Showing posts with label Poverty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poverty. Show all posts
Friday, April 1, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Diane Ravitch On Fixing The Countrys Broken Education System - Bing Videos
It is always helpful to listen to a variety of points of view. That is certainly the case in the current volatile debate on education reform. Here, celebrated education historian Diane Ravitch is interviewed by Andrea Mitchell on the overall subject of education reform.
Now, you must remember, Diane Ravitch was for No Child Left Behind before now being against it. I am OK with positions evolving over time as circumstances change. However, I am also much more cautious about the new position.
Listen to this interview and how Dr. Ravitch, who is obviously highly skilled at communicating (and debating), now frames the conversation. Obama's plan is characterized as "close, fire, punish." You mean there is no middle ground here?
Also, there seems to be a defense of poor performing schools based on the fact that they often serve poor children. I call that the "Poverty Defense."
Here is what I see happening. First, I am not against teachers. I am, however, for students. This debate ,in my opinion, depends on what perspective or through what lens you are filtering expected education outputs.
If you focus on student "outputs" (how well a student can read or do math), then it will obviously mean looking at all of the "inputs" (teachers, principals, curriculum) as a way of examining the means for improving "outputs."
Of course, the other way of looking at "outputs" is to accept no responsibility for them or otherwise blame parents, poverty and stupid reformers.
I also want to make it clear that I don't feel Dr. Ravitch or teachers overall are uncaring about students and the impact an education or lack thereof has on their lives. To the contrary, I happen to believe they care deeply.
I also believe that what is commonly called a "special interest" or perhaps more correctly called "self-preservation" is at play here.. Teachers probably do feel under seize, but my advice would be to hang in there and lets all agree that unless and until "outputs" improve to acceptable levels, the climate is not and should not change. Only ACCEPTABLE RESULTS should change the conversation or the tension.
Click on the link below to view the interview.Your comments are of course welcome.
Diane Ravitch On Fixing The Countrys Broken Education System - Bing Videos
Now, you must remember, Diane Ravitch was for No Child Left Behind before now being against it. I am OK with positions evolving over time as circumstances change. However, I am also much more cautious about the new position.
Listen to this interview and how Dr. Ravitch, who is obviously highly skilled at communicating (and debating), now frames the conversation. Obama's plan is characterized as "close, fire, punish." You mean there is no middle ground here?
Also, there seems to be a defense of poor performing schools based on the fact that they often serve poor children. I call that the "Poverty Defense."
Here is what I see happening. First, I am not against teachers. I am, however, for students. This debate ,in my opinion, depends on what perspective or through what lens you are filtering expected education outputs.
If you focus on student "outputs" (how well a student can read or do math), then it will obviously mean looking at all of the "inputs" (teachers, principals, curriculum) as a way of examining the means for improving "outputs."
Of course, the other way of looking at "outputs" is to accept no responsibility for them or otherwise blame parents, poverty and stupid reformers.
I also want to make it clear that I don't feel Dr. Ravitch or teachers overall are uncaring about students and the impact an education or lack thereof has on their lives. To the contrary, I happen to believe they care deeply.
I also believe that what is commonly called a "special interest" or perhaps more correctly called "self-preservation" is at play here.. Teachers probably do feel under seize, but my advice would be to hang in there and lets all agree that unless and until "outputs" improve to acceptable levels, the climate is not and should not change. Only ACCEPTABLE RESULTS should change the conversation or the tension.
Click on the link below to view the interview.Your comments are of course welcome.
Diane Ravitch On Fixing The Countrys Broken Education System - Bing Videos
Friday, December 12, 2008
Mental Health Services
In a recent post, the availability of psychological services was identified as a key element in improving academic performance in some settings.
The Black Male Handbook, edited by Kevin Powell, makes an even stronger case for the need of these services. A chapter by Andrae L. Brown, PH.D, entitled Moving Toward Mental Wellness is certainly worth reading.
Dr. Brown talks about the prevalence of traumatic events in the everyday lives of black men and boys and makes the following observation:
"The most susceptible youth are young people from neighborhoods with high rates of female-headed households living below the poverty level, and low school attendance and employment rates. Research suggest, and my personal experience confirms, that up to 50 percent of youth involved in the justice system meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) This rate is up to eight times higher than in the general population."
