Hopefully, our work over the past few days has resonated in some way with you. For those of you who didn't know about "Saigon in Jersey," I hope you have gained an understanding of and an appreciation for these events. For those of you who were aware of the Riots of '67, I hope that our work has clarified as much as it has caused you to question and query. We look to history, and to social history in particular, to inform not only our understanding of the present but certainly to inform our direction in the future.
The Newark rebellion didn't "just" happen: it was the result of several mitigating factors that have and seem to continue to plague America's urban centers. Despite attempts at gentrification (Prudential Center, Bears Arena, NJPAC, Newark Beth-Israel Medical Center), Newark still feels the effects of its past- and of the 1967 riots in particular. There are still high rates of unemployment, drug use, and incidents of gang violence. The city is still divided upon race lines. The "attitude" about Newark can be seen even in many of our initial reactions in class: "ghetto," "guns," "get shot" were all statements that bandied around the room. Many of us did not know that Newark was a center of industry and technology, that it boasted some of the most magnificent buildings erected on the East Coast, or even that its famous Branchburg Park received the same gift of Cherry Blossom Trees that Washington D.C. received- since foreign governments viewed both cities as similar in terms of influence.
One of the things I want most to impart to you in this course, and perhaps my overall purpose in being an educator, is to encourage you to look around your world and find something to be passionate about. For me, this is education. And one of the issues that plagues Newark, and in fact, all of our urban areas, is failing school systems.
There are many issues in education that you, as students in the system, should be aware of- things like high stake assessments and NCLB and the rising costs of college. You should be aware of how you learn, what the government mandates you should learn, and basic aspects of pedagogy and methodology. Chances are, you might not know the lingo, but having lived it, you can recognize it. And, chances are, you will begin to think about these things when you are older, out of the system, or have children of your own. Perception is funny like that- many times, it requires distance.
You are fortunate to attend a school in a community where education is valued, even prized. This, as we all know, can create its own host of problems, but they are not the issues facing America's urban schools.
The year before I started teaching at Millburn, I was finishing an MFA in creative writing at Columbia. I was fortunate enough to spend spring semester teaching fiction to 5th graders in Harlem. I have many striking memories of that spring, but one that is most clear is this: during a walkthrough of the school, my teacher guide said, "you're lucky that you are teaching in the afternoon." As a morning person, I thought the opposite, but after stopping in the cafeteria, I understood why the afternoon was advantageous. There, I observed all 300 students placing everything on their tray- the mac and cheese, the salad, the roll, m and m's, onto their single slice of pizza, rolling it up, and stuffing it, in what seemed to be a Herculean effort, into their mouths. When I asked her about this behavior, she responded, "they do that because they are starving. It's all they can do to make themselves feel full. You want to teach in the afternoon because they might be able to concentrate with some food in their stomachs."
Everything in me, especially my stomach, felt empty.
So please, comment on some of the issues facing urban education in general, and Newark schools in particular. And then think (don't post) about why we should care about this, or if we should leave it up to people with extra nerve endings-like me.
Newark's education system has been deteriorating over the years. This is due to a myriad of issues including lack of funds, ineffective teacher evaluation, parental absence, and the ethnic divide among people in Newark. In 2011, a survey went out to residents of Newark asking for their views on the education system. The survey revealed that residents felt a strong imbalance of quality education distribution. It was widely believed that East and Westward parts of Newark had the best schools, and the South and Central areas of Newark were lower performing. In addition to the belief that the quality of education was separated by the section of Newark, the residents also believed that quality education was unevenly distributed among different racial groups. The general consensus was that Asian, Indian, Portuguese and White students were assumed to have received higher quality education than the Latino, Black, and Special Education students.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that comes to my mind when thinking about urban education problems is the effect a child's home life can have on their education. My father works as a reading tutor at a school in Elizabeth, and he always tells me about how he has trouble contacting the parents of kids that are struggling in school. Often the parents are not home to help the children or show little interest in interacting with the teachers from school in order to address an issue that the child may have. In addition to being one of the reading tutors at his school, he also stands in as a substitute teacher. This was not originally a part of his job. However, his school is unable to pay for the extra staff that would be required in order to fill in substitute positions. Because of this some of the teacher tutors also act as substitutes.
Some of the schools in Newark are really struggling with funds. They are unable to provide learning tools that will enhance student education and contribute to a well rounded curriculum. One of the people who responded to the survey addressed this issue, describing how some schools will have an art room but no computer room, or no library. Without these extra materials, it is difficult for students to develop beyond the classroom and to learn how to apply the skills and knowledge gained during classes. In addition to the absence of curriculum enhancing materials, it has also been found that teachers have been ineffective. The teacher evaluation process has not been thorough and informative enough to promote improvement in the performance of school staff. One of the teachers who responded to the survey suggested a more complete and objective evaluation that outlined where the teachers should improve, and what aspects of their teaching methods should remain the same.
