It's really interesting how money plays a big factor in schools (well in most everything but that's another topic.) When I began telling people about where I was going to be placed they always commented on how different the experience will be. One school is the "low income" one is the 'rich school.' It seems that it's not something that is supposed to be really talked about though. I can't say these are the poor kids who might not do as well because there is a chain reaction linked to money. It's interesting how demographics play out to where you have the 'poor' and 'wealthy' parts of town. It's not hard to figure out what side you are on when you are taking your sunday drive. The kids on the 'good' side of town are presented with a better opportunity because of money. Parents are able to take trips to places further than Cedar Rapids, they are able to support hobbies and interests of the students, they are able to spend more time with their students, and are also able to help them more with school work all because of their financial situation. Today in my class I talked to a few girls who had some form of dance every night of the week, another student has to go to hockey practice (a very expensive sport to be in), on student was missing my first day because they had taken a family vacation the week before and she needed time to rest. Not once did I hear my students talk about these kinds of opportunities while at my first placement. The only after school program that the students went to if they were eligible was Tiger Club and that was a funded after school program for students who needed extra support. Money permits opportunity. The students who are able to go to dance or hockey already have an upper hand then those who aren't so lucky. They have been placed with a group that allows for a certain type of sophistication that money helps them belong to.
I attended parent conferences for my first placement. As the parents were coming in (if they could get out of work) I took not of their dress. Some had on clothes that looked like they just got out of a factory, others had on sweats, others seemed rushed and came in with 2 or three other children because they couldn't find or afford a babysitter, and a few had recognizable uniforms from fast food chains. My heart goes out to them because this was the social class I came from. I know what it feels like to be the child who didn't get to see my parents because work had to come first in order to provide food and pay the bills. It just seems unfair.
The school I'm at now has a lot of parent support and financial support as well. The building seems more modern and the library is outstanding compared to my first placement. You can tell this is the 'wealthier' school by the way the students are dressed and (it seems controversial) are better behaved. There are often volunteers in the rooms and around the building. The students seem to excel compared to the students at my first school and I believe it has a lot to do with money. I know this is a different blog than I normally write and mostly because I feel it's unfair that money is such a big factor. It's no one's fault, it's just not fair that money is a key player in our educational system. I think it's important as a teacher to not be naive and understand the difference and the culture of your school. I find that the culture, atmosphere and personality are important factors to recognize in a school. It shows that you are aware not every school is the same and what challenge you may face. Sorry if I've ruffled any feathers with this blog, its just something on my mind that I wanted to get out.
Daniell--
ReplyDeleteI appreciate this post. I think you're definitely on point when you say that understanding the culture of your school is important to your experience, and the demographics, and income taxes, and all that stuff is important, too. If you want more specific information about your particular school, you should be able to find information about property value, standardized tests scores, and all that stuff on the school website. It's an interesting insight to have.
I checked on all that stuff before I came to my school, and the property value of the area is really high. I looked at standardized test scores, and in both Reading and Math, just about all grade levels are above state average. I looked on Powerschool and checked out parent occupations--a lot of them work for Aegon or Rockwell Collins. Roughly 10% of the students at the school are part of the free and reduced lunch program. I know what you mean when you talk about your "rich school" student behavior. In general, students get good grades, and get their homework done, and pay attention in class, because they may not have other things pulling at their attention: family issues, lack of nutrition or sleep, etc.
However, we do still have students who live in poverty. I know of one of my students who lives in a one-bedroom apartment with his mom and four to five siblings. When we were in our PLC on Monday, we looked at the demographics of our classes. One of the students said, "Well, looks like I have quite a few students on the free lunch plan in my first period. That must be why they're not getting it."
So then poverty gets to be the scapegoat. "Oh, they live in poverty, so now I can excuse their lower scores." Poverty and homelessness is a culture of its own, and a lot of the things we talked about in our ELL seminar can also be important for students who are part of this culture. Students who are homeless or live in poverty should be provided with the same opportunity to a quality education--they are protected under special education legislation. If they are having trouble learning, we have to make accommodations. I'm sure you got to see some of that at your other school, but I've never really gotten to see any. In my experience, it's just seemed to be an excuse rather than another thing that needs to be considered in a student's learning experience.