Eva Tovar
Gil
English 1A
Professor
Monique Williams
October 6,
2013
To what where given can either break us up or build us up,
materials are absolutely necessary for the better achieving of a child. The
skills an individual gains through what is given can be conclude where he might
end up later in life. “well-known private school… alumni gifts, the colleges
that they attend [to], [where] 99 percent of the children graduating, a superb
curriculum…” (Kozol 176) due to the skills they acquired through the provision
of pleasant school materials, which children from poor schools, that lack these
supplies, are not prepared and don’t “even have a chance” “ to compete with”.
In Pyne Point High School in Camden, NJ students still use "Olympian
[typewriting] machines," (Kozol 167). Children don't have access to
recently updated computers which keeps them from improving their clerical
skills. In addition, they are at a high disadvantage from obtaining the most
common job within their surroundings. "If you learn on these typewriters,
you will find it easier to move on to computers... ” (Kozol 168) says these
students' teacher. Yet, an office job does not only consist in typing but
knowing how to use a computer including many other factors. Every individual
seeks for a different world. Carlos, a high school student, who once had
dropped out of school, found achievement in theater. According to his teacher
if it wouldn't be because of theater God knows where he would be at that time
of his life; "Now, if we didn't have the theater program, you would have
to ask if Carlos would have stayed in school." (Kozol 123) Many students
depend on theatrical futures and are at high ability to achieve it, they have
what it takes, however their only impediment is what could harm them the most,
a theater in which they can unfold and practice their gifted skills. At Woodrow
Wilson High in Camden “the average reading level of the students of the school
is just below sixth grade.” (Kozol 195) Basic-skills classes also take place in
the school’s basement where the students are taught “the ’Work-A-Text’ on 12 computers”.
The “Work-A-Text Study Program” according to Kozol has “no literature─ in fact,
there are no books.” Students are limited to expand and better their writing
skills due to this lack of computers and deficiency of literature practice.
Eventually, students are held behind and kept from improving their skills and
are therefore at a huge disadvantage from competing against the suburban kids.
The higher a student achieves and gains in education, and other academic
associations, the more likely he or she is to find more opportunities, when
talking of job matters. Yet, again, with such a high deficiency in the urban
schools, these students are less likely to move forward in life. They are most
obliged to end where they began. Meanwhile the rich suburbs take Apple 2
computers and “higher-order skills” (195) for granted, refraining the fact that
they have gained a “verbal competence” that will benefit them in their future;
a verbal competence that the children from the urban children will hardly ever
acquire. “To a certain degree, the skillfulness and cleverness that they
display seem to derive precisely from this sense of unreality.” now imagine
what the children from the poor public school could do with such a skill, they
would anon take advantage of it. Their life experience would thunder their
words similar to those of Socrates, whom often spoke with cleverness. Yet,
sadly these kids aren’t offered much which is why their ghetto language will
continuously often be heard in incorrect or incomplete declarations, alike
“There go one!”, and will resonate within our minds and conscious. The
materials provided within the education of a student can ascertain where the
child will eventually land, whether it is for better or for worst for him.