I'm not sure if I should cite my sources or not, so I guess I will just to be safe?
Sorry for the really long post.
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0512/0123/
Resident Perceptions of Public Education in Newark: A Community Survey
published by Rutgers and NYU Steinhardt
Urban education throughout the past years has deteriorated due to higher crime rates and a devastating home life. If you come from a broken home, which many inner city kids do, they will not have the motivation to better themselves in school because they are constantly struggling to make ends meet within their home life. Driving to the city I always see the billboard that states 17% of New Jersey high schoolers drop out each year, that is 1.5 million students a year dropping out which a extremely high number if you think about it, but one of the lowest in the United States.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Newark does have many problems in public school education, it is not the only urban school system with these issues. Students who attend public schools in urban areas tend to have a lack of parental involvement. Students who attend schools like Millburn and other high schools in surrounding areas do not realize that they are lucky to have their parents involved in their school work, even as annoying as it may be. Most students in urban areas have parents who live below the poverty level. This forces them to work more than one job which does not allow time for them to be active in their child's school work. However, Newark in particular has many issues that should be paid attention too. One of the major issues is the low percentage of high school students who actually graduate and earn a diploma. On average, only about 23% of students in a Newark public school graduate. The reason this number is so low really starts from the issues at home. For example, a mother and father have to support a family and are each working multiple jobs, but still don't have enough money to pay the bills. The parents will probably look to the oldest child, or the ones in high school, to contribute to the family. Therefore, school is no longer a priority. When things start improving at home, I feel more students will feel less pressure to work and provide for their families. This is a major issue in the Newark school district, however, it is the families that need to improve in order for the whole school system to improve.
ReplyDeleteMany schools in Newark are not only showing poor attendance, but also closing in response to that. Seven schools in Newark are closing due to failing. These seven schools were selected to close because of their declining enrollment and poor performance. Many of those students who attend those school failed language and math tests which were recently reported. At Martin Luther King school in Newark, only about 10% of kids perform at minimum language proficiency on the statewide tests. Kids in the Newark urban areas of New Jersey are failing to do well in school probably because of one main reason- their home life. As julie and Jud touched on, home life is a key aspect on how well students do in school. If more kids have a rough home life, then they won't do as well in school as others. Also, many families only have a mother to support a family of three or four, so the oldest children will feel pressured into getting a job and working to help support their siblings. Just like Julie said, by making these older kids work it will take away time they could be spending on their schoolwork. It's definitely a rough battle that many urban areas are facing, but there is no choice but to reform the ways schools work now to make them better for the future.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Julie on the issue that parents in Urban areas are not involved enough with there children's education, but personally I believe its more then that. Children who come from mostly broken homes and inner city livings view education as a minor priority. When we take the comparison of Millburn's students to those in the Inner City Schools we see the struggles that the students face. It is sad seeing that children must face adult circumstances face to face at such a young age. If school was taken more seriously by the government things would be different as well. For instance the issue dealing with capacity in Newark Schools. They have more students being enrolled then the space that is provided. This becomes more of an issue with transfer students. We see more schools being built called charter schools in Newark and inner city areas. They are schools in which students must test to get into and act more as if they are private, but in fact they are public. This is one major step that the government has taken to correct its mistakes in the past. There is still a lot to fix in these areas and it is sad to see that the change has still not taken place a hundred percent.
ReplyDeleteReading about the Newark school systems makes me appreciate so much more how nice we have it here at Millburn High School. Here we come from stable households, where there is always food on the table, a home to protect us, and enough money to send us to the colleges we choose. Newark students aren't as fortunate as we are and they have to try so much harder to achieve less then we do. The areas that kids live in have so many things distracting them from doing well in school, like drugs and violence. In order for a Newark student to achieve greatness they have to try incredibly hard and its not fair because if they grew up in Millburn I'm sure they would be getting along just fine and able to accomplish whatever they desire. The environment that you come from plays a big role in how successful you will become in life.
