Reading Response

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Reading Response: Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty
In chapter 5, the author talks about the conditions away from the school environment that affect the students’ lives and educational outcomes directly. The factors outlined include accessing healthy working and living environments, community services, recreation, adequate learning materials, childcare, and culture validation. Looking at these issues critically, they are evident in most of our modern learning environments. It is necessary for teachers to become familiar with the idea that the home and community environments cannot be separated due to students’ behavior in both environments. Poverty stereotyping creates an uncomfortable environment for students that are already in that situation and it becomes hard for them to perform (Gorski 84). The negative views about poverty need to be changed and build focus on the strengths of students and families. Focusing on educational equity would help eradicate the stereotyping associated with poverty.
In chapter 6, the author addresses the concept of the achievement gap and how poverty creates an unleveled playing field. For students coming from poor families, there are always opportunity gaps for quality education, lack of school funding, not being able to access preschool programs as well as technology in education. Each student deserves access to quality education. Inequalities that exist in the educational system cause a difference in the performance of these students.

Even in the modern world students from poor families lack opportunities that can help them become people in the society. They lack resources that can mold them into a better individual both in class and outside (Gorski 114). The gap denies the poor children from discovering their different abilities. The inequalities that exist in the educational system need to be dealt with to provide a level ground for all students. They deserve qualified teachers who are competent in the fields they teach.
Work Cited
Gorski, Paul C. Reaching and teaching students in poverty: Strategies for erasing the opportunity gap. Teachers College Press, 2017.Pp 49-150