Examining Early Language and Literacy Development in an Impoverished Community
This course really opened my eyes to a different look into inner city schools, as well as literacy skills of children enrolled in schools in many different impoverished communities. Throughout the semester we researched different tactics used by teachers to enhance student learning, factors contributing to lower IQs and test scores in poverty stricken communities, as well as ways to improve learning environments and public school systems in the nation. Each week we were assigned readings out of “A Framework for Understanding Poverty” by Ruby Payne. We also looked at many different types of research relating to studies done in recent years analyzing the flaws in school systems and how teachers can take different approaches to educating children, resulting in a reduction in poverty rates. Two debates also took place during the semester, one discussing the pros and cons of Ruby Payne’s approach to decreasing poverty in America and the other one looking at community versus non-community approaches to tackling the problems of the education system. Participating in the debates made me look deeper into the issues and flaws in our education system and evaluate the different approaches various people have taken to try to address the issues. Participating in the class also made me much more aware of the problems out there and how poverty rates directly correlate to lower IQs and the number of children continuing their education after high school.
Throughout the semester I took a very different stance compared to many other students in my class when it came to highly debated topics. Statistics say that children growing up in a divorced home, unstable financial background, and living in a very rural areas are less likely to continue their education after high school. These statistics define my childhood. I grew up in a divorced home, with my mother being the only source of income from a part-time job. She raised three children in a very rural area with not many opportunities. We struggled financially, but that is what heavily contributed to me wanting to continue my education after high school. I did not want to have my future children endure the childhood I endured. I didn’t want my children to always be put in the middle of financial decisions or have to worry about money at a very young age. My mother continuingly stressed the importance of education and the steps I needed to take to not end up in the situation that she did. With that being said, I took away valuable information relating to my stance on education and the importance of educating parents in impoverished areas about how the education of their children directly relates to their future and overcoming generational poverty.
Throughout the semester I took a very different stance compared to many other students in my class when it came to highly debated topics. Statistics say that children growing up in a divorced home, unstable financial background, and living in a very rural areas are less likely to continue their education after high school. These statistics define my childhood. I grew up in a divorced home, with my mother being the only source of income from a part-time job. She raised three children in a very rural area with not many opportunities. We struggled financially, but that is what heavily contributed to me wanting to continue my education after high school. I did not want to have my future children endure the childhood I endured. I didn’t want my children to always be put in the middle of financial decisions or have to worry about money at a very young age. My mother continuingly stressed the importance of education and the steps I needed to take to not end up in the situation that she did. With that being said, I took away valuable information relating to my stance on education and the importance of educating parents in impoverished areas about how the education of their children directly relates to their future and overcoming generational poverty.
after_debate_reflection.docx | |
File Size: | 103 kb |
File Type: | docx |
education_post-debate_reflection_.docx | |
File Size: | 116 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Above, I uploaded both of my reflections from the two debates I participated in. In the first debate I was assigned to a certain side and had to argue for that side, and the second reflection I was assigned to participate in the audience, therefore I was allowed to choose which side I agreed with. I think that these two reflections accurately depict the stances I took throughout the semester. They both also give a good insight into the topics we looked into as a class and how we began to pick through the recent research and evaluate its effectiveness.