State of America’s Children Critical Inquiry Presentation
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Transcript of State of America’s Children Critical Inquiry Presentation
State of America’s Children Critical Inquiry Presentation
Megan HattonED 5021/30/16
Child Population - Extinction of School Age Children
• Historical Perspective: The number of school aged
children has been on a steady decrease since 2009. Before
this time, school aged children represented more than 25
percent of the population in the United States. Children of
color are steadily increasing in the population count and it is
predicted that by 2019, children of color will be the majority.
Child Population • Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: As an educational
system, it is important that we adapt to each of our
students, even when the minority becomes the majority.
The number of students in a classroom will be affected.
Also, teachers will need to take more time for one-on-one
activities with students who are struggling (“The State of
America’s Children,” n.d.).
Child Poverty - Childhood Poverty Epidemic
• Historical Perspective: Childhood poverty has reached an all-time high,
especially in children of color. Poverty can have a devastating effect on children,
especially on their education. If a child comes to school hungry, they will not be
able to focus. If a child comes to school without having adequate sleep, they will
be distracted. If a child does not have access to medicine, they will never feel
well enough to participate. Although the recession ended in 2007, there are
many families who feel the aftershocks of the hard times.
Child Poverty
- Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: Once there is a history
of poverty in a family, it is hard to escape. Most times, children who are raised in
poverty are slow developers and they do not have access to extra help that is
needed to be successful in school. Eventually, they might fall behind in school or
even drop out. The increased dropout rate can, in turn, contribute to a higher
crime rate. Although childhood poverty is not a guarantee that the child will never
escape poverty, there is a direct correlation between childhood poverty and that
child being in poverty as an adult(“The State of America’s Children,” n.d.).
Family Structure & Income- The Falling Out of Families
• Historical Perspective: In the past, a woman and man were
married and took on the responsibility of raising a family. Raising children
and providing for their futures were the most important things to a family
in a time not long ago. However, today is a much different story. Families
today can consist of only the mother, only the father, or both parents. A
family might also be a legal guardian or perhaps a grandparent. No
matter the case, the family structure can play a major role in a child’s
education.
Family Structure & Income• Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: If a child comes from a
single home, the parent might have to work long hours to meet the
family’s most basic needs. When the parent is absent, the older
children in the family might have to take on roles of a parent. This
can cause the student to not have time to study or complete
assignments in school. Income can also be a barrier for student
success. Lack of funds can lead to inadequate nutrition, living
conditions, and supplies for school (“The State of America’s
Children,” n.d.).
Housing & Homelessness- Homeless Children on the Rise
• Historical Perspective: Housing is the most
expensive necessity for a family. The number of homeless
students in America has been steadily increasing since the
recession. Almost one fourth of black parents report living
in an unsafe neighborhood.
Housing & Homelessness•Acculturation/Assimilation Issues:
Homelessness can cause students to fall behind in school,
causing a spiraling effect on their adulthood. In addition to
homelessness, students deal with hunger, sickness, and
truancy issues. These issues can cause students to fall
behind in school (“The State of America’s Children,” n.d.).
Child Hunger & Nutrition- Hunger Amongst Children
• Historical Perspective: The recession has impacted America in
many ways. Perhaps the most devastating in the amount of hungry there are in
America. Nutrition programs set up by the federal government have helped many
children escape the effects of hunger. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program
for Women, Infants, and Children was created in 1972. It provides pregnant
women and their babies with formula, milk, and other healthy foods for their
young children. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, created in 2008,
also provides families with healthy foods.
Child Hunger & Nutrition• Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: Hunger can affect
anyone at any age. A child, especially young children, can be severely
crippled by the effects of hunger. If a child experiences hunger often
at a young age, they might fall behind their peers developmentally. It
has been shown that a student’s test scores drop if a student is
hungry. There is even a chance that a student can become obese due
to the lack of access to healthy foods. This can cause additional
health issues for students (“The State of America’s Children,” n.d.).
Child Health - Lack of Healthcare for Children
• Historical Perspective: Many children across the United
States have no health insurance, especially poor children and children
of color. There have been several acts by the government that has
helped increase healthcare for children. Medicaid was put into effect
in 1965 under President Johnson. The Children’s Health Insurance
Program was formed in 1997. Affordable Care Act of 2010 was also
put into place to ensure that children can have access to affordable
health care.
Child Health
• Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: Although the
number of children who remain uninsured has decreased,
many children are still unenrolled in healthcare.