The lack of materials and shortage of supplies can indeed
affect the performance of the students. The provided material can influence the
outcomes of a student. “Lack of facilities have an adverse effect on the
performance of students in the less endowed schools…” states a KNUST professor
in Lack of facilities affect students’ performance. Distractions are some of
the misfortunes that many of the schools that, due to deficiency of required
space, have to go through as an everyday life. Over-crowded classrooms are
provided to students at several of Washington’s poor districts. Kozol, itself,
experienced crowding when in 1964 he was settled, with his fourth graders, in a
shared-auditorium in which three other classes where arranged as well, those
subjects included rehearsing and choir. The lack of classrooms in schools leads
the staff members to make arrangements that are scarcely at their reach and
therefore are left with no other choice but to assign more students to already
full classes. Over-crowding students into large classrooms often leads to low
performances. Students tent to lose their concentration and the capability to
intake the material in lecturing decreases. Often when there’s too much noise
within a classroom it is difficult, even for the instructor, to put full focus
and to fluently follow lecturing with ease. In high school when I was currently
enrolled in algebra, the classroom in which I was in was often used by other
teachers to send their misbehaving-students. Supposedly, Mr. Lopez, my once
professor, was well-known for "punishing" students, but if you were
one of his official students you’d come realize it wasn’t true; in fact he was
one of the nicest teachers. He never quite achieved to manage a misbehaving
class and would frequently get distracted and often found enjoying a
conversation with the students who were “punishably” sent to his classroom. Yet
again, compared to Boston’s, Washington’s, etc. over-crowded and distracting
classrooms, we had nothing to complain about. Our distractions were willful
while theirs obligatory. “It is a betrayal of the best things that we value
when poor children are obliged to sing these songs in storerooms and coat
closets.” (193) states Kozol as he makes a statement observation of children
being squeezed into spaciousness. Students
in Woodrow Wilson High are tightly packed into "extremely old and too
small... " (195) desks. It is an obstacle trying to pay full attention
when one is certainly feeling uncomfortable. Distractions as such only obstruct
the students' well-being and better performance and only access the inability
to focus. Not being enough, other schools run short in physical educational
materials. In East Orange, little children have to wait approximately fifteen
minutes to have a hold of a jump rope. Meanwhile, in at Irvington High School
"To shoot one basketball... "students have to wait about twenty
minutes. It is a shame to hear such circumstances in which these schools are,
meaning that jump ropes can be obtained at dollar stores, and yet there aren't
enough for each child. Less jump ropes, basketballs and other physical
education materials means more weight gain. In addition, more weight-gain means
more fat stored into the children's brain which eventually causes brain
shrinkage. According to a study, when brain shrinkage is acquired with it comes
poor memory, attention, language and processing speed skills. Often people say,
that there's no such thing as impossibility, but I deny to believe that these
individuals have tried grasping some knowledge out of a book which several
pages that have gone missing, any assistance or without any help at all.
Students in the urban schools have experienced these absences. "We have to
read Charles Dickens... Pages are missing." (186) points out a student,
missing the observation that this can harm her achievement in class. With so
many missing pages children cannot gather the material needed for their
assignments that will, in matter of time, hunt back. Moreover there is little
to expect from incomplete books, since too much information cannot be obtained.
Yet, books and classrooms are not the only essentials in scarce, furthermore,
schools also combat the shrinkage of scientific supplements within the labs.
Some "children hold eyedroppers" (Kozol 168) while performing assigned
experiments instead of utilizing pipettes. Yet, the problem isnot the
eyedroppers being used rather that the results they are receiving are not the
desired ones from the experiment. The students are to describe the phenomena
going on the experiment nevertheless, with the supplies they have in hand, they
will not accomplish it; cocktail glasses where not designed for creating
ripples. Required equipment is indispensable in order to be in possession
pleasant achievement alike those of the suburban kids.
