About This Lesson
A Gloomy Prediction on How Much Poverty Could Rise - The New York Times. Look at the glooming recent situation. the 2nd paragraph refers to ACE study connecting poverty to adverse life and health outcomes.
This is life changing information for the world. As an educator I have believed this my entire career. Actually, even in childhood as I had a family and community that believed these concepts. Adverse Childhood Experiences Data Info-graphic life changing information for adults as well as children. The study confirmed the tie of toxic stress to lifetime adverse outcomes related to health and well-being and it was a negative legacy that was paid forward if not remediated. It can be changed, but it requires a major shift in the world view of poverty, racism, mental health.... It requires us to build trusting, loving mentoring relationships, which require us to let the mentee drive the train. It is powerful. Some incredible programs have been in operation based on this data before it was scientifically proven. Nurse Family Partnership is an incredible one. Nurse Sherly Paul is amazing! She extended the work of the Nurse Family Partnership to the significant and heartbreaking infant morality rates for African American families. She focus her efforts here and has elongated her support and built an active community that in turn supports the work It is amazing. The video that is in the Nurse Family Partnership is a must view!!! I can't get it to share a url other than through the newpaper, https://joom.ag/Xvme/p2
These nurse are just incredible!!! They are passionate and supportive of their families!! They advocate as they teach self-advocacy. They are incredible life givers and heros.
They work with first time impoverished Mom's from early pregnancy to the child's 2nd birthday. They work with the family. They make an almost 3 year commitment to stand by the families that they serve. They have over 20 years of data and experience in making a difference in the lives of the mother and her child. The families that have participated have avoided the negative outcomes of poverty for themselves and their children. Several developmental pedestrians followed these children and validated the lifelong benefit of this wonderful program.
As educators, we have long known the value of early childhood intervention & preschool programs especially to those in high risk categories. Head Start has long been a major important factor in support of our fragile families. I believe most educators would support universally available preschool. Yet, we have yet to see this become a reality. I believe that policy makers are uneducated to what teachers see in many of their communities everyday or they would make it a priority. I think early childhood educators continue to have to fight ridiculous concepts that push for advanced academic rigor that looks like Yale Preschool. This is not the language of early childhood and it has negative lifelong harm to insist that preschoolers march lockstep down the hall for reading instruction. Preschool teachers know that unconditional love and support will entice and encourage students to learn. They will be stronger learners when provided a safe environment that shares resources and support but allows the child to be driven by their curiosity. (Sorry passionate about the language and learning of play!).
One of the newer initiative is Early Head Start. I think this is promising... Especially in light of the CDC, ACE research material and additional studies in every field imaginable. It helps to make sense of some of the educators that have has the so called unexplainable success with various students like Jaime Escalante.
In my search to better the adult life transitioning for high schools students with special learning needs I found and incredible program in OR that took the data that ACE confirmed that all a kid needs is one trusted, loving adult mentor that is at their side, has their back and does not let them get lost or abandoned. I took that deeply to heart!!! I have heard lip service paid to this concept... It is not 20 minute homeroom period devoted to looking at their transcript...
In my 33 years, I think that most teachers that are in the field in an ongoing career level manner care deeply and do their best to support their students in the best way they know. Now we have more information. How will be use this and push for our students and their families!! I know that we have tried to bring forth a variety of changes in education that support or relationship with children and their families. We need to look at these again and insist that teachers be allowed to change the lives and learning of our students as that is why we became educators in the first place. It certainly was because of the high salary or the grueling after hours paperwork and meets. Please look at all the resources and others like it. Let us really do something about the War on Poverty that should be called the War the government has been having against children in poverty (welfare Queens, other such programs to justify withdrawal of support to needy families). Name calling and taking away food money from poor families is not going to help them get out of poverty. Watch and learn. In addition, remember what sociology has proven... There really in a system in place to keep those poor in that class. Currently, many that say they are middle class really should be labeled the working poor. I believe most teacher can join that group. Poverty has been on the rise, while funding to support children has been cut. Inflation has made matters even worse.
Adverse Childhood Experiences Data Info-graphic is a great tool to see the data well laid out.
These were resources that I researched in order to help my student truly explore poverty in relationship to race, education, gender.... I wanted them to have the opportunity to real form an informed opinion. I did not want to hear the outrageous get a job pull yourself up by your bootstraps nonsense. These are mythical prejudiced answers that I wanted to be sure my students never uttered. Then, I got these resources and believed t hat as educators they are a call to action especially in light of our recent situation...
Please keep me informed