ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the context of students from low socio-economic status (SES) contexts, while recognising the tension between SES as a driver of academic outcomes and discourses around teachers 'making a difference'. It focuses on teacher practice as one decisive educational resource in narrowing the equity gap for these students, particularly in focusing on higher-order intellectual challenge in place of the diet of low-level, functional tasks often served up to these students. The chapter argues that pedagogy in such contexts which is driven by teacher collaboration and teacher research is such a decisive educational resource for hope in low SES communities. The Insider school names practices that place pedagogical leadership at the centre of the work in low SES school communities. The chapter also argues that action research is an important driver for success in the democratic project.
