In the brief, Poverty and Potential: Out-of-School Factors and School Success- http://epicpolicy.org/publication/poverty-and-potential, David C. Berliner outlines the six major factors that negatively impact achievement in our nation’s schools. These factors include; 1) low birth weight and prenatal influences, 2) inadequate medical care, 3) food insecurity, 4) environmental pollutants, 5) family stress, and 6) neighborhood characteristics. This powerful text demonstrates the limits of the No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) and illustrates the physical, sociological, and psychological effects of poverty on children and learning. I was surprised by many of the terrible statistics in the brief and how the cycle of poverty is largely ignored in this country. It is an outrage that inadequate public services and environmental factors, as well as violence and stress are robbing the future generations of a proper educational experience. As a teacher I find it unfair for children to have to deal with problems that are out of their control.
If Americans want to be viewed as humanitarians in the world, we must reevaluate our own social and economic structures and fix public systems that are unequal. The cycle of poverty must be broken and all children must be given the opportunity to change their future economic status. I have created a list of factors that I believe need to be addressed based on the issues included in Berliner’s brief.
-Affordable Medical Insurance - I recently watched the Michael Moore documentary Sicko and found it full of interesting arguments. Check out the movie’s website at http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/index.html and keep in mind that fixing the health care system would improve two of the six OSF factors mentioned in Berliner’s brief.
-Food Security - As Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs depicts, children cannot focus on learning to read if their basic physiological and security needs are not met. There needs to be reliable resources for families who struggle to feed their children.
-Living Environments that are Free of Pollutants - It is the perfect time for our country to make major changes in the way we interact with our environment. We know the devastating effects of pollution and we have the technology to improve the way we do things, so what are we waiting for?
-Family Support and Safer Neighborhoods - Families need to have support systems to turn to for dealing with social and emotional issues, and counseling should be available to anyone who needs it. Neighborhood violence is another major problem that must be addressed. Living in Chicago, I cannot believe how many children are murdered each year. Gun violence is so out of control in America and it is time we start fixing the laws that regulate gun possession and use.
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I, too, feel it is unfortunate children have to deal with so many issues in their daily lives. In many of the cases, I have come to realize children are dealing with more issues than I had in my younger days and even now in my adult years. I am fortunate to have been able to ignore and not be drawn in by all the negative influences around me.
ReplyDeleteWe have to commit ourselves to helping our children beat the streets and stay away from the gangs and violence.
One thing I am proud of is that we attempting to live "green". We are taking some accountabilty for our actions. Perhaps as time goes on, we will be able to get rid of all the pollutants in
communities by moving or shutting down companies that cause dangerous pollution, so people can live and breath freely.
I come in contact with these factors everyday at work. The one thing I can say is that a lot o the students that deal with these factors tend to work harder in school. They know that they can do better than their parents and are trying right now. The teachers and administration at my school really try to make school another home for them.
ReplyDeletePiggy backing of readsareleaders1 comment. I love the "going green" attempts too. I just wish more people would join the bandwagon. We are still a long way away from getting rid of all the pollutants in communities because these companies make millions and billions of dollars. So despite how much hell people raise, they'll give a little and stay operable.
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ReplyDeleteMy experience in the classroom was about seven years ago, when i was a teacher assistant for CPS in a special education class. I came across students that suffered from the negative impact of these factors. each and everyone of us has had to experience some kind of activity were you did not get enough rest. The lack of rest and made the task at hand almost impossible. Often times i would have a student that came to school hungry, sleepy or either just emotionally drained.
ReplyDeleteMany in government know that these factors play a big part in the successful development of student but do nothing about the things under their control. I was really sad to hear that the 5 largest toxic waste landfield in the country are located around low-income neighborhoods. I believe that low-income or upper-income no landfield should be placed around any neighborhood or child.