03.21.2018
This week topic:
How Poverty Affects Classroom Engagement !!
Let's put your thoughts in the comment below. We will discuss this tommorrow at WH!
Thanks
Hasan
03.21.2018
This week topic:
Hi Everyone, Welcome to our Learning Log- 2. Here is the plan for this week discussion- Imagine you have been called for a job talk of an organization which is similar to Peer Power mission. During the interview process you were given following two reading materials- 1. Confronting Barriers to Learning to Help All Children Succeed. Link 2. Also, we will be exploring an organization name “ Turnaroundusa ”. They are similar in nature what we do in Peer Power. What I/we will do? Or your task! Based on the above two readings and your professional experience with Peer Power, you will be coming up with 3/5 recommendations/changes that you want to see in your team/school during Fall 2017. You are welcome to use case studies and/or any other experience related to your recommendations. Due date: 10/01/2017 by 11.57PM Thanks Hasan
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI find it very appropriate that the advice given in the "what you can do" section pretty much reflect the things we are able to do as success coaches and as educators in general. I find that relationship building and going back to the basics are super essential for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds. However, working in urban school districts has portrayed a lot of the truths mentioned in this article. Of course it doesn't apply to EVERY single student, but there are so many students that suffer from a lack of knowledge, limited access to resources, etc, especially those from a background in poverty. What I find myself doing for every child is figuring out what kinds of things sparks their interests, from movies to candy, and include those interests into activities or break down content using the topics kids are genuinely into. Somehow I never thought about health and nutrition being an aspect. I know that most kids (and even adults haha) do not properly function without food. My students are so used to not eating their school lunches that I didn't consider that some of the under-performing kids aren't doing their best because they don't feel their best physically and mentally. What I took most from the article is the emphasis on relationships- you need relationships with your students in order to be effective. The students don't have to like you, but situations between coach and student tend to work out well when there is a friendly presence involved. The most needed part of a relationship is respect- and that can get you just about anywhere.
ReplyDeleteThe article was very interesting and I enjoyed how the article presented the problem and then a solution with the what you can do section. It was nice to see within that section some strategies that I or have seen used within the classroom. One section I want to focus on is the effort section and what I and my teacher have been doing. Recently, we started pulling students’ state projections about how well the state thinks they will do on the EOC test. The projections are quite low and the state pretty much has everyone with no chance to show mastery of the subject. We have been calling up students individually to show what their projections are and have been using that to motivate them and set a goal for them. We have been telling them that they can prove the state a liar and that they don’t know you like we do and that they can make it. The students have responded in different ways but it has been an eye opening experience for them and hopefully motivates them to try harder.
ReplyDeleteThere is a very important conversation happening in this article, especially as it deals with urban education. The article did a great job of addressing real issues of the students in the classroom. As educators, it's important that we strive to understand these issues. Poverty has a major impact on student lives in and outside of the classroom. It does not do the student or even the teacher any good to ignore the environment, condition of his/her student. Also, the "What to Do" sections were a great way to guide educators to deal with certain issues. Lastly, the greatest part of the article was the section on hope; it's a powerful weapon. An educator who seeks to understand, empathize, and encourage is one who holds great influence and power. In a world where students hear and experience so much negativity, a voice of hope can certainly change the course of their lives!
ReplyDeleteIn the classroom (for me, both at Whitehaven and at the UofM) we have been actively working to address these issues. For example, in Ms. Broden's classroom we identify a new vocabulary word every day and students are encouraged and praised when they use the word during conversation throughout the class period. We've gotten these words from SAT/ACT word banks. In regards to relationships, hope, effort, and distress. I believe these can be highly effected by how enthusiastic the teacher is to instruct, as well as by how understanding they are of what the student could be going through outside of the classroom. Understanding that physical stressors greatly effect mental characteristics, just as they do for us as adults. Being considerate and flexible to adjust and address these matters can do a lot of positive work in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI've learned over time that I can't always control the relationship, but I have to always let them know I'm there to help regardless of how they feel or treat me that day. Sometimes the students come to class and the issues of poverty are weighing heavily on them and I have to create a comfortable learning environment for them. When I notice gang related behavior in class, I quietly pull them outside and talk them about it. I explain how it's not safe and that education will always get them further. If I notice a student is stressed, I'll calmly talk to them and see how I can help them focus or let them work outside the classroom. (I don't always agree with separating them, but I take the chance.) I've used technology in the class to help with vocabulary and this helped a lot of the students understand more of the ACT test.
ReplyDeleteThe article gave us solutions to issues we face every day as Success Coaches. I loved the part of the article that discussed hope and growth mindset. I truly believe that in order to change the environment you have to have some sort of hope. Most students who are lower class don’t have high expectations for their future. As educators we can be the force that helps students understand their learning abilities and find different strategies that could help them reach their educational goals.
ReplyDeleteI believe that when working with children, no matter their age, adults need to take into consideration there may be underlying factors that could keep them from performing at their best. Finding out what works for each individual child is important as an educator. Not all children learn the same nor do they have the same perspective pertaining to education. If a child is hungry or didn't sleep well the previous night due to their parents arguing at 3 AM, then they most likely will not be able to maintain focus while at school. Yet, there is always a soultion! Understanding the endless possibilities that could effect a child's attention should be a priority of all educators. Living in poverty is one situation that a child has absolutely no control over. Being able to identify why a child needs more assistance, and how to effectively assist them to overcome these problematic occurrences, are vital to a child's development. All I can suggest is to GET TO KNOW THE STUDENTS WHICH YOU WORK WITH. As success coaches we have more flexibility to study the children we work with; which then, we can directly offer additional assistance to struggling students. Furthermore, as success coaches we are to assist the teacher with identifying ways to ensure all students are able to succeed. Students need to be shown that success is reachable, even if they have came from a low income family.
ReplyDeleteAs the others before me have said, I really enjoyed the layout of this article. Overall, this article addresses something important which is not frequently discussed. I believe many people do not think about how a student's family income can impact their education. One thing the article could have discussed is the limited resources schools in lower income areas have. This can impact many things such as the lunches the school can provide and the overall physical resources a classroom may have.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how this article breaks down each issue into the problem and the ways to overcome it. I agree that building relationships with students is one of the best places to start to help them—learning their names and showing them you genuinely care helps build a trust that makes your encouragement more impactful. I see the issues discussed in this article in the classroom often, and the expression of them is different for every student. But just as this article suggests, positive affirmation of their abilities and reminding students that they ARE capable goes a very long way in helping students push forward and try harder to succeed. I also think the article’s suggestion of incorporating fun, new ways of learning is a great suggestion, and we at Peer Power have seen the way students respond to educational games. They become engaged and excited about learning, and the element of a game changes their perspective about the effort they are putting forward
ReplyDeleteLindsey Randall