So, the argument has been made that there is this "culture of poverty" that undermines student work ethic and scholarly habits. Apparently, the "culture of poverty" is not a racial issue, it is a class issue.
But even if it isn't a race issue, it seems to be one unique to America. We are actually talking about the "culture of American poverty" that seems to manifest differently than poverty elsewhere.
Consider the following blog/article written for the India journal "Learning the Indian Way":
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/09/01/india-journal-learning-the-indian-way/
Interestingly enough, the grossly underfunded Indian education system is producing some seriously impressive results. Even those who end up having to drop out of school because of money are not suffering from a lack of work ethic or desire to study.
So, what is it about the culture of poverty here? Why, in a country where there is somewhat of a social net to catch you before you fall all the way down, did we end up with a debilitating "culture of poverty"?
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3 comments:
CC, I think this is ironically the "million dollar question." I think this discussion needs to be broader than just education. With that being said, I think that the way we teach and what we teach our "poor kids" needs to change with this "culture of poverty" in mind. The challenges the students we teach face are mighty and we have to teach them the skills and knowledge to face them and overcome them. Schools should take this on, but they cannot do it alone. If it is a "cultural" issue, there needs to be many fronts to this battle.
CC, you ask the ironic "million dollar" question. What is it about the "culture of poverty" in America that allows it to persist. I think the answer cannot be found solely in education. It is a "cultural" issues, so I think it has to be a much broader approach. However, I think schools need to recognize its exist and address it. We need to readdress how we teach "poor kids." Our students face mighty challenges presented by poverty. We must think about the way we teach and what we teach our students in order to prepare them to face these challenges and overcome them. If we expect change or progress, every teacher knows it takes backwards planning to achieve real results. We have to be strategic. It must also keep in mind, the schools cannot do it all and there must be many fronts in this battle.
I think you need to go to India before you can talk about this. The middle class in India is as large as the entire population of the United States. And the number of poor people in India dwarfs that population by double or triple. I taught in an Indian school for poor kids for six months. Most poor Indians do not make it through the 4th grade. They have to work. Middle class Indians spend sizable portions of their salaries to pay for tutoring, and even then only a very small number make it to university. They too, have to work. So-- enough grousing about how we don't compare internationally-- we actually attempt to educate everyone, which is very very difficult indeed and something India does not even pretend to try to do.
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