Economic Decline and Effects on Home - School Environments

1. Economic Decline and Effects on Home - School Environments Nicole Aune Rick Daoust Kelli Marble

2. Why this is important to us? Strong correlation between social class and academic achievement

3. Community Centered Environments We need schools that form relationships, not disconnects between families, students, and teachers

4. Humanistic Theory • According to Abraham Maslow • Basic needs take precedence • Including food, shelter, water and clothing. • Security • Love and belonging

6. In times of economic decline stressors occur. • Loss of job • Loss of resources • Loss of home

7. Why the needs are not being met Long-time homeowners, who are simply losing paper profits. New homeowners, who probably purchased at the top of the market with adjustable rate loans. Foreclosures wipe out any and all equity. Consumers might not only lose their homes, but all savings or worse.

8. National Stressors Among the unemployed, the number of persons who lost their job and did not expect to be recalled to work rose by 615,000 to 4.4 million in October. Over the past 12 months, the size of this group has increased by 1.7 million. In October, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) rose by 249,000 to 2.3 million. The long-term unemployed accounted for 22.3 percent of total unemployment. The newly unemployed—those who were jobless fewer than 5 weeks—increased by 212,000 to 3.1 million in October.

9. State Stressors Washington’s unemployment rate has historically been higher than the national average. From 1995 to 2005 the state unemployment rate averaged 5.9 percent, significantly higher than the national average of 5.1 percent. However, in 2006 the rates became very similar for a short time, then converged again in early 2007 and remained close through September (the most recent month available).

10. Students are affected by reductions in social program funding • WIC • Section Eight Housing • Food stamps • Health insurance challenges

11. Why is this important? • Metacognition • Vygotsky role of social environment. • Dewey’s education of the whole child. • Challenging for students to focus in class when distracted by outside factors. • Transfer of knowledge becomes harder because of outside influences/experiences.

12. Think of your classroom As an educator, what could you do to minimize the stressors and their effects on student’s lives? Are these stressors present in your student’s lives? Display answer using interactive answer triangle. Discuss your ideas with your neighbors.

13. What can educators do • Connecting families to outside resources. • Getting to know families, not just the students (form relationships). • Develop a Community-Centered environment within school.

14. Why do we need parental involvement? Student Success = Parent Involvement Awareness/involvement in schoolwork Interaction between parenting skills and student success Commitment to communication with educators

15. Decades of Research Parental involvement results in: Higher grades Better attendance Increased motivation/self-esteem Decreased use of drugs and alcohol

16. Differences in decision making between classes Situational vs. Generational Poverty Generational poverty Driving forces are survival, entertainment, and relationships Situational poverty Temporary job loss Extended workforce strike

17. Discussion Point • As an educator, what is more challenging for a child and his/her educational outcomes – situational or generational poverty?

18. Deborah Meier on parental involvement “We must build on every strength we find to create a partnership in which we don’t tell parents how to parent and they don’t tell us how to teach – but we share our expertise about the student. Focus on our being there for each other during the low time and high times. Joining them is the key. Every contact should leave parents feeling more powerful, not less.”

19. Community of Learners Learning theory views the family as a primary site where children learn about the hidden rules of getting along in society.

20. Conclusions Importance of forming relationships between students, families and teachers Not only during times of economic stress Ensure that community resources are available to address student needs (situational or generational)

22. References Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, (2005).Washington state economic climate study. X, 3. Epstein, J.L., Sanders, M. G., Simon, B.S., Salinas, K.C., Jansorn, N.R., & Van Voorhis, F.L. (2002). School, community, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action (2 ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Pate, P.E., & Andrews, P.G. (2006). Research summary: Parent involvement. Retrieved Nov. 3, 2008 from http//www.nmsa.org/Research/ResearchSummaries/ParentInvolvement /tabid/274/Default.aspx Payne, R (1996, March). Understanding and working with students and adults from poverty. Instructional Leader, lX, No.2, Retrieved Nov. 3, 2008, from http://www.homepages.wmich.edu/~ljohnson/Payne.pdf. What research say about parent involvement in children's education. ( 2002, March). Michigan Department of Education, Retrieved Nov. 3, 2008, from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Final_Parent_Involvement_Fact_Sheet_14732_7.pdf

23. (2008, November). The employment situation: October 2008. Bureau of Labor Statistics Retrieved November, 4, 2008, from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf Tainer, Evelina (2007, December). 2007 Washington state labor market and economic report. Retrieved November 11, 2008, from http://www.wa.gov/esd/lmea/pubs/pubs.html Web site: http://www.workforceexplorer.com/article.asp?ARTICLEID=3954 http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html