policy, Vanderbilt University
'While offering no simple pathway to progress, this book reminds us how much more we can do to close achievement gaps' - Michael S. Knapp, Director
Center for the Study of Teaching & Policy, University of Washington
Distinguished researcher Joseph F. Murphy has gathered and analyzed the most up-to-date research and data to help headteachers understand what the achievement gap is, why it persists, and what teachers can do about it. This comprehensive handbook:
- Examines external factors that contribute to achievement gaps, such as socioeconomic status, family environment, racism, and individual differences
- Covers internal factors such as instruction, school culture, and school support
- Provides strategies for addressing both internal and external factors to make an impact.
"No one is better positioned than Joseph Murphy to provide lessons for education leaders on this important topic. He offers an exceptionally comprehensive, timely, wise, and well-researched treatment of the achievement gap."
"For too long, the achievement gap has been proclaimed, discussed, and then dismissed as a subject of despair. Seldom has it been systematically defined, placed in historical perspective, or positively addressed. Through thorough scholarship, comprehensive knowledge, and creativity, this book fills that void."
"This book speaks directly to the central challenge now facing educational practitioners and policy makers: how to close the achievement gap. Beginning with a remarkably comprehensive and accessible analysis of the gap's causes, the book offers a refreshingly balanced, evidence-based, state-of-the-art outline of productive solutions that should inform the work of all educational stakeholders."
"This volume offers a balanced, comprehensive, and practical resource for those who continue to struggle against enduring educational inequities. While offering no simple pathway to progress, it reminds us how much more we can be doing to close achievement gaps."
