A Little Closer to Filling the Gap

Fo my paper in my English composition class, as I have discussed in previous blogs, will be focusing on at-risk students in the classroom community. After completing some initial research and creating an annotated bibliography, I am trying to narrow my question to fill a gap in the research of experts. Two teacher researchers, Sherri Peckman and Pauline V. Hodges, describe the methods that they have used in their rural communities that connect students' lives to the curriculm of the classroom. Another researcher, Carl Young discusses the why there is a barrier between at-risk students and success in school. I would like to try to blend some of these ideas together. I will be researching methods that teacher us in order to teach at-risk students, but I will be looking to see if the methods are successful. My state, Colorado, uses the CSAP as a standardized test for classrooms. My evaluation of their methods will be drawn from those test scores as well as other observable evaluations. Through my case study, I will be able to draw upon more methods and more evaluations than my research provides. I want to find successful way that teachers address the state or district standard while still appealing to the needs or solving some of the problems that occur in at-risk communities.