The No Child Left Behind Act (2001) brought attention
to the achievement gap between low income students and advantaged students, as
well as gaps between children of minority ethnicities. At the high school
level, these gaps are closely related to graduation and dropout rates as well
as college attendance for specific groups of students. (Darling-Hammond, Zielezinski, & Goldman, 2014) Students that are
provided with multiple opportunities for learning demonstrate higher
achievement than those low socioeconomic status (SES) students.
The one of the most pronounced differences in low
income and advantaged students is the access to electronic devices and access
to the internet. Internet access breaks down classroom walls and connects us
globally. A 2013 PEW Research Study found that “56% of teachers of students
from higher income households say they or their students use tablet computers
in the learning process, compared with 37% of teachers of the lowest income
students.” (Purcell, Heaps, Buchanan, & Friedrich, 2013) Low SES students are
less likely you own a computer or other internet device than advantaged
students as well as less frequent internet access. “Only
3 percent of teachers in high-poverty schools agreed that “students have the
digital tools they need to effectively complete assignments while at home,”
compared to 52 percent of teachers in more affluent schools” (Darling-Hammond,
Zielezinski, & Goldman, 2014, p. 3) . Through use of
technology, students can explore areas of the globe that were previously
inaccessible to them, explore new concepts in a variety of methods including
simulations, maps, videos, 3D models and more. Additionally, research has shown
that students learn more when they also create the content in a digital format.
(Darling-Hammond, Zielezinski, & Goldman, 2014) . Using technology
allows for a flexible learning environment so that students of all abilities
can learn at their own pace.
Teachers can provide additional avenues to complete
assignments using the schools technological resources. While teachers can not
directly affect the number of low SES students that have access to digital
technologies in their home, they can provide a multitude of opportunities to
use classroom technologies to complete assignments. Additionally, minimizing
the amount of “homework” utilizing technology can be effective in reducing the
technology barrier between low SES and advantaged students. Many schools have
received grant funding to purchase Google Chromebooks for their students,
providing a 1:1 device ratio. When given 1:1 access, students are more likely
to access learning opportunities regularly (Darling-Hammond, Zielezinski, & Goldman, 2014) . Furthermore,
utilizing technology in the classroom, mimics real world experiences and
provides students with 21st century skills for the future. Utilizing
these skills, students can achieve higher income jobs, increase
graduation/reduce dropout rates and end the cycle of poverty within their
family.
Standardized intelligence tests show a correlation
between poverty and lower cognitive achievement, and low-SES kids often earn
below-average scores in reading, math, and science and demonstrate poor writing
skills” (Jensen, 2009, p. 1) . Studies have additionally shown that
low income students who are provided with educational materials such as books
at home, have more success than those who are not provided with the same
materials (Jensen, 2009) . Providing a classroom library of
resources that can be loaned out is one method of combatting this issue. Secondly,
allowing access to the school library school computer labs, as well as the
local library provides additional reading resources for low SES students. However,
just providing the resources is not enough, internet access and educational
resources are still unequal between low SEs and advantaged students. Studies have shown that students with home
educational resources and personal computers have more time to pick and choose
sources than those low SES students. Low SES students do not have the time,
resources or bandwidth to go through the results one by one. Parents of higher income, advantaged students
typically educate students on the validity of sources both online and paper. Educating
parents on the needs of educational materials in the home and on digital
literacy is one step in reducing the achievement gap between low SES and
advantaged students.
Children in poverty make up more than 50% of our
students (Darling-Hammond, Zielezinski, & Goldman, 2014) . Children who are
food insecure have limited access to meals. Children who experience hunger are
more likely to have issues with memory and concentration because they do not
have the energy to properly carry out these brain functions. The brain needs
energy to function properly. We obtain our energy from food in the form of
calories. Without the energy obtained from the calories in food, students are
more tired, lack energy and struggle to focus cognitively. Additionally,
malnutrition can affect sleeping patterns, making a long day of classes
difficult to get through (Walthouse, 2014) .
In the science classroom, eating is not allowed due to
the presence and use of chemicals and sensitive laboratory equipment. However,
providing a drawer full of heathy snacks such as granola bars that any student
can grab to take with them to their next class or to eat in between class
breaks in block scheduled classes can help to combat student hunger and
increase cognitive ability. Providing snacks to all students increases student
trust and classroom community (Spies PhD., Morgan Ph.D, & Matuura, 2014) . Teachers can additionally provide morning
snacks such as cereal and fruits during homeroom, as well as during afterschool
homework sessions. In addition to classroom teachers, administrators should be continually
implementing strategies and techniques to identify students that are suffering
from hunger on a year round basis.
Teachers
can additionally educate themselves on the socioeconomic status of all their
students. Understanding their student populations, family factors and educational
needs of their students not only will help to reduce achievement gaps between
low SES and advantaged students but also create a classroom community of trust
and respect between students and educators.
Teachers can combat the achievement gaps between low
SES and advantaged students through implementing access to technology, computer
and library resources, educating parents on educational needs, providing
classroom snacks ot combat hunger and educating themselves on their students
socioeconomic status and needs. Providing additional opportunities and rigorous
learning opportunities for all students will increase student cognition, memory
and comprehension, as well as increase gradation/reduce dropout rates and
increase college admittance rates for students.
References
Darling-Hammond,
L., Zielezinski, M. B., & Goldman, S. (2014). Using Technology to
Support At-Risk Students Learning. Standford, CA: Standford Center for Opportunity Policy in
Education (SCOPE).
DoSomething.org.
(n.d.). 11 Facts About Hunger in the U.S. Retrieved from Do Something:
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-hunger-us
Jensen, E. (2009).
Chapter 2: How Poverty Affects Behavior and Academic Performance. In E.
Jensen, Teaching with Poverty in Mind (p. November). ASCD. Retrieved
from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109074/chapters/How-Poverty-Affects-Behavior-and-Academic-Performance.aspx
Purcell, K., Heaps, A.,
Buchanan, J., & Friedrich, L. (2013, February 28). How Teachers Are
Using Technology at Home and in Their Classrooms. Retrieved from PEW
Research Center: http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/02/28/how-teachers-are-using-technology-at-home-and-in-their-classrooms/
Spies PhD., T., Morgan
Ph.D, J. J., & Matuura, M. (2014). The Faces of Hunger: The Educational
Impact of Hunger on Students with Disabilities. Intervention in School and
Clinic, 5-14.
Walthouse, E. (2014, July
2). The Effects of Hunger on Education. Retrieved from The Borgen
Project: http://borgenproject.org/effects-of-hunger-on-education/
