Our conversation in class was very interesting. Discussing the different "resources" that are available to some and not to others was very enlightening. When your father makes enough money that your mom can stay home and help you with your homework, work at fundraising for your class trip, be a classroom mom, chaperon a field trip, or attend a PTA meeting, you, as their child, are benefiting from your mother's involvement and knowledge of what is going on in your school career. If your parents or parent have to work every minute of their day just to provide food and shelter for you, their ability to invest further in your school career is hindered. It may appear to your teacher or others that these parents don't care. I am not so naive as to suggest that there aren't some parents who do not care. However, I imagine that it is hard to focus on bettering your child's situation when you can hardly survive. In most cases, it is not that the parent does not care, but is working so hard to make ends meet that finding time to spend at their children's schools is damn near impossible. There is no way I know of to change these disparities. Our situations are what they are. To level the playing field for all families would be impossible. There has to be some way that we can provide equal opportunities for children in safe and abundant environments that prepare them for their lives.
I loved the clip that Patricia brought of the CLAS school. (To see this clip, click on this link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=W3AbBFzIokg) It is good to see that some people out there are thinking of new ways to do things. Trying new things is essential to find a better way to achieve our goals. I did, however, find that Kerri-Ann's assessment of their school was accurate. While they were doing some amazing things and achieving great success with students who had not done well before attending this new school, they were perpetuating segregation. Where were the Native Americans and the Latinos and the Asians and the Caucasians who were having difficulties? What day do they study about the Berlin wall coming down, the French revolution, or the fighting in Ireland? The things that shape us, our own personal history, is paramount, yes; however, the history of the world that surrounds us is just as prevalent.
http://www.brookings.edu/press/review/spring98/darling.htm
Check out this article I found about unequal resources. Linda Darling-Hammond even discusses Kozol's work and his findings. It is a very informative article, but it is just further evidence to support what we already know.
What can we do to improve this situation? My ideas are similar to what Marx said. I think that out of necessity, the proletariat will have to overthrow the system of capitalism in this nation, at least in the case of education. We will have to take a socialist approach in order to provide for each of our children equally. Instead of some schools getting an overabundance of resources and others going without the basics, we should divide the funds for education evenly. There shouldn't be schools within minutes of one another with such gross financial disparities. The working class parents that need to call for this kind of change may be too busy working to further capitalism to see to this change. I guess it is up to us as the informed constituents to do what we can with what resources we've been blessed with.
As a teacher in training and a person hoping to be blessed with a child, I am hopeful that some changes can be made to our system to improve the likelihood that all children are given the opportunities that I wish for my students and my children. How can we increase the resources and their availability? What can we do as regular old constituents of this great nation to ensure that the future is brighter for ALL of our children? As the educated and concerned citizens, where can we begin to level this playing field for all children?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
What did you think about the Anyon article? The presenters mentioned that Linda Darling Hammond essay also. Very interesting.
Your thoughts on the video were right on. I was intrigued by the idea of a fifth day to teach cultural studies, and still believe it to be a novel way of teaching. We need to celebrate diversity in our world and its history. We need to assure that while we are teaching students the history of their cultures that we do not omit other cultures in that process.
Even if we were able to equalize resources we still have the problem that if we provide equality; money, teachers etc. those who have gone without for so long will still be very far behind their counterparts. The Anyon article touched on the different attitudes in these schools, largely due to the expectations placed on the students and teachers and even parents. We see that each school approaches education differently. In addition we see private funding in wealthy areas, that is not possible in working class areas. It appears that this is a long and difficult, yet necessary, process that will need both equalization of resources as well as a changing of attitudes.
I agree with you about the parents impact on their children's education. For some parents who work it is hard to meet the demands or work and of their child's education, but at the same time their is ways that parents can be involved while at work such as calling their children as was mentioned in another blog. Also, I have seen that money does not always make the best and brightest students, I think that the value that the parents place on education will be the overriding factor in whether or not a child does well in school.
