Roughly three hundred homeless students will start a new school year in Saint Cloud, and almost seventy in Sauk Rapids-Rice.
Local organizations such as Anna Marie's Alliance are providing all the support they can for children and teens in the shelters. It is extremely difficult for homeless kids in shelters to keep up with school, as shelters only allow families to stay for 30-45 days at a time. Anna Marie's Alliance has recruited tutors for the homeless children, and a fleet of five iPads so that students can stay connected with assignments and instruction through online learning and educational apps.
Even among the college set, some students couch surf and live out of their cars while they get an education. Their families might have kicked them out, they might have run away from home, or they simply have no family in the area and nowhere to stay while they go to college.
In Minnesota, ten percent of the population does not know where their next meal is coming from. Children make up forty percent of the hungry population. School becomes attractive to hungry kids, because they can receive at least one free meal there. Stearns and Sherburne Counties have more than the average number of hungry people in the state; many will be students.
For anyone who works in a school, the kindest thing to do is bring food for the kids. Any type of food will do. As Minnesota has also revamped its cafeteria menus to provide "healthier" lunches, all students will be eating less. Our hungry students will not make it through the winter without your help.
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Why Some Children Learn To Hate School--Their Teachers Hate Them
Male African-American children more likely to receive harsh punishments in school for minor offenses than their peers, according to a report from the National Education Policy Center. The "discipline" that these children receive does not instill "good" behavior, but often leads to more frequent disciplinary action as these students advance through their K-12 education, reduced academic performance, and early dropout rates.
A UCLA based study revealed that students were aware of ethnicity-based stigma as early as second grade. Ethnicity-based stigma in school made students more likely to experience academic anxiety and not perform to their potential. At the same time, ethnic minority children were more likely to be motivated learners in school than their white counterparts--in particular, young African-American students.
A major human rights crisis exists in our K-12 environment. No matter what federal and state laws say about providing equal opportunities for education to all children regardless of race, religion, etc etc etc in the United States, there is not one federal or state law which states that people must prove their cultural sensitivity before embarking on a career teaching children or adolescents. While many state teacher certification programs may include a course or training session on multiculturalism, anyone can learn how to pass a class. The question is, can someone apply cultural sensitivity and acceptance in their own classroom just because they learned about it in a class?
Fifty percent of new teachers in the United States leave the teaching profession after five years. It is a difficult job to be sure, often for low pay. Reasons for leaving the profession include difficult working conditions, lack of support and mentoring from senior colleagues, and a realization that teaching in "the real world" is not the same as student teaching. What many of those former teachers do not mention is that they, too, may experience some form of prejudice from their colleagues, or may be disgusted by the acts of prejudice that they see their colleagues perform. Some new teachers are asked specifically if "the black students" are giving them a hard time. Some new teachers are told specifically to just send certain students (often students of color) to the principal's office if they as much as walk into the door of their classroom. Many teachers believe that students who are seen and not heard do not hear them use ethnic, homophobic, and transphobic slurs on school grounds. Even with a new generation of teachers arriving on the scene, a generation cited as more accepting of diversity than previous generations, blatant discrimination against certain children in K-12 schools has not decreased.
A UCLA based study revealed that students were aware of ethnicity-based stigma as early as second grade. Ethnicity-based stigma in school made students more likely to experience academic anxiety and not perform to their potential. At the same time, ethnic minority children were more likely to be motivated learners in school than their white counterparts--in particular, young African-American students.
A major human rights crisis exists in our K-12 environment. No matter what federal and state laws say about providing equal opportunities for education to all children regardless of race, religion, etc etc etc in the United States, there is not one federal or state law which states that people must prove their cultural sensitivity before embarking on a career teaching children or adolescents. While many state teacher certification programs may include a course or training session on multiculturalism, anyone can learn how to pass a class. The question is, can someone apply cultural sensitivity and acceptance in their own classroom just because they learned about it in a class?
