Economics and Poverty

The three items we looked at for our discussion on children and poverty were certainly informative, but did not necessarily change my view on poverty altogether. I definitely found them to be insightful nonetheless. From the reading, I was able to take a closer and more in depth look at the self-sufficiency standard. While words may affect the heart and mind, a much greater impact can be gained from visual representation; especially with a subject such as this. That being said, it should be of no surprise that I gained more from the Frontline segment. The podcast had more of an impact than the reading, but not enough to stir any emotion. The situation Mr. Puente faced did not seem so foreign to me, as I’ve had friends experience similar situations. I certainly do not discredit it as a source of understanding. As for the video, I’ve already mentioned the effect it had, but now I will share why.

Frontline chose three families, whose situations were described through the eyes of their children; for the most part. Seeing it through the eyes of a nine year old girl, or a twelve year old boy made it strike me that much more. Each family had a completely different situation, and the kids handled the changes differently. While neither of them were happy about being “poor,” I found it more incredible how much pride Britney had in her family. She wasn’t ashamed, she was simply glad her family members were okay (with the exception of her mother of course). Her school’s Nutrition Club idea was excellent, in my opinion.

Kaylie’s mother lost it all in an attempt to further her education. This alarms me, and is unfortunately something our country must work on. Education is so costly, yet without it, we are often doomed to failure. Many employers will not hire those without a degree, pushing families beneath the poverty line. Kaylie’s mother could not afford childcare, and therefore could not work multiple jobs to afford a living as a single parent. Her and her brother Tyler could not even attend school, because they moved constantly. As a result it’s now affecting their futures even more than before. I’ll admit I dropped a few tears when they had to choose which dog to give up for adoption.

Jasmine’s family, though in a shelter, seemed to be making an effort to break free. The argument her brother had with her mother about shoes made me remember situations I’d been in growing up. When my parents first divorced, it was a bit rough monetarily. There were things many of my friends had that my father simply could not afford (I lived with my father). After a while I accepted it, though as a child it was a hard concept to grasp, and we know how mean kids can be. It seems as though Jasmine’s brother hasn’t reached the acceptance point yet.In order to be successful in situation teachers need to have an open mind. They must also be understanding of the students’ circumstances when grading and assigning assignments. For example, a teacher should not assign a project that requires money to be spent on supplies, unless the school can offer them to these specific students for free. Students should not be afraid to come to their teachers for help, or simply to have someone to talk to. Britney’s family had Nutrition Club, and I think schools should implement similar programs, if they are not already established. Teachers and administrators must encourage excellence. It may be good to host an assembly that will accomplish this; if the school can afford it. In turn, the government needs to work more towards improving educational options for those who cannot afford it. A woman in Kaylie’s mothers situation should have had access to grants. What can we do to encourage more attention to be paid to this aspect of education?

Not Enough to Live On

Last weeks group activity gave me more insight into the economic diversity we face in New Jersey. We were forced to focus on various counties and simulate the decisions people must make when deciding upon a suitable location for them and their families. Due to the heightened estimates provided by the self-sufficiency standard its is much easier to see the factors that contribute to the hardships of living. While employment of all adult parties in a given household may certainly help to support one's family, the high cost of living still makes a comfortable living quite difficult. The group exercise done in class helped me to understand the various types of families one may encounter in a given community. A teacher must understand that there might be hardships at home contributing to ones actions in class, such as starvation, close living quarters, no personal space, lack of attention paid to education, absent parents, etc. Teachers must help students to overcome outside obstacles while at school. They must encourage students to strive to achieve their best in an effort to provide for a better future. There are economic inequities that cause each student to differ, and a teacher must be able to cope with varying types of students. Not Enough to Live On explains, in depth, the actual inequities that occur in New Jersey. It also provides charts to better visualize where the variations occur and to what extent. This document provides potential solutions to narrow the gap between what is necessary and what is available (monetarily speaking). It breaks up the family types more extensively, and shows what groups fall at what points on the "scale." 

The Real Cost of Living in 2008

The Real Cost of Living in 2008, while quite lengthy, is a rather useful tool. It aids in our understanding of the economically diverse demographics of the state of New Jersey. As mentioned in the document, the self-sufficiency standard measures the actual cost of living in New Jersey. The self-sufficiency standard is used a means of comparison to the poverty level.