I don't know if it's just my sick sense of humor, but I found parts of your blog funny. You are completely right, our country will have to take a socialist view on the matter and divide the funds for education evenly. What is so humorous about the matter, is that our education system is presently based on a semi-socialist viewpoint and it should and is assumed to divide the resources evenly. Public school children can get an education for free, that is one of our national highlights...Free education! In order to have obvious equal distribution of resources in our schools, will the government have to be overthrown and named an actual socialist country? To increase resources and availability I think an extreme equal opportunity mentality needs to be embedded in the minds of our society. Instead of airing reality show after reality show of the rich and famous, why not take a more humble approach and focus on our slowly declining middle class? Or how about get rid of reality shows altogether...ha...
I want to thank everyone for their interesting comments and briefly respond to what you've all said.
Ms. Educated,
I did not even realize that the article I found was the exact same one that the ladies used in class today. It is a good article. Very interesting, indeed.
Mike,
You are right that those students who have gone without the resources that so many others have benefitted from all along will still be far behind, but at least there will be some progress being made.
Josh,
I agree that money is not the only essential ingredient in the recipe for success when it comes to children's learning. Books and supplies are necessary to provide the kind of learning that is fun and interesting and makes kids want to learn, grow, and possibly even continue their education. You are right, though, much more than that is needed.
Jodi,
I'm glad you found my thoughts amusing. That's not really what I was going for, but that's fine. :D I want to make it clear that I think socialism is a bad idea for our country as a whole. I am talking about the children who don't have doors on their bathroom stalls and can't get text books at all or at least not the books that they can take home with them. Those are the kids I want to help. I have friends who have taught in public schools in NYC and they had to purchase all the supplies they needed to do projects with their kids. One of my friends had to resign and move back to this area, because she could not continue to teach in NYC. Too much of her paycheck was used to buy supplies. She is an excellent teacher. She loves the city and hated to come back here, but she could not survive down there on what was left over of her salary after she bought supplies for all of her students. I want these situations to end. Especially after hearing some students in our class talk about how their school had new lights put into their stadium ever other year. It just doesn't seem equal. I care enough to take drastic measures and I plan to do whatever it takes to provide every child with the opportunities they deserve. It is not that I'm a socialist. I just want fair and equal treatment for all kids.
Again, thank you all for your comments! :)
Just a few comments:
Another thing to remember about funding is that even if the federal funds were divided equally, the affluent and elite schools would still have more money available b/c they are strong at fund-raising, etc. so the resources in terms of money will always be unequal, I think. So then someone might propose to give those schools less money, but then they'd find a way to play around with the numbers... or they'll just use the power to persuade the government officials otherwise.
So, now we take a quick look at teachers then. Some politicians are proposing a "minimum wage" for teachers... but what should that be? And, geographical area should be considered b/c some places are much more expensive to live. So then what about those who suggest paying high bonuses to those teaching in "difficult" urban and rural areas? What good does it do to bring in better qualified teachers if there is no change to the curricula? Give me that binder that Kozol mentioned, I can transcribe notes to the boards for the students to copy... The curricula has to change to take advantage of the teacher's creativity with lesson planning. But, what are the students supposed to be prepared for? Is there only one aim of education? Or should there be that division that Anyon wrote about? Obviously, not all students will be elite after their education... will they be content, then, with their blue collar jobs? I think I mentioned Noddings before, but she argues that the blue and white collar jobs will still exist regardless of our educated our society becomes...
Let's say you had an elite education... but with so much competition for whatever job you chose, you weren't hired... so you try another... still not hired... now you're unemployed. Will you hold out for that same type of job? Or will you take a "lower-class" job b/c you need to pay your bills? If so, what would you attitude of the job be, etc.
Just a few thoughts... obviously, we could ramble back and forth even more on a few of the topics you covered, but I'll spare you the torture... :-D (also because I actually have to quit procrastinating and get to this week's topics and postings... haha)
Post a Comment