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I agree that poor role models and bad influences negatively affect kids, whether poor or not. However, from my wife’s experience teaching at Title I schools, ma
by dvaun 6y ago
I agree that poor role models and bad influences negatively affect kids, whether poor or not. However, from my wife’s experience teaching at Title I schools, many of these kids DO have the motivation to do well in their classes.
What is glaringly apparent to teachers at these schools is the inequity due to lack of resources (poor parents and poor school funding). Many of these kids do not have access to internet, do not have access to computers, and rely on their schools to provide them with regular meals.
Parents are not the only important part of the equation here.
- Zhenya 6y agoAnd yet we were all educated without internet and computers! Let's put it this way 1) motivated parents with poor school funding = most likely success 2) unmotivated parents with great school funding = demonstratably bad outcome
- akiselev 6y ago> 2) unmotivated parents with great school funding = demonstratably bad outcome Demonstrably not true. There are plenty of people with poor parental role models who did well in school and broke the cycle. Technology drops the threshold that the disadvantaged students have to overcome. Whereas before they needed to be lucky enough to have a great school library or transportation to the municipal libraries every time they wanted to go, now they just need internet access. Governments and schools can't do anything to give the kids motivation or better parents, but they can work on the technology angle and remove more barriers to success. There will never be a single solution to the myriad of problems facing education - this is marathon that requires solving one problem at a time.
- bradlys 6y agoI would hesitate to say that with just a bit of tech access, kids can break the cycle. I lived with parents who were educationally poor and never involved in my school work. I saw other people with similar backgrounds as I had (maybe even more educated parents) and they never broke the cycle. I think it takes something special to truly break the cycle and move upwards. I don’t see many people do it. Then again, I came from one of the worst schools and towns in my state and now live in SV where everyone was a rich kid. I check Facebook to see if any alumni from my HS ever got anywhere. Nope...
- patmorgan23 6y agoI don't think anybody is saying just giving out tech will break the cycle for everyone. But giving out tech can make it easier for many to break the cycle or at least move into a marginally better situation than their parents.
- Zhenya 6y agoWhy not just solve the root of the problem? Encourage/bribe the parents to support the kids. How about tying child tax credits kickers to attendance and grades?