March 27, 2018.
Discussion Topic:
How We Can Strengthen Schools Serving Low-Income Children!
Link to the article! Click Here!
Thanks
Hasan
March 27, 2018.
Discussion Topic:
Link to the article! Click Here!
Thanks
Hasan
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
A lot of the students deal with a lot of personal issues that cloud their minds and makes school not much of a priority. I believe that if the students had the outlet to vent or write that it could make the situation a little better because they’ve let it out or had someone listen to them. As a success coach, I feel like we could use some training in counseling so that we can help students deal with their issues versus them feeling like they don’t have anyone in their corners. Make it easier for students to have a personal outlet to communicate through, with someone that they have a relationship with.
ReplyDeleteToday, at Whitehaven, we discussed solutions for students who are struggling in low-income households and with emotional situations. I think a possible solution is for teachers to implement journaling into the curriculum. This gives students a safe place to vent and express their feelings and frustrations with problems in their lives. It also teaches them a form of creative nonfiction writing, while enhancing their writing abilities. I also suggest for teachers to incorporate relatable literature into their curriculum. Literature that is set in low-income settings with characters who express emotions students might be feeling, give students the knowledge that they are not alone. Books that are relatable open up the classroom for dynamic discussions that relate to the situations students are in. There are various ways for teachers to create an atmosphere that accommodates and relates to students in low-income situations. -Hannah Quinn
ReplyDeleteI think the article makes some good points about accountability, and I hope Common Core has a positive impact on the future of education. However, I think the effects of Common Core may take time to show up. We see students in the classroom everyday who have not mastered the basic standards that are expected of them at their current level—some students are still missing standards that should have been mastered by fifth grade. How can teachers bridge that gap for their students and teach them the foundations while also helping them progress to the next expected level? It’s a daunting task, and the students suffer if they move forward without being prepared. If the Common Core standards work they way they are intended to, hopefully students just starting school will benefit from these standards in the future, but I suppose time will tell.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect of our discussion at Whitehaven that really resonated with me was the idea that many of our students are dealing with major personal issues that are out of their control, and poverty often plays a role in that. How can we expect students to try their best in school when they are dealing with issues that I cannot even imagine dealing with at my age, let alone as a teenager? Hannah had two excellent suggestions of how to try and help students in difficult situations: 1) connect their studies (such as literature) to their personal lives; relate it to what they go through so they can learn from it on multiple levels, and 2) ask students to journal so they can work through some of their issues with writing. I think both of these solutions would be wonderful ways to incorporate these students’ real-life situations into their learning experiences, and I hope teachers are receptive to the idea.
Lindsey Randall
One of the biggest issues I have found in the classroom is that students assume the roles of parents or caregivers etc. because they have so many other issues happening in their lives. The role of student tends to take the back seat so to say (and understandably so). I have had many students confide in me about their personal problems, and I have no idea how to respond or help them. I think one thing peer power could do is have a training for success coaches on how to react in tough situations. I don't believe having a designated counselor will be an effective solution because a counselor has hundreds of students and does not have the same relationship with the student success coaches have. Success coaches work hard to build relationships with students in the classroom, but I think for me I hit a wall when students confide in me because I am not capable of responding to the extent they need. If peer power could have a training on how to counsel students as a success coach, I believe success coaches will be more apt to help students perform better in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteHannah brought up a good point of incorporating relatable literature and Sydney brought up journaling as a therapeutic strategy. I think these will help students feel more open and prompt even more discussions. Therefore, success coaches should be prepared to respond appropriately.
-Lauren Crowe
As the article mentions several times, low-income schools are in the center of low-income neighborhoods. These schools lack resources that are sufficient for the number of students who attend. Today, our discussion about the article led to countless success coach encounters with students who deal with major issues outside of the classroom. We've noticed that the Peerpower presence in the classroom really makes a difference academically as well as emotionally/personally. The reality is not every inner city school experiences these advantages because resources are limited. We also talked about finding and using creative ways to cover standards and address personal issues.
ReplyDelete