The More I Think About It...

The more I think about the comments made by Diane Ravitch concerning the extent to which poverty and parents have a significant impact on student learning the more I got to considering one additional factor (though it does overlap with poverty) and that is the community environment.

Is the community safe?  Are there decent jobs?  Is it family friendly?  Are there decent playground and recreation areas?   Are homes, sidewalks (riding bikes to school, walking to school), roads in good condition?  And what about violence and gangs?  Are businesses shuttered?  What kinds of restaurants are found in the neighborhood, are they mostly offering fast food that is lousy for ones diet?  Do families look out for one another?

All of the conditions in the previous paragraph have varying degrees of influence on the upbringing of a child and will certainly have an impact on the growth (positive or negative) of a young person.

Yes, poverty, the community environment and parents are critical components which greatly affect student learning.  These issues have to be dealt with if there is to be significant change within the school walls.

Thanks,
Dick