Motivation also depends on the equipment provided to the
students and schools’ staff. Additionally shortage of materials can surrender
individuals break up their enthusiasm to continue with education. “This school
ain’t shit.” (Kozol 223) doubting that many more individuals do not feel this
way, points out a of student at Spingarn High School, one the several poor
urban schools located in Washington, D.C., which held a steaming-hot-humid
temperature not mentioning that every window appeared to be “nailed shut”. However
the student’s teacher did not intent to argue against his point of view, in
fact agreed with the visible and torturing reality as she replied, “I have to
teach you here. We both know what it is.” (223). Incarceration seems what it
feels like when there’s no air conditioning and other resources. Disappointment
and little motivation are the feelings which surround the rooms of the poor
public schools that do not benefit from the materials the rich take for
granted. Many students, from the urban regions, feel ashamed of what’s being
offered to them, and what we expect from somebody who’s ashamed is to
eventually give up or at least avoid what’s being offered. “This school ain’t
shit.” could, to many, be just a cheap shot, but within this message comes an outpouring
of rage, of anger that others might not be able to see, reason why they don’t
have the necessity to do so, because they are not at deficiency of what keeps a
student motivated. They rage because they are aware that all this is due to
racial and discriminant segregation, yet nobody offer them a good,
understanding and clear reason of why this is being done. “Way it is, I feel
ashamed.” (Kozol 218) replies a little girl after when she’s asked “Why [would
she buy] blue curtains?” for her teacher’s classroom. Shame of what is that's
being held at her school, nothing is what the school holds. “Curtains” is all
she asks for to keep the place a little vivid, a little vivid to bring those
who convivient in the building alive a little cheered up, motivated. There is
little motivation from elementary schools that cannot afford to set up a
playground for the children. Playgrounds are what bring the fun out of
children, without them the fun disapears and the brightness of their tiny souls
vanishes away. Indeed, little children are young enough to not be aware of
recism but not ignorant to know that not having a playground for their shool is
unfair and out of sense. Disregarding the fact that even teachers fall asleep
in the classrooms reason why they are not motivated enough to keep a class
going on. In science classes for instructor there's little to continue with if
there are no materials so then they tend to fall asleep which leaves the
students with no salvation and even less motivation. The scope of the absence
of equipment can get to overpower an individual's inspiration to as low as the
dust could get.
Menace and malign is just about one of the groups that fruit
in the poor urban cities, tolling the diminishing of educational equipment. In
Waiting for Superman "Experts tent to blame falling schools on falling
neighborhoods, but is the contrary." Falling neighborhoods are determined
on falling schools. Prostitution, drug dealing, violence, and other substances
enter forcefully the cities in which poor public schools invade. Anacostia
"it's like being in a battle zone." (Kozol 226); according to a
mother living in the region. Pregnancies among high and junior scholars does
not become an abnormal topic. However, pregnancies aren't at high rate just
because girls want to be rebellious alike "rock-stars", rather due to
the little expectations, hopes and much hate towards the school system that
provides them with inadequate appliances; same reason why school drop outs
eventually surplus. Individuals have nothing to look forward to in school which
is why most students end up dropping out, including that at last find
themselves cruising the streets in search for trouble or already in jail. Job
opportunities are found at their most scarce level. Among other, prices in these
urban cities are too high that most of the population affiliates can hardly
afford a daily meal and so the search for the cheapest and easiest way to
obtain it. Women set a price to their bodies while on the other hand men rob or
sell drugs. So then, a cycle is created among them and so they tend to find
themselves stuck in the same place. Helicopters soar up the sky staying on
vigilance for drug dealers. Malign individuals surrounding children share with
them the streets, sunshine and moonlight as an everyday life. Little children
see drug addicts kneeling down and crawling at night in search for rocks
accidently left behind. Prostitution over-crowds the cities too overwhelming
that they are arranged to be shipped to other states. Cities alike, Camden,
hold more whorehouses, pornographic theaters, gambling establishments and
liquor stores than decent restaurants altogether. Violence and the barbarities
being performed at the atmosphere creates low property value, indicating that
the low bargains attract the low income families and troublemakers. So, once
again, there's a cycle that, unless school pregnancies and drop-outs get
shortened or even better discontinued, will not get discontinue.
