Only 20 miles from Boston, a lake sits quietly glistening — surrounded by sweet-smelling pine and oak trees. It can be seen dotted with visitors of every walk of life: elderly couples treading in the water, toddlers splashing in the shallow perimeters, and youthful athletes making steady strokes through the pond's diameter.
Despite this society of joyful intruders, an inescapable feeling of calm transcends the area. The pond is not only bewitching, but has the solemnity of a designated historic landmark. It was there, in 1845, that native Concord resident Henry David Thoreau began writing his famous book Walden; or Life in the Woods.
Boston is the birthplace of our nation's public education. The city's public schools are comprised of 128 schools with 57,000 students. It is a diverse amalgam of 40 percent Hispanic, 35 percent black, 13 percent white, and 9 percent Asian students, representing over 100 different countries. The ratio of BPS teachers is 62 percent white, 21 percent black, and 10 percent Hispanic. Although Boston is a vibrant and innovative city, 78 percent of students come from low-income households. We asked three BPS teachers for their perspectives on the challenges they face in their classrooms, and how they foster student achievement in difficult surroundings.
