- How to create a culturally responsive classroom
- The difference between the collectivist and the individualist learner
- How to differentiate for content and context, product, process, and assessment
- How the brain processes learning tasks
- How to build resilience in students at-risk
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Introduction
Poverty alone is not the cause of low achievement in our schools. Using careful research, Why Culture Counts shows why it is vital to take into account the needs, beliefs, and values that children of poverty and diverse learners bring to the class every day. We will explore:
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Wow! I always want to ask WHY? Why is the American school system one of the MOST "unequal" in the world? Why are poor and minority students in schools with "poor" or lesser funding? Why do the wealthiest 10 percent of school districts in the US spend close to 10 times more than the poorest 10 percent? Why is this all happening, more than 60 years after Brown vs. Board of Education
ReplyDeleteBut as a teacher, the questions I need to ask is WHAT? HOW? and WHY? How do these factors effect what I do day to day? Why do these difference (eco-social status) matter? What do I need to know about these children of poverty? What can I do to better serve this group? How can we begin to close the educational gap in our Nation (starting here at Rogers Garden)?
I'm looking for answers and looking forward to reading the book Why Culture Counts.
-Eunika Russell
Powerful insight. I look forward to growing and finding the answers to these questions with you.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Eunika, it is an odd think that the US can't equally fund education for all schools. I believe it has to do with the founding philosophy of our country which has always been quite individualistic. After all, people were told that they could come to the US and, if they were willing to work hard, would be rich and happy (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). Those who didn't see this come true-well, they just didn't try hard enough. Anytime equality in anything is mentioned in the US, people start screaming, "Socialism" and run the other way (Obamacare, for example).
ReplyDeleteA quote that stuck out to me in the introduction (and I highlighted it!) is, "...inequality in education is shameful in a country that is abundantly wealthy." It is such a true yet shameful reality. If every child is to succeed they all deserve the best of the best despite their culture or economic status. Eunika, I agree with you, I too am looking forward to finding those answers. I want to see the babies that come through my classroom and walk our hallways at Rogers Garden Elementary to succeed too! They deserve it, they deserve a fair chance despite their circumstances.
ReplyDeleteYep, inequality in education is shameful in a country that is abundantly wealthy, and so is poverty. If we know this, the biggest question is WHY is it continuing? Who/what keeps it this way? For what end?
ReplyDeleteStephanie those are all great questions that I wished we all had the answers to.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why it has gone from parents wanting the best for their children to well it's the law and I have to send my kids to school so you deal with it. It is not fair to these young people coming up having no support at home. I am not saying they are all like that, but why has it changed so? What can I do more to help these children coming into my room to help them grasp their educational journey and want to be successful at it. Why? Is my biggest question because o everything that has happened in history for it to turn to this.
ReplyDelete