ReplyDeleteI can comment on this subject matter as a basketball player and as a student. As a basketball player, I have had the opportunity of playing AAU with many kids from newark. Whenever I would talk with them, they all had dreams of playing college basketball. With their talent, many college programs would love to have them, but especially this year, my teammates are finding that their grades are holding them back. When I would ask them what their school is like, they tell me that nobody cares in their school. It is very sad to me that my friends and teammates will not have the opportunity to play in college due to their school performance. These kids dedicate their entire lives to basketball - they constantly practice, play, and think about basketball. Going to tournaments is there only escape from the city. It is from this central focus that skews their importance in education. In Newark, students are allowed to choose, whichever school they want to go to. I think this is crazy because my teammates selected schools based on their basketball teams rather than their academic values! I know there are many other problems than just athletes in the inner city education, but I wanted to provide another angle of what I have seen in my own experience.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about less privileged children and students sometimes I wonder that school may sometimes be an escape for them. Some of their lives are so torn and broken at home and their neighborhoods where they grow up, that when they go to school its an escape of all the bad. For them, going to school may not be a place to learn, go onto college and further, its a place of safety and fun. A completely different perspective what we though of while we were still in our early years. I think that most of the time were in this bubble surrounded by kids that are so similar to us that we never realize what lies out there. Different schools alone are so different on so many levels. I totally agree with Katie where she said its not fair that they have to try so much harder to achieve than we do. They're trapped where they live and if we gave them a chance to have the same opportunities as we do they could succeed.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that Newark has these problems with their education. This is because the students can't get educated and be able to succeed in their future. Also it is sad that the schools in Newark can't afford to have libraries and computers. Also, I read an article where in one school it said there was no toilet paper in the bathroom and there were also rats. It is so sad to hear that a school is like that. Towns around Newark should really help their education and help kids learn.
ReplyDeleteThe urban areas are filled with violence and crime when things like this become a part of ones everyday life its hard to make education their priority. The fear instilled upon them forces them to find their safety nets which is why they rely on their gangs. When colts and gangs start forming school becomes less and less of the priority. The kids in many inner cities are so sure of their future that they feel school is pointless they are better off developing their spot on the streets rather than their brain in the classroom. Another problem with the education system in many inner cities including Newark is the problems they are facing due to economic issues. Many of theses cities are experiencing financial difficulties making budget cuts a requirement and it difficult to fund crucial school programs such as libraries and providing computers for their students to use. Violence is usually a repercussion of poverty the people don't feel they have anything to lose. When in reality if they would focus less on the violence and more on school and fighting for the best education they could receive they would be able to go far in life.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad what the deteriorating education systems are doing to these children. I myself, have had a unique experience involving hungry and hurt children like these.
ReplyDeleteOnce or twice a year I go to the New Jersey Foodbank to help wherever they may need me. This is a place that runs on help of their volunteers, as well as plentiful donations. Just when I thought that I had done every job that they had, they placed me in the book bag packing section. I had absolutely no clue what this meant, until the seemingly cheery staff member told me what this section was all about. With quite a sad tone, she told us that here, we put together a bag of food basics for children in communities where their is a lot of poverty. Their only food throughout the whole week is the meals they are served in school. When they go home on the weekend to these broken homes, they suffer starvation but are filled with hate and emotionally scarring sights and sounds. When they got to school on monday, most were so hungry that they lost focus and acted out. By sending these kids home with enough food to last them a weekend (peanut butter, bread, soups, juice, snacks, etc), they can progress emotionally as well as academically.
It is a shame that projects like these need to be put into place for these children. Issues with urban education are more than teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and lack of supplies- They are stories of every individual child, family, and home. Hopefully, as they begin to spruce up cities like Newark (Ferry street is now gorgeous!), economically they can begin to prosper, and then more funding can be given to education, and home can be a safe haven for every one of those children.
I also completely agree with Julie's post about the lack of parental involvement with their children's education. I believe the reason why our small suburban town's education is more successful then other lower class urban areas is because we have more parental attention. We always hear about the students from Short Hills/Millburn who have their parents over their shoulder as they do their homework and checking PowerSchool daily, while this is annoying it also encourages some student to work harder. While in Urban towns, parents are less attentive to their children's education and lifestyle, leaving the kid to follow the lead of other and not try to be as successful. To be successful, a motive is needed; it may be pride, self-accomplishment or just your parents being proud.
ReplyDeletePlaying basketball over the past for years has allowed me to see a small glimpse of what the Newark school systems are like. From my own experiences, I have noticed that there is sometimes a large difference between the different types of kids who attend each school. Part of this is due to how the different districts in Newark are broken up and the academic level of a particular student. There is a dramatic difference between schools like Science Park High School and West Side. The buildings are completely different. Science is newly renovated, with all new facilities and a beautiful gym. West Side, is just about the opposite. The school is old and looks like it is falling apart. It is sad, Science is a school only for students with higher academic achievements and because of this they get more funding. The students that graduate from schools like these are more likely to go off to college or revive a higher education. Unfortunately, there is only a small percentage of students from Newark that attend schools like this.
