Racial, Ethnic And Economic Isolation Through Curriculum Based Programming Essay

High school is often considered a microcosm of society. Beliefs, social order, and current issues present themselves through student’s interactions and the environment they learn in. One of the oldest and still prevalent issues in the United States today is race and equality. So it is no surprise when racial issues are exposed in public education. Although many believe the civil rights era fixed most discrimination, racism remains in schools. Even after court ordered integration, classroom disparities have led to harmful segregation to continue within schools.

Andreou, E., Didaskalou, E., & Vlachou, A. (2008). Outcomes of a curriculum-based anti-bullying intervention program on students' attitudes and behavior. Emotional & Behavioral Difficulties, 13(4), 23.5.

I don’t think there is one school district that is not fighting for or have some type of program in place to address the achievement between whites and student of color; but yet the issue doesn’t seem to be going away. As I reflect on the meaning of racism as defined by the authors, they also state that this mistreatment is carried out by societal institutions or people who have been conditioned by society to act, consciously or unconsciously in harmful ways towards people of color. Sadly, I fear that so many of our young people has or is falling prey to the transfer of racism. We (teachers, parents, and the community) have to acknowledge with our kids that race is part of their daily lives; but they do not need to conform and understand how to rise above the stereotypes through encouragement, high expectations, build caring relationships and self-confidence they will

Bullying is such a dominant problem in schools that counselors must strive to discover effective strategies to address the issue. What intervention strategies are perceived by the counselors at a large diverse high school to be most effective in response to or in prevention of bullying? What is the

The author, Amanda Lewis, conducted a study in the 1990s to examine how race and racial inequality are reproduced on a day-to-day basis in schools. She argues that the curriculums, educators, and the children themselves create and reinforce racial lessons. She picked three elementary schools in Southern California: Foresthills, West City, and Metro2. The schools were selected based on their location and cultural composition. At each school she was paired with a teacher who would be the best help for the study. She observed the behaviors and interactions of students in fourth/fifth grade classes. Interviews were conducted with the students, teachers, members of the school community, and parents as well.

School curriculum and academic programming is the third most commonly referenced effort to ameliorate the negative impact of racial isolation in hyper-segregated White high schools.Through multicultural materials, foreign language programming, and discussions about the history and culture of minority groups in the United States and throughout the world, hyper-segregated White high schools identify a myriad of academic programming designed to educate students about racially diverse individuals and communities.

Additionally, Sider emphasizes the significance of racial segregation in school systems, which ignores the fact that racial equality in education does not necessarily mean racial integration (Sider 215). However, Harlem Children’s Zone is a school system that works with students from infancy until completion of a college degree. HCZ, as an institution, has been able to create a seamless pipeline of programs in the form of parenting workshops, a pre-school program, three public charter schools, counseling, and a child-oriented health programs, which ensure there are no gaps in-between one phase and the next. HCZ students are centralized by neighborhood, schools, activities, and churches in Central Harlem. The programs that are implemented by HCZ create a strong network and community for the students in school and out of school. HCZ provides alternatives to using suspension for disciplinary actions, and structures that foster enduring student investment.

This research investigates the efficacy of a program designed to reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation at two public elementary schools in the State of Connecticut. The two schools are Madison Elementary School (MES) in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Daniels Farm Elementary School (DFES) in Trumbull, Connecticut. During the 2015-16 academic year, 85% of the students at MES were Minority, 18% were classified as English Language Learners, and 100% were eligible for free or reduced price meals. During the 2015-16 academic year, 78% of the students at DFES were White, 2.8% were classified as English Language Learners, and 5.7% were eligible for free or reduced price meals. According to Google Maps, the two schools are 6.4 miles

I performed my field experience at Chiefland Elementary. Chiefland is a very small town with the population of six thousand. There are over eight hundred students enrolled at Chiefland Elementary. There are fifty-two instructional staff members and two administers. In those fifty-two staff members, there is one African American teacher and one male teacher; the rest are women. This is a white dominate school. In the school there is 73% Caucasian students, 17% African American students, and 4% Hispanic students. There is only 3% of students that are ESOL and 5% are Gifted and Talented. This semester we learned that in small areas and with low income schools, there are more Hispanics and African American people. In this case, Chiefland Elementary

These skills and behaviors can be introduced to students in lessons and classroom discussions. Some of the intensive interventions consist of support to both victims and bullies through group therapy and individual counseling. Obtaining parent support for these children is a important component of intervention initiatives. The goals of these programs are to empower adults and children to take the appropriate steps to stop bulling when and where it occurs and to teach children positive behaviors and interpersonal skills. “Effective prevention efforts mobilize a school’s most vital resource- the students- to be a school’s most powerful force in fostering a caring culture in which all students can grow and learn”( Feinberg,2003).

Over the past couple of decades, schools all across the nation have noticed a significant rise in the amount of bullying taking place among their students. “Two decades ago, bullying was often seen as a rare occurrence, where small groups of parents sought protection for their children with the school district”, stated by Vikki Healy Ortiz, writer of the article “New inclusive approach helps schools fight bullying”. However, the same cannot be said for our society in today’s world. Our modern world has advanced tremendously over the past few decades and there are even more opportunities for children to be susceptible to feeling isolated from others because they are simply unique. In today’s society, children have the potential to bully each other outside of the classroom as well.

One important step to reducing the racism in America is to include curriculum in all education programs that supports equality in the minds of the youth. Young children see and learn from the adults and teachers in their lives, so when a parent, teacher, or other significant other displays racist behavior, the child is likely to believe that other races are not as equal to his or her own race.

McNamara recommends the use of differentiated instruction to reach every student. The teacher should have a variety of literature on bullying in the classroom and vary the method of lesson presentation. Teachers can incorporate mnemonics, role playing, videos, and storytelling activities to reaffirm the learning experience. Teachers can also allow the students to take an active role in teaching the lesson. Furthermore, the author advises instructors of students with disabilities to simplify their lessons on bullying. Special needs students need short, clear instructions on how to handle a bullying situation. Once the students are comfortable using a particular strategy, then the teacher can add an alternative approach. The author believes the National Center for Learning Disabilities and the Council for Exceptional Children are excellent resources for supplemental literature and support on issues that pertain to the learning

Olweus, D. (1991) Bully/victim problems among schoolchildren: basic facts and effects of a school-based Intervention programme. In D. Pepler & K. Rubin, (Eds.) The Development and Treatment of Childhood Aggression.Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

School bullying and bullying as a whole has become a growing concern. The need for more intervention is more recognized, as incidents of bullying and inappropriate acts towards others occur in places outside of the classroom. This literature takes a closer look at bullying in schools. Olwesus (2013) states “the field of bullying research is to some extent plagued by problems, disagreements, and unresolved issues” (p.752). Whether if anyone will agree on the root of bullying, the fact remains that bullying has to be examined at its very core to remedy the matter before it becomes a bigger concern. There is a dire need for intervention based programs to be set in place to address the fact the act of bullying has lasting effects on the bully and the victim. When intervention programs are put into place to address bullying, the act of bullying decreases due to the gained understanding of the effects.