Sunday, February 13, 2011
Am I Part of the Problem?
I really enjoyed this editorial. The author speaks of how he is currently helping to widen the achievement gap as a parent, which he has battled for years to close. How? By being a white, active, involved parent, who is teaching is young girls (also white) to read early, spend quality time with them, and take them on educational outings on weekends. His emphasis is on how the achievement gap is already in place by the time children enter Kindergarten, and that parents are the most important educational influence in a child's life. Another point that he makes that I agreed with is that children of color or low-income are constantly compared to upper class white students - as if they cannot measure up to standards of their own, or at least ones that are universal and race-neutral. We discussed these issues constantly in last semester's equity course, and this focus on race and/or socio-economic issues rather than the need for every child, regardless of background, to reach their full academic potential really bothered me. I think we need to focus on each child as an individual, rather than grouping them all by color or the ever looming dollar sign. Now naturally one would argue that studies indicate that race and income do influence achievement - but why is this? Is it a cultural issue? Obviously the income aspect makes a difference; it is much easier to raise your child in a nurturing, educational environment if you are fortunate enough to have a parent stay home with them or take them on amazing field trips. But then we need to be looking at our daycare systems, and why they aren't picking up the slack when parents are too overworked and underpaid to devote the time needed to help these kids get a good start on life. I know how much daycare is, and it seems to me that for those prices some focus needs to be placed on their work with young children. Additional parent education should be highly encouraged as well, so that they realize how important the time and effort they put out for their very young kids can be.
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We have reams of data that indicate that academic achievement level roughly mirrors parental income and educational achievement level. Part of that is parents who have succeeded in schooling know how to help their students succeed in schooling. That trait is embellished by a school system that rewards these very traits.
ReplyDeleteYou raise a great point, though, about economic inequality. Would you be willing to subsidize daycare or adopt other kinds of economic assistance programs to address inequality if they come at the expense of money for schooling?
I also believe part of the face that educational echievement level in the parents indicates similiar outcomes for the students is the general culture of a need for education in those homes. Obviously if the parent is educated, they had the drive, desire and personal stance to get there, so they would then pass that on to their children in the form of expectation levels. My parents did not attend college, but made it clear early on that if we wanted to get ahead in life, we needed to go, and since they were unable to pay for any of it we needed the grades to get scholarships to make it on our own. Parent involvement is vital to children's outlook on education, and while statistically income level may show trends, it is a personal issue at heart.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel it would be that necessary to provide economic assistance in large quantities; granted, I have never been inside a low income daycare, so I don't know if the extent of their lack in regards to supplies such as paper, crayons, and books, or even proper staffing. But across the boards education needs to receive greater funding if we hope to improve the state of our future generations, and I find it appalling that certain parties on the right side are willing to sacrifice that to avoid paying taxes from their well lined pockets.