Early Childhood
professionals have to deal with the economy on a daily basis. It effects the communities and
students we serve. Early childhood professionals have the responsibility of
providing quality education to children regardless of the economy. I found some
helpful information about poverty and education. I decided to visit the website
of NBCDI National Black Child Development Institute. There I found “The whole
Child Podcast” by Dr. DeHaney. The podcast entitled The New Poverty: Dealing
with Economic Change addressed the effects the economy have on families,
communities and education (NBCDI National Black Child Development Institute,
2013). Dr. DeHaney shared that today the poor children does not fit what he called
the traditional stereo type. He also shared that 2/3 of the households contain
at least one working adult (DeHanely, 2013). The economic Downturn is affecting
many families and communities today. Because of the economic downturn more and
more school districts are suffering as well. The podcast consisted of four panelists:
Deborah Wortham superintendent of the School District of the City of York, Pa., and former
assistant superintendent for high schools and director of professional
development for Baltimore City (Md.) Public Schools; Felicia DeHaney, president
and CEO of the National Black
Child Development Institute; Kathleen Budge, coordinator of the Leadership Development
Program and associate professor in the Curriculum, Instruction, and
Foundational Studies Department at Boise State University. Budge and Parrett
are also coauthors of the 2012 ASCD book Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools
(DeHanely, 2013).
The panelist
discussed the types of poverty that is being dealt with the most today. Many of
them agreed that situational poverty is affecting most school districts today. Many
of the school did not have to worry about budget cuts before. Now the districts
are facing budget cuts and families are struggling economically. Deborah Wortham
shared some of the things that she was able to do to improve here school
district is such a bad economy. One of the things that she did was to involve
the community. She stated that she went from door to door in here district to
talk to the community and share her goal and her mission. She also stated that
the school district improved in spite of the budget cuts and the deficits. Two
middles schools had to be closed, but the district and the students were able
to benefit from the closing. The results were from making two or three of the
elementary schools K-8. The move was made based on research that showed
students prospered in schools form K-8. She implemented uniforms of jeans and
polo shirts. This policy helps because students did not have to worry who had
and who did not. She involved churches and other community originations to help
purchase polo shirts for the students. Student attendance went up. Grades improved,
students were able to meet their bench marks and the schools were able to meet
AYP. Poverty is always an issue, but from the examples in the podcast, it does
not have to slow down or stop learning. The main example was to focus on the
mission statement and work hard towards the goal. There will be some sacrifices
made. Research helps because the information gained from research can be used
to implement successful programs.
d4&c_id=5646792
about " The New Face of Poverty".
Retrieved from
http://www.nbcdi.org/news/dr-dehaney-featured-
podcast-about-new-face-poverty
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