Comment: I think that it's interesting how Tough includes the part about neuroendocrinology & stress physiology. He goes on to explain that "scientists have reached a consensus in the past decade that the key channel through which early adversity causes damage to developing bodies & brains is stress." I actually learned about the physiology aspect when I was in undergrad as well as in a stress management course I took. I'm sure most of us are like, "less stress, please!" I mean...currently, we're balancing school & teaching & it's hard to not get overwhelmed at times. Anyway, Tough describes how our bodies regulate stress (HPA axis). The part that was most relatable to me was that "most of our stress today comes from mental processes: from worrying about things. And the HPA axis isn't designed to handle that kind of stress," (12). As much as I try to think about my own "stress" & how to manage it, I can't help but think of my students (as I read Ch. 1) & what all they have to go through on a daily basis. Not only is middle school awkward as it is, but it's a time when the kids are worrying about fitting in, what's the new trend, how to not get called on in class, & so on. Tough writes, "this phenomenon is not merely inefficient but also highly destructive. Overloading the HPA axis, especially in infancy & childhood, produces all kinds of serious & long-lasting negative effects," (13). This makes me wonder about what stressors my students are dealing with & how their bodies are reacting to a system overload. I'm glad that I'm mindful of this, however, I know that I do not know each "story." But, I like McEwen's break down of how this all plays out. He concludes, "if the body's stress-management systems are overworked, they eventually break down under the strain. This is what I'm seeing in my placements. Some of the kids are so stressed out. It isn't necessarily the stress itself, but "the body's reaction to the stress," (13). I was just talking to my host teacher about one of our students that tends to shut down if she doesn't answer his question right away. It's his body's reaction to a stressful situation. And thus, leads to pouting. Kids are so "interesting!"
There was not really anything that confused me. I found a lot of the research and the analysis very interesting. For me, the question that it raised, was, how come the pervasive view on poverty is that it is not as bad as it really is, in the sense that poverty is viewed as a non-vicious cycle that is temporary and does not disrupt generations and mess with lives? Poverty for example, is something that is hard to grasp, especially if you have never been personally close to it. Let's say that you work a minimum wage job and have two kids. Most of your money is on rent and food. You hardly have anything left for emergency situations which leads to poor health, because you cannot afford it, and bad food, because eating healthy is expensive and takes time, both of which you do not have. That life takes a toll and causes a lot of stress. Stress about virtually anything because nothing is certain. The problem comes from the family, in that that is the root of it, and thus where the solution is.
What I Found Confusing: Overall, there wasn't anything in particular that I found confusing in this chapter. I've studied meta - fiction and meta - analysis before and Tough seems to make his points crystal clear. However, I would have liked to know more about what specifically could have been done with the students in regards to encouraging them. Does he intend for us to hold their hands throughout their entire schooling experience? When is the best point for us to let them go on their own? I would have liked some clarification on those ends.
What Questions did this Chapter Raise for Me: What can we do to encourage national figures or educational figures to incorporate more elements of the non - cognitive skills in assessment as opposed to just the cognitive skills?
What I Found Interesting: The breakdown of stress in this chapter was well thought out and was put together in a fashion that many people can relate to. I cannot begin to think of all the times where I've been tempted to withdraw from work due to stress. Though I do believe that people may get a boost from stress at times, I believe that at an overall level it will shut that person down.
I never remember a time where people weren’t pushing early education on their children. Almost every toy, T.V. show, and activity made for small children has some element of learning attached. What I didn’t realize was that this is something that started in the 1990’s I had just assumed that it was something that always happened. Because we have grown up in a society that embraces if not enforces the idea of early cognitive learning, it has always been something that has been around. That being said, how young is too young? Or is there such a thing as too young? I also found it incredibly interesting that something that seems as simple as a family being a loving place can influence a child's entire future.
Nothing about this chapter confused me, I simply found it fascinating. What is in a strange way a slight relief, and also wholly depressing is that it seems like most of the issues in education can be attributed to stress, and subsequently poverty and the problems it causes in a young person's life. But quality mothering and maternal attachment nearly negate all these problems. So which problem do we attack first? The poverty or the mothering that isn't there to prevent it? Or is it all connected?
