|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Teacher workshop examines poverty in classroom
October 1, 2004 | |||||
|
KOKOMO, Ind.—Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) data show that the percentage of public school students qualifying for free and reduced lunch has gone from 27 percent in 1996 to nearly 33 percent in 2002. Other IDOE research indicates that more than 29,000 homeless children and youth reside in the state. Addressing the special academic needs of these youngsters is the focus of the 23rd annual Fall Education Workshop, offered Tuesday, Oct. 12, at Indiana University Kokomo. Set from 5–8 p.m. in Room 130 of the Kelley Student Center, the “Understanding Poverty in the Classroom” workshop is jointly sponsored by the Division of Education, the student organization EdSAC, the IU Kokomo Alumni Association, Pi Lambda Theta and the Kokomo Area Reading Council. Teachers for all grade levels can register for the free workshop by calling (765) 455-9296. “Research shows that students who come from high poverty backgrounds are at risk for academic failure,” said keynote speaker Molly Chamberlin, director of alternative and supplemental educational programs for IDOE. “In addition, the poverty level of a school can influence the academic performance of all students, even those that do not come from high poverty backgrounds.” Chamberlain will discuss assistance and research-based information that can help educators make a difference in the success of students in poverty. Workshop breakout sessions will look at issues for students at different age and grade levels. IU Kokomo Professor of Education Shirley Aamidor, Ph.D., will present “The Quiet Impact of Poverty on Cognitive Development.” Parents who struggle financially day to day often “can’t provide the extras”—things like children’s art supplies or books, Aamidor said. Their children enter school not knowing how to hold a crayon, use scissors, or recognize letters, putting them behind other students in readiness to learn. Parents of all income levels want what’s best for their children, Aamidor believes. But, schools don’t always make it easy for parents to be involved, especially if parents lack transportation or must work hours that keep them from teacher-parent conferences, she said. “When parents are personally overwhelmed with money and job issues, their children might come second in their attention. There’s little time for reading books with their children or socializing them.” Starting with “academic and social deficits,” poor students might not know how to pay attention to teachers in the classroom, Aamidor said. Teachers might have lower expectations of poor children and label them as incapable of achieving. Nevertheless, Aamidor’s involvement in and research on early learning opportunities, such as Head Start programs, convinces her that poverty does not automatically doom students to continually play catch-up academically. “Children are resilient, and a sensitive teacher can ameliorate the affects of poverty,” she said. “It doesn’t mean we lower our standards as teachers. Rather, we look at each child as an individual, hold them to assignment and make accommodations as needed. “In this workshop, we can offer teachers good ideas that they can begin to implement in classrooms and at all grade levels.” Other breakout sessions include • “Critical Literacy”: Grade-appropriate reading that examines the nature of poverty and discourages bias. Presented by Lecturer in Education Amber Reed. • “Promoting Economic Literacy in School-Age Children”: Lessons in money management. Presented by Professor of Education Margo Sorgman, Ed.D., and Associate Professor of Economic Kathy Parkison, Ph.D. • “Identifying Homeless Teens”: How middle and high school students “hide” their homeless status, and its effect on academics. Presented by Christina Endres, coordinator for statewide implementation of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. (Passed by Congress in 2002, the act ensures that homeless children have equal access to public education in the United States.) At the workshop, the Kokomo Area Reading Council will be accepting donations of books to be distributed to area students in need.
|
|
||||