Education Week: A Community Unites to Send Low-Income Kids to College

Education Week: A Community Unites to Send Low-Income Kids to College Full Article

                             Matthew Lynch | November 4, 2016

Key Issue:  In the heart of Portland's Rockwood neighborhood sits Alder Elementary, where approximately 20% of students are homeless, 100% of students are on free or reduced lunch, and more than 60% are English language learners. This school has consistently ranked in the bottom 15% in the state. Even in the face of such challenging poverty and language-related barriers, Alder students and staff continue to amaze our community and beat the odds by holding the title of fastest improving school in the Reynolds School District. 

What Do We Tell The Children?

The Huffington Post

Ali Michael, Ph.D. 

Source: LINK

Key Points: As educator's we need to be good role models for the students. We need to focus on the good and positives. This will be a good time to talk about democracy and civic duties that we all have. Discuss issues around our immediate communities in which students can take a role and make a change. 

Relevance: The election that just happened has a lot of minority students talking about their fears. This is their future and it affects their daily life. Personally, I have received a lot of concerning questions from my students and know of other teachers who have the same issue. 

Audience: Staff and teachers in schools. Parents and children.

Girl Uses Google Translate To Ask New Classmate To Sit With Her At Lunch

Taylor PittmanParents Associate Editor, The Huffington Post

Source: LINK

Key Points: The importance to teach our students manners and to be kind to everyone. Teach students that language should not be a barrier, especially with all the current communication technology.

Relevance: We tell students to be nice and kind to everyone but with everything going on, it is hard. Our students need to see and hear stories like these in order to feel comfortable making new connections. I found this story very powerful. 

Audience: parents and children