I was asking myself the same thing, Will. Where do we start? We don't know the way that our students are nurtured in those first years of life or how much time they spend with their parents. I feel like if there's a low-income situation that involves the parent(s) spending time away from the child(ren) in order to make money to pay rent, provide food, etc. So, it seems unlikely that the mother is spending time nurturing her child if she's having to work to make ends meet. Therefore, it seems like the two go hand-in-hand. However, if the parents have a lot of money, the disconnect may still exist between the child & parent, too. So, I don't know which problem to start with.
What I found confusing: I had to read the section called ACE a few times to fully understand exactly how an individual gets scored for their traumatic childhood experiences. I’m still not quite sure about how a child is given a score and if that number is truly accurate.
Questions: I’d like to hear everyone else’s answer to the question in the module that asks, “To what extent should we be more sympathetic even with older kids who are generally labeled as “bad”?” Another question I had concerned stress and its effect on learning. What can we do as teachers to alleviate some of the allostatic load that our students possess? What are some ways to reduce the amount of stress that students feel so that they can build and utilize their working memories?
What I found interesting: I very much enjoyed the section that introduced the study on rats and the positive effects of mothering offspring. Particularly fascinating is the idea that nurture has the potential to alter chemicals that affect DNA, specifically the part that affects the hippocampus which is the region that processes stress hormones. Good parenting has the power to act as alleviant for a child’s stress-response system (32). Regardless if the child is living in poverty, if that child has a supportive and loving parent then any stress or trauma is negated. I find this to be quite hopeful and encouraging.
I, too, had to read the ACE score part a few times. I'd like to know if there were any other researchers that have tried this & how successful it was for them. Also, while I was reading I couldn't help but think how many people tend to stretch the truth on the doctor's surveys that we fill out before a physical. I wonder how truthful the participants were on this questionnaire. What about the other 30% that didn't complete their surveys?
Confusing: This chapter was really dense in figuring out how to understand children and poverty and how their lives relate to school. It seems to me that it would take more than an ACE score and good mothering to get some of these kids on the right track.
Questions: How can we, as teachers, get our students the emotional buffering they need without acually being their mothers? Why do some of the reforms for the Chicago city schools not work?
Most interesting: I found that the limited vocabulary study, the one where mothers cannot really give their kids the emotional vocabulary they need to be effective, is actually passed down, turning into a vicious cycle of vocabulary deficiency, poverty, and angst. This is why pre-school is so incredibly important.
Confusing: I guess, (to be honest) I was trying to figure out how the school systems in Chicago keep their teachers with it being so dangerous. According to Tough's research, "Chicago's murder rate is twice as high as the rate in Los Angeles & more than double the rate in New York City," (5). These are alarming statistics to consider. I suppose that it's what many of them are accustomed to? It just sounds like someone is getting murdered on the regular, which is really bad & sad. I don't even know how I would handle that emotionally on a weekly/monthly basis. If I were hired as a member of the administration, I don't know where I would even begin. Just as Dozier brings up, "we're a neighborhood school, so we're just a reflection of the community. And you can't expect to solve the problems of a school without taking into account what's happening in the community," (5). Also, I imagine that many teachers may end up quitting or moving out of the area once they assess the situation, which means that more teachers will come in & try to pick up where they left off. However, I gather that the students would lack consistency & stability concerning their education, so it'd be hard to turn it around by yourself.
Question: How could we offer assistance to help parents overcome histories of trauma & poor attachment? Page 38 suggests that some parents can accomplish this on their own, "but most need help." With that in mind, how can we be a resource for them in this area? Are there training sessions to teach us methods to approach this issue without seeming too in their business? Do you think it's better to work with both the parent(s) & the child OR just one or the other?
I thought it was really interesting that the Kiwauna turned her grades, and life, around after the talk with her mother. Do you think that is what changed her? Do you think there would be a way to study the effects of “life-changing” discussions to kids in similar situations?