Unhealthy citizens are at more productivity attempt vengeance
to school poor availability. However much the performance of a student should
matter its health matters the most although the schools do not assure this. As
if it wasn’t enough with schools already running short on money, “there’s a
lack of health care and the ugly poverty on every side.” (Kozol 185) Roof-less
ceilings as in the case of Humphrey County High School in Mississippi, can be
hazardous for the health of the students. The uses a hole in the roof as
"The only air conditioning" (159) not considering the contradictory
outcomes of students and a heavy flu catch. It is understandable that schools
lack the funding to make building repairs and that in order to take action upon
them it would take a great amount of the school's finance, something that
cannot be afforded. And although the schools' priority is the students'
wellbeing, poor schools can provide them with well assembled buildings but
rather holes zipping water through in raining days. But the children health
does not only depend on holes in the ceiling. Wild mushrooms grow besides water
barrels, that are intentionally set up to prevent water from spilling, at
Morris High; "Big fat ugly things with hairs," (Kozol 127), poisonous
creatures surrounding the presence of the students. "Excess moisture can cause
mold to grow." and so can mold grow mushrooms. "Mold, bacteria,
cockroaches, and dust mites have been linked to... cause children... allergies
or asthma [or] to develop either condition." (Quinn, Pat) But families can
afford for their children to gain more unhealthy issues. School campuses at
East St. Louis already pack up great amounts of sewage, chemicals, and other
trash. "The streets are underwater... " (Kozol ) positioning the
schools at no difference. Sewage flowing the kitchen of the schools leaving the
staff at no other choice but to dismiss the school home. Schools will have to
eventually be getting destroyed; materials and objects don't last forever. The
problem, however, is that all these factor due to low funding, which aren't
being addressed, are not just affecting schools but along with it are damaging
the members' health as well particularly the delicate ones, the students.
During the increase of their experience students becoming
quite aware of their surroundings. Facts of existence face these poor public
school attendants twenty-four-seven that it becomes difficult to avoid and make
see them as ordinary pattern of their social life. Kids in urban cities
"know enough" (Kozol 648). These youngsters for much young they might
seem are at their high capability to know what occurs within their living loop.
They are alert that the lemons they receive have, as of that moment, danced too
many symphonic songs. That they are becoming too worn out and that the acid
fluids have already been squeezed. Students ask Kozol whether he knows if they
are "citizens of East St. Louis or America?" genuinely meaning
whether they deserve what being proposed to them. Not only the students but
including the teachers are conscious of what the system is providing the poor
schools with; "I'm not sure I'd recognize what they are doing. [But] We
are utterly cut off. "(Kozol 36) Children see the fact that they lack too
many supplies within their schools, many of that which are most essential. From
crayons to roofing is what the kids settled in the poor schools miss. Many have
lost faith on their selves that they don't believe their capability to
attending to a college. So do the teachers forget on having little faith on
their students, they often and consciously doubt to the most certain points
that their apprentices can compete against superb students from the rich
suburbs, or to even make it through their sophomore year. Students make comparisons
of the things that are included and offered at their schools from that to other
schools and come to realize the humongous differentiation. They compare the
books they're given for their subjects to those granted to rich kids and take
notice of the year differentiation and ask themselves whether the rich are too
achievable and advanced or they are just too much of a failure. Still they
don’t fall for that. These kids are smart enough and continue asking
"why?" until they reality decides to face them and crack-opens the
truth that the suburban students take much more than a book at their level for
granted.
Schools supplies and materials are essential for a desired
performance in every matter, however, obstacles should impediment bestow and excess
to the obsessed and those who worship money. "Many of our children suffer
from too much." (Kozol 215) accords a Great Neck parent. Cherry Hill has
above ten offerings P.E., contains a greenhouse, "18 biology
electives" (Kozol198) and has enough finances to offer its certain groups
of students with trips. Very much alike to the luxuries at Millerburn where AP
courses and sports like ice hockey, which technically requires an ice surface,
are all offered to the students. The suburban schools have everything a school
needs to perform admirable lectures for their students. Yet, several parents
still complain that it is unfair the quality of education their children are
receiving at the very wealthy suburbs including the statement that their
schools to that of the urban cities are at no great difference from one
another's education; "it isn't just New York. We have problems on Long Island too."
(Kozol 214) Just let me restate this, "Sarah Lawrence" a campus that
according to my research is neither an elementary school nor a high school but
a college, a private and one of the most expensive schools in the nation, not
just any wealthy ordinary suburban school, yet this man dares himself to say
that it is unfair. The quantity or value these individuals receive seems to not
fulfill their expectations. Their mindset appear to be more than cling to
selfishness, as no individual agrees to cooperate to give up little of their
taxes, as much as they're not willing to give up certain amounts of their staff
members, to up-bring and meet the necessities of the others. Many agree that
"Money is not the answer... " (Kozol 206) yet we take a glance at
their educational properties and we see these illustrate the contrary. So
"What [else] could they possibly want,... they don't [already] have?"
