Literacy with an Attitude Reflection Blog

The reading "Literacy with an Attitude" by Patrick J. Finn, opened up my mind to the different types of education students can receive based on their parents income and the issues that comes along with it. It is disturbing to know that the type of education a student receives whether good or bad is all based off of their parent's tax bracket. There are four types of education, the working class schools, middle class, affluent professional and lastly the executive elite schools. The type of school a child goes to can drastically impact their future outcome or career path. Children who go to working class schools often perform the worse academically and directly go into the workforce after graduating high school. Teachers don't really care as much to build relationships with their students. They let students do the bare minimum and don't let them be their creative selves as much as they should be. Children are born to be creative and curious but working class schools are preventing that from happening. "Knowledge was presented as fragmented facts isolated from wider bodies of meaning and from the lives and experiences of the students" (Finn 10). These schools are preparing them to follow in their parents footsteps or directly enter into the workforce. Volunteering at Robert Bailey Elementary School this semester has shown me how creativity is not always seen as important. A lot of the time the students in my classroom are told to take out their work books and work by themselves on a certain number of problems. If they are stuck or don't understand the material, it is often disregarded by the teacher and they move on. This prevents students from learning the essential skills that could be important to them in their future. This text brought a deeper understanding to the different types of schooling that are out there and how they can each effect a students outcome after they graduate. The wealthy often go to schools that enable them to enter high paying jobs in society such as becoming a doctor or a lawyer. The lower class/ middle class lack resources and materials that allow students to receive a better education. The type of education these students receive lacks creativity and teaches them basic skills. This text dives deep into the issues that our education system faces. Every student has full potential and deserves to be their creative selves.

Applying Creativity in Your Classroom