What strikes me
the most about this conversation about the relationship between social policy,
child development, and later achievement is that there is so much being done
around the world for children and the U.S. cannot seem to do the same. There are an overwhelming amount of
longitudinal studies on the return society will get, not just monetarily, if
they spend money on early childhood education. These studies have been cited and put into practice in
numerous countries, yet no one in the U.S. is willing to spend money on our
children.
I
think this perspective puts a new spin politically on our discussion of school
reform. We talk about schools
bearing the brunt of reforming society and producing educated human beings, but
it isn’t always mentioned what happens before children even get to Kindergarten
and how that will affect the course of their life. The care they receive in infancy and early childhood affects
their reading scores in elementary school, which is a predictor of their
ability to finish high school and go on to higher education. If other more impoverished countries
around the world can provide pre- and neonatal care, paid maternity/paternity
leave, free preschool, and universal healthcare, then why can’t the wealthiest
nation in the world provide those things?
The most frustrating part of all of this is that there is enough money
for our country to provide these things, but there are businesses and lobbyists
that are pushing for government investment in their wellbeing as opposed to the
children.
Questions:
How can we shift
policymaking in this country to have a real vested interest in the populace
instead of the corporations?
Responded to:
1. Ashley Gould
2. Kelly Bull
Responded to:
1. Ashley Gould
2. Kelly Bull
Katie,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. Looking at your question, I have to wonder why it always seems like America is more concerned with corporations rather than creating a society with high achievers. This relates to my one negative thought about the clips. When the economists and bankers are discussing the welfare of the students, they use the term "rate of return." Yes they are figuring out the best way to improve the society, but I felt that they were discussing business rather than children. However, that being said, I wholeheartedly agree with the clips and am still wondering why America is the last to get on board to improve our educationally weak nation.
Hi Katie,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your point that our government has a history of investing in corporations instead of in its people-- especially in healthcare and education. It IS frustrating, especially when the answer seems so clear. Your question is perfect, "How can we shift policymaking...to have a real vested interest in the populace instead of the corporations?" My worry is that it never will happen. There is so much money in large corporations, and that money goes to fund campaigns for politicians to be elected to office, so they in turn will make policies in the interest of those corporations. I don't know about you, but Quebec is looking nicer and nicer...
Katie,
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that Businesses and Corporations don't invest in our children, at least not as they did in Quebec. As a working mother, who used to work in Corporate America, I found the working environment not very family friendly. The senior management had to say they were family friendly, and by law, they are required to give parents time for school functions, etc., but the remainder of the employees had a difficult time with my "Special treatment." Somehow there needs to be a dramatic shift in public opinion about this issue. I think that could change if there was a governmental family policy that started by allowing parents to spend more time with their children. Then a movement to fix the early childhood care problem. I'm just to afraid that our nation is too greedy to allow this to happen.
I like the question you posed. I think something we can all do as emergent teachers, to begin to create a shift in the way this state and this country thinks about education reform, is to begin to educate our students about the system within which their education is administered. I think awareness is the first step in being able to propose a better reformation. By just teaching students to be aware of the mere concept of the educational system, we will be able to begin to train a future generation of reformers who are more vested in, and knowledgeable of, one of the most important social institutions in this country. Along with that, I think we can do other things as teachers to help expedite the reform process and bring awareness to the communities we serve. And we'll recognize those as they present themselves.
ReplyDelete