The Oxford Dictionary defines the American Dream as “the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.” The United States of America continues to pride itself on this virtue since its formation, aptly calling itself The Land of Opportunity. Indeed, many people have risen from unfortunate situations and attained degrees to live a sufficient lifestyle. However, there is a growing socioeconomic stratification in the school system that challenges if each student truly gets the same opportunity for higher education. An internal change should be endorsed to replace cemented inequalities and establish a proper egalitarian school system.
One indicator …show more content…
When assessing students’ readiness for higher education, material resources only represent a fraction of essential needs. For example, diligence is just as important as taking core classes such as math and reading. It is a trait that ensures work will be completed for a student to prosper and ultimately graduate. Effective communication with teachers and peers is also vital to school success. It represents real world schemas and the need to work together to achieve a common goal in areas such as university labs. These skills are not inherited, but result largely from adult intervention. Parents from middle and upper-class families are found to participate in “…concerted cultivation, consciously developing children’s use of language, reasoning skills, and negotiation abilities” (Neuman). In contrast, parents from low income families let their children develop in a more independent and natural manner. Understandably, teachers become primary adult figures for deprived children. The reoccurring problem that surfaces is the inability for high poverty schools to hire experienced educators. Seasoned veterans look for an increase in wages and benefits that low income schools cannot afford to offer. New and unskilled teachers that are hired are then tackled with an underlying task to implant non-cognitive skills in these students. While trying to find an effective general teaching method, this task tends to be …show more content…
This has inevitably caused a reemergence of racial segregation. Primary educational institutions have reached a peak in segregation within the last 40 years (Ostrander). The New York Times offers a straightforward explanation by stating “….a higher proportion of black and Hispanic children come from poor families”. Thus, they attend low income schools in opposition to white students. Students from white affluent households gain enrichment through not only schools, but external groups and programs. At an early age they are exposed to paid resources such as tutors that make sure they are on the right path to higher education. Black and minority students are unlikely to gain outside help. They are exclusively subjected to what their school provides. These institutions encounter deep systematic problems such as: employing and keeping skilled teachers, lack of or preservation of resources, and disruption caused by violent incidents or the emotional fallout from violence in the neighborhood (Rich). The districts also have fewer means of raising funds for extracurricular programs and more advanced courses to prepare black and minority students for college. Research shows “children in the school districts with the highest concentrations of poverty score an average of more than four grade levels below children in the richest districts” (Rich). These test scores are regarded highly by the
One indicator …show more content…
When assessing students’ readiness for higher education, material resources only represent a fraction of essential needs. For example, diligence is just as important as taking core classes such as math and reading. It is a trait that ensures work will be completed for a student to prosper and ultimately graduate. Effective communication with teachers and peers is also vital to school success. It represents real world schemas and the need to work together to achieve a common goal in areas such as university labs. These skills are not inherited, but result largely from adult intervention. Parents from middle and upper-class families are found to participate in “…concerted cultivation, consciously developing children’s use of language, reasoning skills, and negotiation abilities” (Neuman). In contrast, parents from low income families let their children develop in a more independent and natural manner. Understandably, teachers become primary adult figures for deprived children. The reoccurring problem that surfaces is the inability for high poverty schools to hire experienced educators. Seasoned veterans look for an increase in wages and benefits that low income schools cannot afford to offer. New and unskilled teachers that are hired are then tackled with an underlying task to implant non-cognitive skills in these students. While trying to find an effective general teaching method, this task tends to be …show more content…
This has inevitably caused a reemergence of racial segregation. Primary educational institutions have reached a peak in segregation within the last 40 years (Ostrander). The New York Times offers a straightforward explanation by stating “….a higher proportion of black and Hispanic children come from poor families”. Thus, they attend low income schools in opposition to white students. Students from white affluent households gain enrichment through not only schools, but external groups and programs. At an early age they are exposed to paid resources such as tutors that make sure they are on the right path to higher education. Black and minority students are unlikely to gain outside help. They are exclusively subjected to what their school provides. These institutions encounter deep systematic problems such as: employing and keeping skilled teachers, lack of or preservation of resources, and disruption caused by violent incidents or the emotional fallout from violence in the neighborhood (Rich). The districts also have fewer means of raising funds for extracurricular programs and more advanced courses to prepare black and minority students for college. Research shows “children in the school districts with the highest concentrations of poverty score an average of more than four grade levels below children in the richest districts” (Rich). These test scores are regarded highly by the