Struggling with sickness can be a distraction for the
student. If they do not feel well, they will not feel like
learning (“The State of America’s Children,” n.d.).
Early Childhood- High Cost of Early Education
• Historical Perspective: Child Care and
Development Fund was created in 1990 but was
reauthorized in 1996. The fund has distributed over 5
billion dollars to go towards early childhood education to
families who are less fortunate. The money can pay for
child dare, pre-school, and other child care related
expenses (“OCC Fact Sheet,” n.d.).
Early Childhood• Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: It has been
shown that adequate early childhood education can
prepare students to be successful in their later years.
Early childhood is a vital stage in development. Adequate
educational experiences are key to leading a child in the
right educational direction.
Education- Unequal Access to Education
• Historical Perspective: Although the most important
goal for the educational system in the United States is to
provide each child with a quality education, it can be argued
that there is an unequal playing field for poor students or
students of color. Historically, an uneducated parent will not
have as high educational expectations from their children than
their educated counterparts.
Education• Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: One study
showed that most children of color are at a disadvantage
because of their parents’ expectations of their educational
career. If they come from a home in which the parents do
not have a higher education, education might not be a
priority for that home (Cook, 2015).
Child Welfare - Child Abuse and Neglect
• Historical Perspective: Children can be in the
foster care system can due to abuse, neglect, or other
reasons. However, children of color represent a majority of
children in the system. Thankfully, the number of children
in foster care is decreasing. Children of color are more
likely to be a victim of a violent crime than other children
(Cook, 2015).
Child Welfare • Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: Students
who are in foster care have numerous challenges in
education. Often times, students in foster care do not have
access to the things they need to be successful in
education or adulthood (“The State of America’s Children,”
n.d.).
Juvenile Justice - The Young Life of Crime
• Historical Perspective: Children who come from an area of
poverty are at an increased risk of crime. The number of children in
the juvenile justice system has decreased over the past 10 years. It
has been shown that children who are incarcerated have more issues
with the law as adults. They also face assault, harassment, and
violence in the jail setting. Residential programs seem to be more
effective in rehabilitating children who have committed crimes.
Juvenile Justice • Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: For those
students who have been in trouble with the law, after
school programs can help the student stay out of trouble
and stay on the path to educational success (“The State of
America’s Children,” n.d.).
Gun Violence - Life Lost too Soon
• Historical Perspective: The gun violence in the
United States is at an all-time high, especially effecting
children and teens of color. Since the 1960s, over 150,000
children have been killed by a gun.
Gun Violence
• Acculturation/Assimilation Issues: A child who
lives in poverty has several struggles including hunger,
inadequate health care, and fear of homelessness. In
addition, many higher poverty areas are affected by gun
violence. The added stress of an unsafe environment can
negatively impact the learning environment (“The State of
America’s Children,” n.d.).
Article• In the article “Multicultural Teaching Models to Educate Pre-
Service Teachers: Reflections, Service-Learning, and Mentoring”
discusses the issues that teachers might face in the real word when
it comes to different ethnicities and the challenges that might
present themselves over the course of their career of teaching. One
issue is the diversity of today’s schools. The challenge that teachers
must overcome is to reach individual student even though they are
all coming from different cultures and face different circumstances
that can affect their learning. (Krummel, 2013).
Reflections• I was raised in a middle class family in a rural community. I came from a two
parent home. Education was always very important to my parents. In fact, they
encouraged me often to go to college, as neither of my parents had a higher
education. Both parents had full time jobs so my grandmother watched my brother
and me while my parents were away. We did not have a lot of extra money but we
had enough for the necessities. I consider myself very lucky to have come from the
situation I did. However, my personal experiences inhibit my knowledge about
some of the struggles that students face. In my classroom, I have students who
struggle with poverty, hunger, and broken families. I can see its effects on my
students. America should strive to take care of its own, especially its children.
They are our future and we should invest in theirs.
ReferencesCook, L. (2015, January 28). U.S. Education: Still Separate and Unequal. Retrieved January 25,
2016, from http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/01/28/us-education-still-
separate-and-unequal
Krummel, A. (2013). Multicultural Teaching Models to Educate Pre-Service Teachers:
Reflections, Service-Learning, and Mentoring. Critical Issues in Education, 16(1), 1-8.
Retrieved January 28, 2016, from
http://cie.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/cieatasu/article/view/1059/450
OCC Fact Sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2016, from
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ/fact-sheet-occ
The State of America's Children® 2014 Report. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, from
http://www.childrensdefense.org/library/state-of-americas-children/