There are numerous obstacles for children to hurdle in the classroom: bullies, ineffective teaching strategies, poor classroom management; however, the issue that concerns me the most is equity. I saw problems caused by lack of equity all throughout my childhood and I still see them now when I enter classrooms to observe. Personally, I struggled with the fact that I would never have the opportunity to travel the world like many of my peers were able to—my family simply couldn’t afford it. I felt that gap in my daily life—it wasn’t just about not being able to travel everywhere—it was about missing life opportunities. One of my greatest concerns in the classroom involves equity—or fairness. Many people confuse equity with equality; however, they are not synonymous. According to the Sewall Foundation, “equality is sameness,” or “giving everyone the same thing”. Equity, contrarily, is fairness, or “giving everyone access to the same opportunities” (“Equality vs. Equity”). Equality can be compared to giving all 2nd graders size 2 shoes, while equity is giving each 2nd grader a pair of shoes that fits his or her feet. Some common issues that greatly effect today’s students include poverty, the work field (both for overworking parents and for students who are forced to work to support their families), and single parents in the home. Children who face these difficult situations are already at a disadvantage in the classroom. They may not be able to afford the same resources as
“Is Everyone really Equal” by Ozlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo is an introduction to building frameworks that will help students comprehend Social Justice courses more completely. This highlights the patterns and tensions that is caused by inequality within Society. It is important to view these courses through a critical lens and not necessarily through a personal one.
The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children by Gloria Ladson-Billings was a great resource in thinking about how I would work toward influencing my staff, and the school community as a whole, to engage in discussions about equity. Most notably, she advises us to “acknowledge the race and culture of your students and try to weave it into your teachings” and to “foster a sense of community”. I am lucky to work in a school that was founded and lead by a woman of color for the last 6 years, so equity conversations are not as awkward as they may be in some other schools. In light of recent travesties of justice that have occurred in the US over the past year, these conversations have the potential to become more high-stakes
Lack of money, health insurance, and other poverty related issues have also led to lower academic performance among children in poverty. In David Berliner’s Letter to The President, he explains how “medical problems are harming student learning in our schools” (252). Since poor children may not have health insurance, or their families may not have the funds to see a doctor, poorer children miss more school due to illness. Also, more children in poverty come from single parent homes, which leaves numerous children on their own after school. In fact, “three fourths of all single mothers are in the labor force” which means there happens to be usually nobody at home to assist poor children with their homework, or help them study for tests
It is important to promote equality and value diversity within the learning environment as everyone has the basic right to be treated fairly. Equality is about making sure people are treated fairly and given fair chances. Equality is not about treating everyone in the same way, but it recognises that their needs are met in different ways. As a teacher using the arts I choose my words of instructions carefully and have to consider everyones needs and abilities within the room when giving out instructions for tasks. For example if I am working with a group of disabled and non disabled students and I need them
Markedly, there is a huge difference between a want and a need; therefore, teachers the distinctive concept of equality and fairness is not synonymous. For instance, if a student needs to put on glasses when in class to see the board clearly, equality would suggest that all student in the classroom are given glasses, on the other hand, fairness would be to ensure that the child is in a position to where his or her glasses. In essence, teachers must foster and create an opening and nurturing classroom environment for their students in order for them to successfully distinguish the teacher’s definition of fairness and the child’s definition of fairness. Arguably, this is one of the biggest challenges faced by teachers in ensuring that teaching strategies are appropriate for children who are culturally diverse. In conclusion, a teacher cannot effectively teach students to his or her fullest potential without having a fundamental understanding of a child’s disability or ethnic and cultural background. Therefore, it should be every teacher’s goal for all students in his or her class to exceed
Poverty is a big issue that still gets in the way of students learning. Students who are poor have less resources than their wealthier counterparts. These students are disadvantaged at home from lack of resources such as no internet, up to date books, and parents that may not be as educated. Poorer students also tend to live in poorer communities and the schools do not have the same resources as wealthier school districts because of low funding.