Fifty percent of new teachers in the United States leave the teaching profession after five years. It is a difficult job to be sure, often for low pay. Reasons for leaving the profession include difficult working conditions, lack of support and mentoring from senior colleagues, and a realization that teaching in "the real world" is not the same as student teaching. What many of those former teachers do not mention is that they, too, may experience some form of prejudice from their colleagues, or may be disgusted by the acts of prejudice that they see their colleagues perform. Some new teachers are asked specifically if "the black students" are giving them a hard time. Some new teachers are told specifically to just send certain students (often students of color) to the principal's office if they as much as walk into the door of their classroom. Many teachers believe that students who are seen and not heard do not hear them use ethnic, homophobic, and transphobic slurs on school grounds. Even with a new generation of teachers arriving on the scene, a generation cited as more accepting of diversity than previous generations, blatant discrimination against certain children in K-12 schools has not decreased.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Christmas and Children's Rights
Many people around the world are celebrating Christmas today. Christmas is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, although no one really knows exactly when He was born, and not all people of Christian faiths agree on the exact date.
All we know is that a special child was born on that day, with the potential to change the world. It had been prophesied that this child would be the next "King of the Jews". The infant was in great danger, as King Herod of Judea had ordered his soldiers to kill all male infants so that Herod and his line could rule forever. Only one man had the courage to give Mary and Joseph a place to hide and give birth to this special child.
Knowing the background of Christ's birth gives Christmas a brand new meaning. To celebrate Christ's birth is not necessarily recognizing the birth of a new religion, or even recognizing Christ as the child of God. Celebrating Christ's birth is recognizing that all children born on this Earth have the potential to change the world. For this reason, all children deserve food, clothing, and shelter. They deserve a loving family who will make them aware of their potential and help them achieve it. They deserve the opportunity to express themselves and to be heard. They deserve our protection, guidance, and support.
It has become a tradition to give children presents during Christmas. No matter what the gift, it should be given with the intention of developing a child's potential, showing them love, and helping them bond with family and community. Many people give donations to children's charities during the Christmas holidays, hoping that needy children will eventually have the opportunity to reach their potential.
There are still many parts of the world where it seems that children are born to suffer. This is especially the case in parts of the world where girls do not enjoy the same freedoms or safeties as boys, or where children are sold into slavery, prostitution, or rebel armies. In the United States, there are nearly 500,000 children in foster care; many of these children suffer from severe emotional problems stemming from unstable living conditions, neglect, and abuse. Around the world, more children are receiving autistic spectrum disorder diagnoses; without a supportive family and community, and without the right educational environment, many of these children will never reach their potential. As more Americans lose their jobs, more children are seeing their lives downsized from a house to the back seat of a car.
While we give our own children Christmas presents and holiday memories of favorite foods, movies, and games shared with family, we should not forget the children in our community who will not have those things. On Christmas, if not more often, we should make the time to visit a child who needs to be reminded of their potential, and reminded that no matter how bad things get, good adults still exist who can set an example.
All we know is that a special child was born on that day, with the potential to change the world. It had been prophesied that this child would be the next "King of the Jews". The infant was in great danger, as King Herod of Judea had ordered his soldiers to kill all male infants so that Herod and his line could rule forever. Only one man had the courage to give Mary and Joseph a place to hide and give birth to this special child.
Knowing the background of Christ's birth gives Christmas a brand new meaning. To celebrate Christ's birth is not necessarily recognizing the birth of a new religion, or even recognizing Christ as the child of God. Celebrating Christ's birth is recognizing that all children born on this Earth have the potential to change the world. For this reason, all children deserve food, clothing, and shelter. They deserve a loving family who will make them aware of their potential and help them achieve it. They deserve the opportunity to express themselves and to be heard. They deserve our protection, guidance, and support.
It has become a tradition to give children presents during Christmas. No matter what the gift, it should be given with the intention of developing a child's potential, showing them love, and helping them bond with family and community. Many people give donations to children's charities during the Christmas holidays, hoping that needy children will eventually have the opportunity to reach their potential.
There are still many parts of the world where it seems that children are born to suffer. This is especially the case in parts of the world where girls do not enjoy the same freedoms or safeties as boys, or where children are sold into slavery, prostitution, or rebel armies. In the United States, there are nearly 500,000 children in foster care; many of these children suffer from severe emotional problems stemming from unstable living conditions, neglect, and abuse. Around the world, more children are receiving autistic spectrum disorder diagnoses; without a supportive family and community, and without the right educational environment, many of these children will never reach their potential. As more Americans lose their jobs, more children are seeing their lives downsized from a house to the back seat of a car.
While we give our own children Christmas presents and holiday memories of favorite foods, movies, and games shared with family, we should not forget the children in our community who will not have those things. On Christmas, if not more often, we should make the time to visit a child who needs to be reminded of their potential, and reminded that no matter how bad things get, good adults still exist who can set an example.
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