Comment: I think that it's interesting how Tough includes the part about neuroendocrinology & stress physiology. He goes on to explain that "scientists have reached a consensus in the past decade that the key channel through which early adversity causes damage to developing bodies & brains is stress." I actually learned about the physiology aspect when I was in undergrad as well as in a stress management course I took. I'm sure most of us are like, "less stress, please!" I mean...currently, we're balancing school & teaching & it's hard to not get overwhelmed at times. Anyway, Tough describes how our bodies regulate stress (HPA axis). The part that was most relatable to me was that "most of our stress today comes from mental processes: from worrying about things. And the HPA axis isn't designed to handle that kind of stress," (12). As much as I try to think about my own "stress" & how to manage it, I can't help but think of my students (as I read Ch. 1) & what all they have to go through on a daily basis. Not only is middle school awkward as it is, but it's a time when the kids are worrying about fitting in, what's the new trend, how to not get called on in class, & so on. Tough writes, "this phenomenon is not merely inefficient but also highly destructive. Overloading the HPA axis, especially in infancy & childhood, produces all kinds of serious & long-lasting negative effects," (13). This makes me wonder about what stressors my students are dealing with & how their bodies are reacting to a system overload. I'm glad that I'm mindful of this, however, I know that I do not know each "story." But, I like McEwen's break down of how this all plays out. He concludes, "if the body's stress-management systems are overworked, they eventually break down under the strain. This is what I'm seeing in my placements. Some of the kids are so stressed out. It isn't necessarily the stress itself, but "the body's reaction to the stress," (13). I was just talking to my host teacher about one of our students that tends to shut down if she doesn't answer his question right away. It's his body's reaction to a stressful situation. And thus, leads to pouting. Kids are so "interesting!"
ReplyDeleteThere was not really anything that confused me. I found a lot of the research and the analysis very interesting. For me, the question that it raised, was, how come the pervasive view on poverty is that it is not as bad as it really is, in the sense that poverty is viewed as a non-vicious cycle that is temporary and does not disrupt generations and mess with lives? Poverty for example, is something that is hard to grasp, especially if you have never been personally close to it. Let's say that you work a minimum wage job and have two kids. Most of your money is on rent and food. You hardly have anything left for emergency situations which leads to poor health, because you cannot afford it, and bad food, because eating healthy is expensive and takes time, both of which you do not have. That life takes a toll and causes a lot of stress. Stress about virtually anything because nothing is certain. The problem comes from the family, in that that is the root of it, and thus where the solution is.
ReplyDeleteWhat I Found Confusing: Overall, there wasn't anything in particular that I found confusing in this chapter. I've studied meta - fiction and meta - analysis before and Tough seems to make his points crystal clear. However, I would have liked to know more about what specifically could have been done with the students in regards to encouraging them. Does he intend for us to hold their hands throughout their entire schooling experience? When is the best point for us to let them go on their own? I would have liked some clarification on those ends.
ReplyDeleteWhat Questions did this Chapter Raise for Me: What can we do to encourage national figures or educational figures to incorporate more elements of the non - cognitive skills in assessment as opposed to just the cognitive skills?
What I Found Interesting: The breakdown of stress in this chapter was well thought out and was put together in a fashion that many people can relate to. I cannot begin to think of all the times where I've been tempted to withdraw from work due to stress. Though I do believe that people may get a boost from stress at times, I believe that at an overall level it will shut that person down.
I never remember a time where people weren’t pushing early education on their children. Almost every toy, T.V. show, and activity made for small children has some element of learning attached. What I didn’t realize was that this is something that started in the 1990’s I had just assumed that it was something that always happened. Because we have grown up in a society that embraces if not enforces the idea of early cognitive learning, it has always been something that has been around. That being said, how young is too young? Or is there such a thing as too young? I also found it incredibly interesting that something that seems as simple as a family being a loving place can influence a child's entire future.
ReplyDeleteNothing about this chapter confused me, I simply found it fascinating. What is in a strange way a slight relief, and also wholly depressing is that it seems like most of the issues in education can be attributed to stress, and subsequently poverty and the problems it causes in a young person's life. But quality mothering and maternal attachment nearly negate all these problems. So which problem do we attack first? The poverty or the mothering that isn't there to prevent it? Or is it all connected?