3. The Equity principle establishes that all students should have fair, not necessarily equal, access to educational opportunities no matter the color of their skin, nature of their disability, the wealth or income of their parents, or geographic area in which they reside.
For those who live in the United States, some do not see the correlation between poverty and its effects on people’s behavior to their academics. Poverty affects many students at a young age depending on the location they are in as it prevents underprivileged kids to seek higher education. However, with new opportunities [in effect], kids in poverty can have the same education as privileged kids. Poverty stricken students are disadvantaged when trying to obtain a higher education. Children in poverty lose their motivation in school when they do not have the support of their parents. Some other issues students face includes parents not being able to assist their child in school. Another is that the child is not able to go to school because they have to work instead and support their families. Although public education is available to all children, those that live in poverty are deprived of its full potential due to the factors of low family incomes as well as the lack of self-motivation and the importance of having an education.
In the U.S., low income students who live in high poverty neighborhoods do not receive the proper funds for school. The schools that they attend do not get enough of the state’s money in order to get the education they need. Students that come from wealthier families can get the help they need outside of school, if they cannot get it in school. Low income students have to take what they are given and that is not always a lot. Every student might not get a textbook that they can take home and that leaves them with no help to do their homework. This can push the student behind the rest of the class and may take them longer to catch up because
One of the largest factors for my students is that we are a high poverty community. This impacts students in so many ways because it makes it very difficult for them to focus on school as the most important factor. Many are more worried about the troubles and problems at home.
I had never really understood the difference in full detail until this last week. I had always heard the terms whether it was high school, cadet teaching, and mentors throughout my life, but was never taught the true meaning. I learned that equity is when you give all the tools needed for success to a student so they become their best. Equality is when everyone in the classroom, or any other situation but I am talking in classroom terms because it is relevant to our class, is treated fairly and the same. The main problem here is that some people think equality is enough but it isn’t because not every kid needs the same things to succeed. For example, two African American students are both struggling in math. Just because they both need extra help in math doesn’t mean they need the same help. One student could need help with setting the problem up neatly and the other could need help with borrowing. This means that you, as a teacher, need to use equity with your students in order to ensure that they are
Equity allows the good as well as the problems associated with being marginalized and a minority to be recognized, honored and its strengths to be used to help instill academic mind set in minority student’s feelings of inclusion, that they belong, have learning ability without loss culture threat and they can succeed. In minority students. Equity includes the best teachers, teaching minority students schools, college prep programs for minority students that offer them support based on their social circumstances.
Overall, coming from a family in poverty has a huge effect on a student’s ability to succeed in the classroom, but it doesn’t have to be that way. As a future educator, I can use what I have learned to benefit my students in the future. It is essential that I allow all of my students an equal opportunity to learn and grow in my classroom regardless of socioeconomic status. I can use this information to accommodate my students and help close the educational gap between social classes. All students deserve an equal education, regardless of who they are or where they came
In schools with high concentration of students living in poverty, there are less local resources, fewer parents with college degrees, a harder time attracting the best teachers which leads to economic isolation and barriers to seize career opportunities which allow movement up the economic ladder. These challenges are real, and they are having significant impact on the career and academic advancement of students that perpetuates a vicious poverty cycle for several generations. To break the cycle of poverty and begin a cycle of progression, socio-economic barriers must be removed that prevent so many people from prospering. As a poverty reduction strategy, philanthropic agencies can work with elementary and secondary institutions to prioritize external academic exposure to numerous college and career opportunities to improve life chances and outcomes for students who need it
Certainly, Alexie’s illustration of his childhood struggles are an enlightening experience. While he does not directly address the question, it does shed some light on the ongoing debate. Equity vs Equality, which is more beneficial. Equality has been used since Jim Crow when southern schools installed the mentality of 'separate but equal'. This mentality exhibited that even though they were separate, nothing was ever truly equal. This mentality failed. Looking at our system now, one cannot help but point out the similarities to the old Jim Crow system. As Albert Einstein would say, Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Equity is the opposite. Equity would ensure that those who needed extra or additional help would receive because that would be fair.