ReplyDeleteThe education systems in many urban cities have issues including, but not limited to: poverty, racism, a lack of a sense of community, and uninvolved parents. Since 2009 the child poverty rate in Newark has increased over 32%. Students living in poor conditions have a harder time focusing in school and learning to their fullest potential. Racism serves as a distraction in schools, disturbing a healthy school environment, and acting as an obstacle between students and learning. Unlike many schools in the suburbs, in urban areas there is less of a sense of community within the school, and fewer involved parents. Involved parents can help motivate their children to go to school and try their best, but without parental support kids are likely to care less.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, students in Newark do not care about school the way kids in Millburn do. I used to play on a soccer team based out of the Ironbound section of Newark. To the kids on the team...I was a "genius" but in Millburn, I'm just an average student. Many of the kids from my soccer team who live in Newark, have either dropped out of school or are not going on to college and finding work. To most kids in Newark, education is not important. For those who think it is important do not receive the proper education they deserve because of the lack of funding towards Newark education.
ReplyDeleteProblems with urban education systems are deep rooted in family issues which are the real reasons for Newark's failing schools. The attitude towards school begins at an early age and is heavily influenced by parents attitude towards school. If parents do not regard school as the key to social uplift kids will be likely to have the same attitude. Furthermore kids tend to do things that have immediate gratification, not things that will be good later in life. Doing well in school does not have immediate positive impacts, but doing something like joining a gang does have immediate positive consequences for the person joining. The point is that kids are kids and without parents who care about school it is difficult to get kids interested in school. I personally believe the solution to this problem is wider spread use of charter schools or eliminating the American public education program and instead using private schools. Such that parents are directly paying for their children's education. This may make them care.
ReplyDeleteThere are many problems with urban education that will be very hard to fix and overcome. It all starts with the parenting. In the inner city many kids have broken homes with very little to no parental guidance. Most urban parents probably don't push their children to do well in school. My second issue is that the kids are very poor and have to make money somehow just to survive. This is where kids turn to drugs, crime, and gangs. They feel a sense of home in a gang, and selling drugs and crime are ways of money. If the kids parents don't have enough money to support themselves, then how are they ever going to have enough money for a college education. Kids have no incentive to do well in school if they know they aren't going to go to college. I know from experience that a lot of inner city kids play sports because it is there "way out of the city." Kids put their effort into things other than school because they know there is no future for them anyway. These are the basic problems that need to be addressed before any change can happen.
ReplyDeleteIn talking to some of my friends from urban areas, one in particular from Brooklyn, I realized that kids in urban school districts are not taught the same material we're taught. My friend even put it as that they're only taught enough to stay in the same place all their life, not really ever given the opportunity to learn more or given the opportunity to succeed. I think this is incredibly unfair. Our government doesn't really seem to care about the students in these districts and doesn't think of them as being able to contribute to society. Many kids in urban areas don't even go to school and if they do, a main reason is for sports. Many kids don't even graduate, therefore don't pursue higher education, and it becomes this perpetuating cycle, then you have entire communities of uneducated people who don't value the education system because it failed them so they don't see the point of even trying with their own kids. This problem needs to be addressed. Education should be extremely valued, and the government needs to change the school system in these urban areas, hiring better teachers, changing the curriculum, and enhancing the living standards overall. People are a product of their environment, and if they're living in a place that most people would call "slums," and "ghettos," what else would you expect to see. Children growing up look up to their peers and if they're peers don't care about schools and are involved in gangs, and they see school system doesn't care about them, why would they waste their time sitting in class not really learning anything. Something needs to be done, and it needs to be yesterday.
ReplyDeletePoor and continually deteriorating urban education is a multi-faceted issue that permeates cities all across America. There is not just a single factor that affects the entire process of education--it is the parents, the students, the schools, and the community as a whole. Several years ago the Bush administration instituted No Child Left Behind, or NCLB, in hopes of raising literacy rates and high school completion. However, the policy only tackled some aspects of poor education, and quite inefficiently. The policy gave school districts across America motives to raise standardized test scores, but few means and methods with which to do it. In fact, the policy was detrimental in that it often pushed some teachers, in hopes of gaining a bonus, to help their students cheat on standardized tests. Now, with Obama's Race to the Top, people believe that the government is making progress in this battle against poor education. However, with the similarities between the two policies, one can only wonder if Race to the Top is simply another NCLB.
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