ReplyDeleteI was asking myself the same thing, Will. Where do we start? We don't know the way that our students are nurtured in those first years of life or how much time they spend with their parents. I feel like if there's a low-income situation that involves the parent(s) spending time away from the child(ren) in order to make money to pay rent, provide food, etc. So, it seems unlikely that the mother is spending time nurturing her child if she's having to work to make ends meet. Therefore, it seems like the two go hand-in-hand. However, if the parents have a lot of money, the disconnect may still exist between the child & parent, too. So, I don't know which problem to start with.
DeleteWhat I found confusing: I had to read the section called ACE a few times to fully understand exactly how an individual gets scored for their traumatic childhood experiences. I’m still not quite sure about how a child is given a score and if that number is truly accurate.
ReplyDeleteQuestions: I’d like to hear everyone else’s answer to the question in the module that asks, “To what extent should we be more sympathetic even with older kids who are generally labeled as “bad”?” Another question I had concerned stress and its effect on learning. What can we do as teachers to alleviate some of the allostatic load that our students possess? What are some ways to reduce the amount of stress that students feel so that they can build and utilize their working memories?
What I found interesting: I very much enjoyed the section that introduced the study on rats and the positive effects of mothering offspring. Particularly fascinating is the idea that nurture has the potential to alter chemicals that affect DNA, specifically the part that affects the hippocampus which is the region that processes stress hormones. Good parenting has the power to act as alleviant for a child’s stress-response system (32). Regardless if the child is living in poverty, if that child has a supportive and loving parent then any stress or trauma is negated. I find this to be quite hopeful and encouraging.
I, too, had to read the ACE score part a few times. I'd like to know if there were any other researchers that have tried this & how successful it was for them. Also, while I was reading I couldn't help but think how many people tend to stretch the truth on the doctor's surveys that we fill out before a physical. I wonder how truthful the participants were on this questionnaire. What about the other 30% that didn't complete their surveys?
DeleteConfusing: This chapter was really dense in figuring out how to understand children and poverty and how their lives relate to school. It seems to me that it would take more than an ACE score and good mothering to get some of these kids on the right track.
ReplyDeleteQuestions: How can we, as teachers, get our students the emotional buffering they need without acually being their mothers? Why do some of the reforms for the Chicago city schools not work?
Most interesting: I found that the limited vocabulary study, the one where mothers cannot really give their kids the emotional vocabulary they need to be effective, is actually passed down, turning into a vicious cycle of vocabulary deficiency, poverty, and angst. This is why pre-school is so incredibly important.
Confusing: I guess, (to be honest) I was trying to figure out how the school systems in Chicago keep their teachers with it being so dangerous. According to Tough's research, "Chicago's murder rate is twice as high as the rate in Los Angeles & more than double the rate in New York City," (5). These are alarming statistics to consider. I suppose that it's what many of them are accustomed to? It just sounds like someone is getting murdered on the regular, which is really bad & sad. I don't even know how I would handle that emotionally on a weekly/monthly basis. If I were hired as a member of the administration, I don't know where I would even begin. Just as Dozier brings up, "we're a neighborhood school, so we're just a reflection of the community. And you can't expect to solve the problems of a school without taking into account what's happening in the community," (5). Also, I imagine that many teachers may end up quitting or moving out of the area once they assess the situation, which means that more teachers will come in & try to pick up where they left off. However, I gather that the students would lack consistency & stability concerning their education, so it'd be hard to turn it around by yourself.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: How could we offer assistance to help parents overcome histories of trauma & poor attachment? Page 38 suggests that some parents can accomplish this on their own, "but most need help." With that in mind, how can we be a resource for them in this area? Are there training sessions to teach us methods to approach this issue without seeming too in their business? Do you think it's better to work with both the parent(s) & the child OR just one or the other?
ReplyDeleteI thought it was really interesting that the Kiwauna turned her grades, and life, around after the talk with her mother. Do you think that is what changed her? Do you think there would be a way to study the effects of “life-changing” discussions to kids in similar situations?
ReplyDelete