It was scorching. I could feel the sweat dripping off my face as I tried to take notes. The graffitied walls, the roof, the door… Everything was made of metal, and I felt like a bird trapped in a cage. The teacher called out forty names, but only fifteen answered. The noise from other classrooms passed easily through the thin walls, disrupting my attention. During the summer, it was too hot; during the winter, too cold. For thirteen years, Anibal, an emergency school made purely out of metal, was the only notion of education I had.
Despite the discouraging learning environment, my mother, who had dropped out of school to help my family make ends meet, attended every parent-teacher conference, happy to have her children in school. She would
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She was representing ISMART, a non-profit organization that offers scholarships to outstanding low-income students. Her words were surreal to me. I could not believe that an institution would cover tuition, books, meals and transportation for students like me to attend a first-tier private school. I was filled with uncertainty, but knew I could not let this unique opportunity slip away.
After a long process, I was one of the 190 accepted students from a pool of over 12,000 applicants; ISMART was my key to escape from the metal cage and study at Arquidiocesano, a centenary French school that educated three Brazilian presidents. In spite of all the challenges I knew lied ahead, I was ready to embrace them and make my mother and I even prouder of my accomplishments.
Every day, I left the city of Osasco, in the outskirts of São Paulo, and commuted four hours to Arquidiocesano. I had twice the amount of courses I previously had, frequent testing, and extra classes in order to catch up. My friends said I was crazy for having such a harsh routine at the young age of 14, but I was happy; I felt that I was in full control of my future, and that feeling was worth the effort. I started to see new doors opening up to me, from Model U.N. to national scientific olympiads; every experience made me more excited and immersed in this engaging new world I was
For such families, “sustaining children’s natural growth is viewed as an accomplishment” (Lareau 34). Lareau also reported that many working class and poor parents feel that educators hold the expertise, and usually fear doing the “wrong thing” in school-related matters (Lareau 357). What this usually leads to is trying to maintain a separation between school and home (Lareau 358).
Duncan, Arne. “Parent Voices for World-Class Education.” National Assessment Governing Board Education Summit for Parent Leaders. Crystal Gateway Marriott, Washington D.C. 13 Jan 2014. Keynote Address. Ed.gov. Web. 29 March 2014.
I bolted through the clear door of a small, earth-colored high school, practically slamming the door behind me. Catching my breath, I stood in the school completely drenched and shivering. Rain pounded on the clear door behind me. I stood awkwardly on a mat in front of the doorway, trying not to get the floor wet. I gazed around the hall in front of me. I couldn’t see staff in the office, nor were any students in the hallway or in the classrooms. The entire school was empty.
My feet planted firm on the ground as I bit the inside of my cheeks to feel something. My pigtails and gray uniform forgotten along with my surroundings as I just watched death do his work. I didn’t feel like a kid anymore. The once peaceful scene turned into a mass of chaotic moments as soon as metal clashed on metal, and the remains of glass littered the floor of the street in front of the fenced gates of my school. My peers screamed loudly but the sound of the crash replayed in my head, but worst of all is that I saw the blond hair of the woman cover her face like a veil tainted red. My teacher ushered us to wait inside yet my mind was numb and my thoughts blurred as I heard the cries of the adults.
For many young adults or “emerging adults” their first entrance into this phase is leaving home for the first time and entering college. It is during this the “achieving stage” (Schaie & Willis, 2015) where young adults increase their problem-solving skills, gain life experience and get to explore new views and thoughts that are acquired outside of the home, this was no different in Heather’s case. She went to a college that was dramatically different than her small town. It was in a large city, with multi-races and cultures, giving her the ability to gain so much more life experience. It was during this time that Heather first experienced Sternburgh’s theory on love which consists of intimacy the feeling of closeness or
Kurtz, Jill. (2004, October 15). Starting School for Kindergarten Parents. Retrieved December 4, 2004, from http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/start/kday.htm
After my completion of the project, I re-examined my career and life goals. Before I discovered that Edutopia was my idea of paradise, I had never realized that education was so important to me. When I did, though, I decided to pursue a career in education.
As children, we look to our parents to teach us skills that we need in everyday life, whether it be social skills or how to. Yet for a variety of reasons, some children do not have this personal role model for them to follow and learn from. For these children, their teachers may be the first adult to give them any sort of attention or care. As a result, a teacher can play a huge impact in a young child’s life. The Allentown School District’s high schools are both considered Title I schools, meaning that over 40% of the school’s students come from families that are legally considered low-income (www2.ed.gov). In the ASD, this number is nearly doubled at 88.7% (www.allentownsd.org). Most likely, these students come from homes in which the adults they live with are working most of the day and
At this center, the teachers have the tools to assess each child and the parents are interested in knowing the strengths and supports their child needs. The article Understanding Families, states that there should be “opportunities for families to discuss their beliefs about their children, what they want for their children, and how they support their children’s development” (Christian, 7). As conferences occur every 6 months, parents also communicate with the school and teachers via email and during drop off and pick up times. Another great example of parent communication is in the article Building Bridges from School to Home.
A child’s first teacher is his or her mother and father. As a parent, involvement in the education process in the early years includes engaging the child through age appropriate games, regular reading, and simply interacting on a daily basis. A child that is engaged in this way are set up to develop into students who succeed academically. Once that child attends school, parental involvement shows that the parent places value on education. Furthermore, “staying connected to the classroom gives you ideas of how to expand what she learns at school,” (Driscoll & Nagel, 2010) thus providing parents with additional tools to implement in the home to continue the teaching process even after the school day has ended.
Discussions continue about improving the U.S. public education system. One question which is frequently overlooked is: What is the role of parents in education?
A first day at a new school can always be scary and nerve wrecking. Starting a new school can seem as if making new friends will be almost impossible. In the end a new school calls for new experiences and new friends.
Parent involvement is one of the most influential aspects of student motivation. The parents are the initial teachers of the child before the child goes to school and encounters education through a teacher. If a parent is completely engaged in the learning process with a child, there can be growth between the child and the parent simultaneously. The parents set an example for the child, so that the child understands that help is in the classroom and at home. Alma Wright, a first and second grade teacher, believes that parents in the classroom are a good way to stimulate children. She says, “Their active participation is a positive influence. The school is open for parents to share their talents and motivate their children” (Drew, Olds, and Olds, 1974, p. 71).
Recent studies on parental involvement in education have found that there are many benefits for both the student and the adult when parents become involved in their children’s education. Without parent support, it is very difficult for a child to be motivated. From what I have seen growing up, only a small percentage of students are self-motivated, so it is absolutely vital that parents assist in the motivation process. I found this table to be particularly interesting and important.
The support of a parent is the single most important factor in predicting success in school for young children (Bourquin). Parents who make it a point to get involved with the child’s education are communicating the importance of education to their child (Heffer). There are a variety of ways in which a parent can get involved. This can range from at home help and encouragement with homework, attending athletic ...