He goes on to say "For instance, maltreated children (those experiencing abuse and neglect) are 59 percent more likely to be arrested before they reach age eighteen, and 30 percent more likely to be arrested for violent crime. Furthermore, 92 percent of youth involved in the juvenile justice system report some type of trauma, which then can result in hyperactivity, inability to pay attention, extreme impulsiveness, aggression, anger, paranoia, aloofness, and the inability to develop close relationships."
Our school district is now promoting The Caddo Plan as it attempts to jump start 11 low performing schools and improve academic performance. Does the plan consider the need for mental health services in view of the communities served by many of these schools?
This appears to be an area worth exploring no matter what entity ends up controlling these schools.
The Black Male Handbook, edited by Kevin Powell, makes an even stronger case for the need of these services. A chapter by Andrae L. Brown, PH.D, entitled Moving Toward Mental Wellness is certainly worth reading.
Dr. Brown talks about the prevalence of traumatic events in the everyday lives of black men and boys and makes the following observation:
"The most susceptible youth are young people from neighborhoods with high rates of female-headed households living below the poverty level, and low school attendance and employment rates. Research suggest, and my personal experience confirms, that up to 50 percent of youth involved in the justice system meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) This rate is up to eight times higher than in the general population."
He goes on to say "For instance, maltreated children (those experiencing abuse and neglect) are 59 percent more likely to be arrested before they reach age eighteen, and 30 percent more likely to be arrested for violent crime. Furthermore, 92 percent of youth involved in the juvenile justice system report some type of trauma, which then can result in hyperactivity, inability to pay attention, extreme impulsiveness, aggression, anger, paranoia, aloofness, and the inability to develop close relationships."
Our school district is now promoting The Caddo Plan as it attempts to jump start 11 low performing schools and improve academic performance. Does the plan consider the need for mental health services in view of the communities served by many of these schools?
This appears to be an area worth exploring no matter what entity ends up controlling these schools.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Excerpts from Sen. Barack Obama's Speech to the NAACP
The selected excerpts track closely with the focus and philosophy of this site. However, Sen. Obama makes the points with such passion and precision. Now, Barack in his own words:
" ...the fight for social justice and economic justice begins in the classroom."
"But I'm not going to stop talking about it (personal responsibility). Because I believe that in the end, it doesn't matter how much money we invest in our communities, or how many 10-point plans we propose, or how many government programs we launch-none of it will make any difference if we don't seize more responsibility in our own lives."
"I know that Thurgood Marshall did not argue Brown versus Board of Education so that some of us could stop doing our jobs as parents. And I know that nine little children did not walk through a schoolhouse door in Little Rock so that we could stand by and let our children drop out of school and turn to gangs for the support they are no getting elsewhere.
"...we have to do more in our own lives, our own families, and our own communities. That starts with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV, and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences, helping our children with their homework, and setting a good example."
"It starts with teaching our daughters to never allow images on television to tell them what they are worth; and teaching our sons to treat women with respect, and to realize that responsibility does not end at conception; that what makes them men is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one."
Our thanks to Sen. Obama for framing this issue so clearly.
" ...the fight for social justice and economic justice begins in the classroom."
"But I'm not going to stop talking about it (personal responsibility). Because I believe that in the end, it doesn't matter how much money we invest in our communities, or how many 10-point plans we propose, or how many government programs we launch-none of it will make any difference if we don't seize more responsibility in our own lives."
"I know that Thurgood Marshall did not argue Brown versus Board of Education so that some of us could stop doing our jobs as parents. And I know that nine little children did not walk through a schoolhouse door in Little Rock so that we could stand by and let our children drop out of school and turn to gangs for the support they are no getting elsewhere.
"...we have to do more in our own lives, our own families, and our own communities. That starts with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV, and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences, helping our children with their homework, and setting a good example."
"It starts with teaching our daughters to never allow images on television to tell them what they are worth; and teaching our sons to treat women with respect, and to realize that responsibility does not end at conception; that what makes them men is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one."
Our thanks to Sen. Obama for framing this issue so clearly.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Black People at Risk of Returning to Pre-Civil Rights Conditions
I am amazed at how frequently the condition and future of black people is concealed in language that attempts to cast the nation at risk. In my view, that is simply wrong and some would call it "spin."
We do ourselves no favor by trying to put everybody, including the nation, in the leaking boat we (black people) obviously occupy.
And black Americans in position of leadership and responsibility must immediately communicate the hard truth as well as issue a clear and concise call to action within the black community.
