Poverty and Schools

Fri Jun 13 15:49:19 EDT 2003

Hello All-
I'm including the last batch of posts with regard to the "Poverty and 
Schools" thread in the form of another Digest.  I also wanted to draw your 
attention to the DigitalDivide network 
(http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/content/sections/about.cfm) as an 
excellent resource on these issues.  Moderated by Andy Carvin at the 
Benton Foundation, they also have an online community who explores these 
very issues about access to resources and remedies to the DigitalDivide. 
You can subscribe to it by sending a message to: listserv at owa.benton.org .  In the body of the message, write the following:

subscribe DIGITALDIVIDE yourname .

For FAQ of the discussion list, go to:
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/content/stories/index.cfm?key=165

Hope you find these resources helpful!
Monica

*******************************************************
Message 1:
From: paul <paul at bronxarts.org>

>I often visit the neighborhoods of impoverished area's and when I see the 
parents of children holding down the corner, I ask myself how are we going 
to uplift the children in the 'hood.

Children are learning CONSTANTLY.  The question is WHAT are they learning 
and will it help them to achieve that which they dream of.  The way to 
give those children (and their parents) a boost is to engage them in their 
own educational process.  If a young person can learn the latest Hip-Hop 
lyrics, how to dress to impress, or how to hustle using street knowledge, 
they have shown the ability to gain knowledge of a given subject.  Our job 
is to help people understand that educating oneself can have a positive 
impact on the course of one's life.  We all need to help folks open their 
eyes.  We also need to get people out of the mind-set that "The Man" is 
holding us back so therefore we can't achieve.  If we believe that BS, we 
are finished before we get started.

We are approaching a point where EVERYONE can find access to the tools of 
education.  We need to make sure that more people WANT to use those tools.

Paul Mondesire
Bronx Council on the Arts & BEA ENLACE
paul at bronxarts.org

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Message 2:
From: "Crowell, Carol A." <ccrowell at enterprisefoundation.org>

I concur, 100%. Twenty-first century tecnological environments with an 
eighteenth century education based on an agrarian & electro-mechanical 
educational system designed to program worker bees and Palov's dogs to 
cater to the elite and dull the senses of the masses.  Please 
read"Understanding the Framework of Poverty" if you can. Ruth Powell is 
the author.
Best regards
Carol Crowell

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Message 3:
From: bstorm at frontiernet.net

the cuts are happening every where. On the east side of the cascades the 
unemployment rate is much higher as is it here on the rez where I live 
now.  I was born in Spokane and raised in Portland. My last Vista job was 
across  from the Dalles where Enron and the Audobaun have completely 
gutted the industries there. Most of my family out of work have moved here 
to the sun belt. One thing about socialism of the BIA is that everyone 
here on the rez is poor except for teachers, doctors and BIA 
officials.Most of my friends in Wa state are unemployed or losing their 
busineses. Some are getting jobs but not at the wage they used to get. 

What people can do to help crime and unemployment involving youth is hire 
a teen or youth around the house or yard this summer.I started a after 
school and sumer youth project in my nieghborhood here in the rez. 

bstorm at frontiernet.net 

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Message 4:
From: "Kiner, Arnold" <A.Kiner at BrooklynPublicLibrary.org>

I still feel that the family involvement is the most important factor. 
Iwas educated for the industrial age and I am now in the computer age.  I 
was educated in the basics, learned how to study and how to think and 
reason, and this has served me well. 

What I learned in college went out long ago.  What you learn in college 
may not even be relevant in 10 years.  But you learn to study, think, 
anlayze and then reinvent yourself.

Techniques are not what is important -- motivation is.

Arnold Kiner

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Message 5:
From: Susan Cowan <kan03257 at yahoo.com>

I have some thoughts to contribute to this valuable youth, schools and 
poverty discussion.  I have lived and worked in an interestingly diverse 
setting for the past six years.  Here's the description: a rural New 
Hampshire school district of seven towns covering 300 square miles.  These 
seven towns range in socio-economic ratings from the wealthiest to the 
poorest in the state.  Thus in our regional middle school, where I work, 
we have children from a variety of backgounds.  Although please keep in 
mind that in rural NH we have almost no cultural/ethnic/religious 
diversity. From my past classroom teaching and my current position as 
coordinator of out-of-school time programs, I have made several 
observations.  First and foremost is that most of the students who 
struggle in school are from the lower socio-economic families.  Secondly, 
most of the students who have no supervision after school  or during the 
summer are from the lower socio-economic families.   Interestingly, these 
children are the ones who love coming to my after school program.  As a 
result, I have had the chance to get to know them and their issues.  I 
have discovered many things that affect the success of these children in 
school.  Number one is brain function.  Research on brain-based learning 
shows that when we are under stress the frontal lobes (thinking) slow down 
and the limbic system engages (feeling).  Children from lower 
socio-economic families experience stress that other children may not 
(family finances, not enough food to eat).  They also from may deal with 
stressors like emotional, physical and mental abuse.  All of these 
stressors serve to impair the brain's ability to focus on learning new 
information.  Something else that affects middle school children from 
lower socio-economic families is self-confidence and self-worth.  Middle 
School is a time when children compare themselves to others more than 
ever.  The heightened sense of difference starts to undermine any sense of 
confidence and esteem.  These kids often tell me that I shouldn't worry 
about them because it is a waste of my time.  They do not want to sell 
their incredible art work because "why would anyone want mine".  This lack 
of confidence and worth impacts their success in school tremendously. They 
begin to see themselves as not only the poorest but the dumbest.  The 
lower socio-economic kids who succeed are not in the majority in our 
region.  They succeed because, even though their family is financially 
impovershed, they have a loving home and parents have value for education. 
 These kids have the love and support that they need to feel valuable. 
However, many of our kids from financially impovershed families also show 
the signs of emotional, educational and spiritual impovershment.  It is 
much easier for me to see now why these kids struggle in school.  My hope 
is that our out-of-school time programs will help these kids experience 
more support in their lives hence more success in school.
Thanks for listening!
Susan Cowan
Kearsarge Assets Network
New London, NH 

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