Disparities in Children

     Besides money, how are our students different? Just like no two finger prints are alike, no two children are alike. They differ in a variety of ways. Our students differ in their access to quality health care, their access to technology, their access to quality food, and the role models in their lives. These are but a few disparities our children face. Health care is a major focus right now in our country, but I am not going to get into the political aspects of our health care system. I work with students that have medical issues such as ADHD,  ODD, and Bipolar Disorder but are not receiving their medication because the parent cannot afford it or they parent has been denied medical insurance. I also deal with students who have the characteristics of one of these disorders but the parent cannot see a doctor because they don't have medical insurance. These conditions being left unmedicated and undiagnosed are having an impact on student academic and social success in school. It breaks my heart to see students with rotting teeth in their mouths. Studies have found that your health begins with your mouth. Improper oral care can lead to other health problems including heart disease. I ask students with poor oral care when they are going to the dentist and the general response I get is, "My mom doesn't have any money."
     Student access to technology differs greatly. Many students have access to technology in the form of cable/satellite television,  game consoles, and cell phones, but they don't have access to quality technology instruction. Even in schools, students differ in their use of technology. Some students are still using computers to learn how to type instead of learning how to create interactive presentations. There are major disparities in the quality of computers that students have access to on a daily basis. The newer the school in a district, the more likelihood students will have access to quality computer systems. The lower income areas which tend to have the older schools, therefore older technology, cannot be neglected. The students especially in these schools need access to quality technology instruction.
     Our students also differ in their access to quality food. It is more expensive to eat healthy than it is to eat processed foods with low nutritional value. How do we change this as leaders in education? I'm not quite sure other than to educate our parents and students more about what they are eating. Classes can be given at the school on nutrition should be available to parents. Why not utilize local resources such as fitness centers and community park services to come in and talk with students about the importance of proper nutrition and exercise. We need to reexamine what we are feeding our students. If I eat the school lunch I am ready to crash from the amount of carbohydrates in the food. Are processed chicken rings and beef fingers the best we can serve our students?
     The final area that I want to address is the disparity our students face when it comes to their role models. Our students are influenced by a number of forces to include family, church, school, media, and peers. As educators we can only control our influence on students when they are in our care. Are we doing our best to model for students how we want them to conduct themselves as adults? I can clearly remember a lesson I learned when I student taught eleven years ago. I was in a fourth grade class therefore, the chairs weren't very tall and with me being long legged I just stepped over the chair and sat down. I didn't think it was a big deal but my cooperating teacher corrected my improper seating technique. She told me that our students watch everything we do and we are their model for how they should conduct themselves. I learned a great deal from that simple lesson and it has served me well over the years. When I see a teacher yelling at a student and getting into his/her personal space, I ask them, "Is that how you are going to expect this student to handle conflict resolution with other children and when they are an adult?" I have found that students want the same thing we want, respect. Like the old adage goes, It takes respect to get it. Check out this video about respect.

 Respect Video