Reflection Essay

1418 Words3 Pages

On October 25th, I volunteered at an elementary school after school program in a lower income area at Grace Chapel church in Forsyth County. The program was available for students from the ages of four to twelve and offered free tutoring to kids struggling in different subjects. It also acted as daycare for children who had working parents. All the kids brought homework to work on and we provided them with lunch. We also were able to hang out and play with the kids, doing arts & crafts and playing dodge ball outside. It was a mix of kids from poorer areas, along with foster kids and children who’s parents couldn’t afford to get them tutors. The experience opened my eyes to a large problem this country is facing. Talking to many of the kids in the program I was able to really appreciate how privileged I was to live where I did growing up, attending a school that offered a quality education. This is something none of these kids had any control over but had everything to do with what they were born into. The flaws that lie in the education system begin with the uneven distribution of opportunities and resources. Volunteering helped me to gain a perspective on how few opportunities many of the children are given combined with economic situations inhibiting them from finding new solutions. This volunteer project inspired me to do more research on the education system and what its crippling effect can have on certain …show more content…

Programs like this allow students to get the help they need in classes they are falling behind in at no cost to their parents. However, in the long run, if we ever want to solve the issue, more must be done to help improve the conditions of schools and reallocate resources to lower-income areas that can be made available for students to have a better chance at receiving a high quality

Seeing And Making Culture: Representing The Poor: An Analysis
782 Words | 2 Pages
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Effects of Poverty on Childhood Development in the U.S.
1034 Words | 3 Pages
It is not difficult to document that poor children suffer a disproportionate share of deprivation, hardship, and bad outcomes. More than 16 million children in the United States – 22% of all children – live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level – $23,550 a year for a family of four. (Truman, 2005) Living in poverty rewires children 's brains and reports show that it produces prolonged effects. Also, growing up in a community with dangerous streets, gangs, confused social expectations, discouraging role models, and few connections to outsiders commanding resources becomes a burden for any child. The concern about the number of children living in poverty arises from our knowledge of the problems children face because of poverty.
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1134 Words | 3 Pages
Nelson Mandela once said, "Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom” (Make Poverty History, 2005). Gwinnett county is third in the country when it comes to a high poverty rate, with 14% of the population living below poverty (Family Promise of Gwinnet County, 2013). As an educator it is important to familiarize with the county of which one is to teach in, and poverty is an issue in Gwinnett county. One must understand the affects of poverty on children's learning, how to recognize children of poverty and how to help those students, and what rights those children have to an education.
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The American School System: In Need of Change
1025 Words | 3 Pages
A child’s first day of school is often viewed as a rite of passage; the first step on the road to a happy and successful life. This is true for most children from affluent families who live in the best school districts or can afford expensive private schools. But what if a child’s first day of school is nothing more than the first step on the road to poverty and possibly even illiteracy? The documentary Waiting for “Superman” addresses many issues in a failing school system and the innocent children that system leaves behind. Although the documentary spends little time suggesting parents’ roles in their children’s education, it clearly shows that we must make changes to help children from low-income families and improve the teacher’s unions.
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Relationship Between Income and Race
829 Words | 2 Pages
Whether you're white, African-American, or Hispanic, poverty for today's youth has many recurring themes. A recent article by Duncan and Brooks for The Education Digest points out some very discerning facts that face today's poor youth. "Low Income is linked with a variety of poor outcomes for children, from low birth weight and poor nutrition in infancy to increased chances of academic failure, emotional distress, and unwed childbirth in adolescence." (Duncan& Brooks, pg. 1). They also claim that low-income preschoolers show poorer cognitive and verbal skills because they are exposed to fewer toys, books, and other brain-stimulating items at home than their higher-income classmates.
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Reflection Essay
704 Words | 2 Pages
I am currently an English 160 student who is hoping to move on to the next course, which is English 161. I understand the requirements for English 161. It require students to explore a topic in some depth and conduct independent research related to that topic. Conducting research allows students to learn what it is like to participate in academic culture, posing questions about important issues and developing an argument in response to what others have said. It expected students to learn the most valuable skill in college, which is critical thinking. Students have to be able to read challenging readings. Although I still have problems with English, I think I’m qualified to move on.
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1124 Words | 3 Pages
The United States is a country known for its diversity; so when it comes to the diverse classrooms of today many would not think there would be an issue. However, many schools face a multitude of problems that affect pupil’s education. Roughly twenty-seven percent of Hispanic, Latino, and African-American students in the state of Louisiana fall within the poverty level and unfortunately do not obtain a decent quality education. In addition, only seventy-four percent of those Louisiana students go on to graduate high school (Spotlight on Poverty, 2015). The core portion of the issue concerning poverty in relation to education is due to the economy, work availability, and
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802 Words | 2 Pages
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1392 Words | 3 Pages
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Community Involvement Project: Reading Partners
1548 Words | 4 Pages
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Adult Learning Environment
1040 Words | 3 Pages
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744 Words | 2 Pages
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717 Words | 2 Pages
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1027 Words | 3 Pages
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780 Words | 2 Pages
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Reflection Essay

Seeing And Making Culture: Representing The Poor: An Analysis

Effects of Poverty on Childhood Development in the U.S.

Poverty in Gwinnett County, Georgia

The American School System: In Need of Change

Relationship Between Income and Race