(Kozol 186) The rich may worship money, however such existence of fact, does not
signify that they are least or most depended on materials. Of course materials
matter, yet there's a limit of how of much and what type of materials matter.
Perhaps, all in all, even if materials do come in
consideration for a better success the mindset is the core material. If
anything, luxuries are a hazard. A child can "give up in the face of
failure, where the other children may be motivated by the failure... "
(Krackovsky, Marina) The effort effect. Children from foreign countries at their
homelands achieve more than the children in America, yet, many of these
countries differ from each other at a great distance. Several countries offer
their apprentices updated technology like Tokyo, Japan. Whereas many other
countries, alike Kenya, still offer pencil paper lectures to their students.
Although the students that attend to modern schools may be under possession of
up to date technology, this does not assert for them to be any better than
students how don't have access to such appliances. Indeed, they are different
countries, but their capability of learning is still at an equal level or even
better. I find myself quite aware of such happenings reason why I've studied in
two different countries, not mentioning that the schools I've attended
throughout fifteen years distinct their lecturing methods. In Mexico I attended
only one school, in a little town, for about five to almost six years. Teachers
at the school used blackboards and chalk for the lectures. Meanwhile the
students took notes with pencil on paper notebooks, nothing less nothing more.
Everyday every kid would show up to class with immense enthusiasm and a great
desire to gain more knowledge on the subject. We had little, many most times
couldn't even afford their lunch but we were happy, there's no question on
that. We had the best anyone could ever have; a family to love and who would be
there for support and a knowledge that nobody could rip off. At the early age
of six we didn't knew what computers where, but heck did we knew how to multiply
and write in cursive, or at most attempt to. We'd perform P.E. exercises
outside in the air on dirt floors even on rainy days. "Air
conditioning?", well we knew of fans. Yet, never complaint of the little
we had and we all achieved outstanding grades compared to those kids from the
city. You'll be amazed to see that in Mexico is the entire contrary. The rich
kids get to go to the schools in the city, meanwhile the not so poor mixed with
the poor attend to the schools located in the small towns. Either way, it was
motivation and mindset that rose our school to become one of the highest
racked. So, after all, the desire for becoming enlightened and the realization
of the scarce options of higher future and education within our small world
induced us to get above our level. Therefore, I, from where I've stood, believe
materials don't matter as much as how an individual should be inclined to
achieve better because "If you want it, you must will it, and if you will
it, it will be yours." Materials are only a delusion, the difference might
be visibly present for many but in reality there there's nothing there, not
much changes when their hold of them. They aren't going to make any miracles to
accomplish more for a person.
Apprentices from urban public schools averagely frequent run
short on necessary supplies in comparison to their competitors, the rich, who
take too much for granted. Poor children lack the access to materials that are
essential for their education. "Children in [cities alike] New York may
[and do] suffer from too little." (Kozol 215) reason enough to give these
children the priority of supplement matter. Such poor groups of children are
provided with the worst of all. Kids in the poor New York are given books that
seem useless to read because they're missing several pages. It is senseless to
read incomplete material, there's zero benefit. There would be not much to
chat, debate or argue if information or evidence is ripped out. Without fine
books to read possibilities that children will get motivated to read are at
floor level; on the contrary they'll grow strong resentments. Furthermore,
students can aid from the books by increasing their reading level and
vocabulary. Children depend on books to absorb, the knowledge that it’s within
them, and play with it, but unless children are not under the possession of
such satisfactory quality and quantity books they will not be at their ability
to do so. As small as a book can be it is an object that can overpowers children's
reading, comprehending, and many more skills. Yet, this is only about the books
they lack. These poor children experience many more shortchange, additionally,
which clarifies and accord that materials for them are of absolute necessity.
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