The Shreveport Sun recently carried an article by Mr. Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. Morial reports on a new study regarding student achievement. He identifies four major areas of impact: 1. whether children live with both parents. 2. whether children were read to as youngsters. 3. whether children were permitted to watch more than four hours of TV on schools days. 4. whether they skipped school (attendance).
Now, these four areas of importance are not new to this site. But note the spin!
"...our nation's leaders need to start thinking outside of the box and the school in light of an increasingly low-income public school population if they hope to achieve their No Child Left Behind goals. Without some major investment soon, the United States, especially the South, can kiss goodbye to the standard of living it enjoys today."
Not one word in the article about the nation's black people needing to think "outside the box" in order to improve their own lives.
This should no longer be a debate within the black community about blaming the victim. This is a question about our overall quality of life and indeed perhaps about our very survival. We must have a candid presentation of the facts and recommendations to the black community for self-help.
My prescription:
1. The Learn to Learn strategy;
2. Poverty (and how to avoid it)
What do you think?
We do ourselves no favor by trying to put everybody, including the nation, in the leaking boat we (black people) obviously occupy.
And black Americans in position of leadership and responsibility must immediately communicate the hard truth as well as issue a clear and concise call to action within the black community.
The Shreveport Sun recently carried an article by Mr. Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. Morial reports on a new study regarding student achievement. He identifies four major areas of impact: 1. whether children live with both parents. 2. whether children were read to as youngsters. 3. whether children were permitted to watch more than four hours of TV on schools days. 4. whether they skipped school (attendance).
Now, these four areas of importance are not new to this site. But note the spin!
"...our nation's leaders need to start thinking outside of the box and the school in light of an increasingly low-income public school population if they hope to achieve their No Child Left Behind goals. Without some major investment soon, the United States, especially the South, can kiss goodbye to the standard of living it enjoys today."
Not one word in the article about the nation's black people needing to think "outside the box" in order to improve their own lives.
This should no longer be a debate within the black community about blaming the victim. This is a question about our overall quality of life and indeed perhaps about our very survival. We must have a candid presentation of the facts and recommendations to the black community for self-help.
My prescription:
1. The Learn to Learn strategy;
2. Poverty (and how to avoid it)
What do you think?
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Poverty (and how to avoid it)
The Southern Education Foundation (SEF) just published a report detailing the make up of public schools from an income perspective. The report indicates that low income students now make up a solid majority in the South. For a comprehensive review of this report and its findings, see our link to the SEF.
The report and its findings are not my main focus. Rather, I believe we should put a bright light on the formula for avoiding poverty.
In his book ENOUGH, Juan Williams records, in simple terms, what I think is the right prescription.
Mr. Williams says "The good news is that there is a formula for getting out of poverty today."
Step one: Finish high school (that also means you must do well in school, my emphasis)and finishing college (or other trade school, my emphasis) is much better.
Step two: Take a job (any job,my emphasis) and hold it.
Step three: Marry after finishing school and while you have a job.
Step four: Have children only after you are twenty-one and married.
Williams goes on to say "The poverty rate for any black man or woman who follows that formula is 6.4 percent. The overall poverty rate for black Americans, based on 2002 census data, the year this analysis was done, was 21.5 percent. In other words, by meeting those basic requirements, black Americans can cut their chances of being poor by two-thirds."
I know that circumstances will not always allow one to package his or her life in a neat step by step fashion. Just as following the formula will not guarantee you will not be poor. But, the message makes a lot of sense to me and it is a message that should be embraced and repeated within the black community.
What do you think?
The report and its findings are not my main focus. Rather, I believe we should put a bright light on the formula for avoiding poverty.
In his book ENOUGH, Juan Williams records, in simple terms, what I think is the right prescription.
Mr. Williams says "The good news is that there is a formula for getting out of poverty today."
Step one: Finish high school (that also means you must do well in school, my emphasis)and finishing college (or other trade school, my emphasis) is much better.
Step two: Take a job (any job,my emphasis) and hold it.
Step three: Marry after finishing school and while you have a job.
Step four: Have children only after you are twenty-one and married.
Williams goes on to say "The poverty rate for any black man or woman who follows that formula is 6.4 percent. The overall poverty rate for black Americans, based on 2002 census data, the year this analysis was done, was 21.5 percent. In other words, by meeting those basic requirements, black Americans can cut their chances of being poor by two-thirds."
I know that circumstances will not always allow one to package his or her life in a neat step by step fashion. Just as following the formula will not guarantee you will not be poor. But, the message makes a lot of sense to me and it is a message that should be embraced and repeated within the black community.
What do you think?
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