To start, coastal states tend to be much more densely populated that those further inland. New Jersey faces the issue of overpopulation in a handful of its counties. The state is also known for its heightened diversity. By diversity I’m referring to its sociocultural differences, dependent on both differences in heritage and geographical differences. In New Jersey, many new immigrants flock to a neighborhood that will make their transition easier to handle (as with most locations throughout history). In Marlboro (the town I grew up in), for example, most of my fellow residents were either Italians or Eastern Europeans, many of whom originated in Brooklyn. Prior to that I was living in Edison, where the majority of residents are of Asian origin. Head further north to Passaic, and you will find a heavily Latino community. Unfortunately, communities heavy in minority tend to be more likely to face greater economic instability. If one generation cannot fund education for the next, the cycle will continue. Fortunately our society values education as highly as it does, paving the way for a much improved devotion to working around the issue. That being said education is certainly not equal across the board, as many communities cannot afford the same luxuries as others.

In addition to the cultural differences the state contains, there are typical familial differences to contend with as well. Not all families are set up the same. Some may have two parents and two kids; some may be single parents with three kids. Though less common but still possible, there are families in which grandparents are added to the household as well. The number of people in the household will greatly increase ones cost of living. This document emphasizes the self-sufficiency standard for those who are single parents. For that reason, it does not help us to understand other family types to the same extent. The poverty level, according to the article, is a bit too low, that being said there are still families who fit the mold. What this article will help to do is to show us which families may better benefit from extra educational assistance. We as educators must make our own efforts to narrow the gap, to improve the education experience, so job attainment will be made easier, and provide more stable pay.

Ethics & Legal Uses of Technology Barriers and Risks

Human beings can be inherently cruel, no matter what age they are. These videos and articles show just that. As a former camp counselor to 16 year olds, I've seen these exact interactions on a regular basis. It might not always be about the majority's belief that someone has defied morals, but about human nature's thirst to find the faults in others. Celebrities are constantly in the news for doing the same thing these girls did, and not once do we take a step back to realize they are people too. Even if what they've done is wrong, I doubt it was their intent for the world to catch a glimpse. Unfortunately we live in a world where teens look up to celebrities. If your favorite celebrity does something its pretty likely you'll see it as the "cool" thing to do. Due to this, it is of the utmost importance for parents and teachers to counter it. We can not assume all parents will warn their children of the dangers technology presents. Therefore, school assemblies, or other forms of programming should educate their students just to be sure. It is not simply about sexting. All people should practice proper digital citizenship, to ensure the safety of themselves and others. 

While technology has certainly helped to benefit the classroom experience, not all forms are always appropriate. As mentioned in the article about cellphone bans, technology has essentially become a necessity in today's world. In my personal opinion, while I agree that cell-phones can be disruptive, I understand they are a vital source of communication. Students should be allowed to carry phones, provided they are silent (not on vibrate) or powered off, and not utilized unless absolutely necessary. 

Fair Use

Fair use is a legal defense mechanism that allows one to utilize copyrighted sources, to an extent. Fair use may only be claimed if the nature, amount, and content fits a certain profile. You may borrow only a small amount of a given work, and you may not change the content in a manner that affects meaning or destroys initial work. According to Kate Thompson, "a copyrighted work can be used or copied for educational purposes as long as the use is not solely a substitute for purchasing the work" (Thompson, 2005 p.11). In the classroom, an example of fair use, would be showing a video of an archaeological dig to your students, during a lesson on ancient Egyptian tombs. This would be considered fair use because no fees are charged to view the film, the film contains facts that would certainly aid in the children's understanding of the topic, if the video is simply used as an additional resource and not the main source for the unit, and if the documentary was made for mostly educational purposes thus not expecting it to make much of a profit outside of the educational field. Credit must ALWAYS be given to he/she/they who created it. 

Thompson, K. A. (2005). Copyright 101. Learning & Leading with Technology, 32(7), 10-12.

Flipped Lesson

The lesson I've created, will give the students an introduction to the Renaissance period in Europe. The highlighted subject of the flipped lesson, is humanism, the foundation of the Renaissance movement. After learning exactly what humanism is/was, and viewing artwork that demonstrates humanistic ideals and trademarks, the students should be able to put this to use. In class the next day, we will have a bit of fun. The students will be given paper, colored pencils, markers, and crayons. They will each be required to create an image that shows aspects of humanism. I will then have them write 3-4 sentences on the back of the image, explaining each humanistic detail they added, and why they chose to add it. 

Pedagogical - 21st Century Learning Digital Teacher

Slide presentations were used throughout my educational experience. I can barely remember a time without such a use of technology. More often than not, it is easier for a student to visualize something, than to simply hear it out right. Slides shows are simple visual presentations of the material you wish to expose to the students. For instance, if you wish to show a map of a given area, a slide presentation allows you to highlight or zoom in as deemed necessary. It is a more efficient an more environmentally friendly way to help visualize, rather than use oversized maps, or worksheets. As a future teacher of history, this technology will be used relatively often in my classroom. Though it certainly ought not to be abused, it takes away from the simple boring podium lecture that many of us have experienced. All-in-all, it is visually more attractive, easier to comprehend, and provides a more efficient means to gather up material to be shown in class.