Journal Table Two
Name: Allison Hovel
Important Societal Factors/Significant
Observations from Field Notes
A) What are the specific important-societal-
factors-edfd-460-461-462 that serve as
resources and challenges impacting the
learning of the learner(s) you are studying in
your clinical setting (See the following
document: important-societal-factors-edfd-
460-461-462) (Remember to focus on
resources, not just challenges!!!).
There is no racialization that Ive observed at
Ridgeway Elementary. I also did not observe any
noticeable differences in treatment of others or
attitudes related to ideology factors. Immigration push
and pull factors are not relevant in this situation due to
the lack of diversity. I did observe some economic
conditions that affect student at Ridgeway. For
example, Ridgeway is more of a farm/rural area and
most of the children are from the local area. The
children are fairly similar as far as attire they were
all dressed very causally and country like. No one
student really stands out from the others in
appearance.
When I talk with the students, many of them tell me
about the same household dynamics. They live with
one or two siblings and they live on a farm. Some of
them have many farm animals, while others only have
a few. They also tell me about the chores both they
and their parents do on the farm, and these
circumstances seem similar among the students.
B) What developmental and/or learning
theorists learned in EDFD 400/401 can be
used to argue why these specific Important
Societal Factors are significant?
Vygotsky Vygotskys theory is related to
economic conditions and household dynamics
Course Content
C) HowdospecificargumentsmadebyEricJensenor
anyotherscholarsusedonANYOFthe6Poverty
Analyses(locatedintheD2LDiscussionsection)
shapeyourpresentthinkingaboutworkingwith
impoverishedlearners?(Citespecificauthor
arguments,examples,andpagenumbershere!!)?
InHowPovertyAffectsClassroomEngagement,Eric
Jensenbroughtupmanykeypointstorememberwhen
workingwithimpoverishedlearnersthathelpedshapemy
presentthinkingwhenworkingwiththosestudents.
ThefirstonethatJensenlisted,whichstuckouttome,was
healthandnutrition.AsJensenstates,"whenstudents
experiencepoornutritionanddiminishedhealthpractices,
it'sharderforthemtolisten,concentrate,andlearn."Thisis
crucialtorememberwhendealingwithstudentswhoare
livinginpoverty.AsateacherIcanbesuretohelpthemby
havingthemtakepartinslowstretchingandhavethemtake
deepbreathstogettheiroxygentheyneed.Iwillalsobe
suretohavethempartakeinrecessandgymasawaytoget
agreateroxygenintake.Icanalsomakesuretheyareaware
ofanyopportunitiestogetgoodnutritionthroughschool
andcommunityprograms(likefreebreakfastatschooland
weekendfoodbackpackprograms).
AnotherkeypointJensenmakesisaboutthevocabularyof
studentswhocomefrompoverty.Hesaysstudentswho
comefrompovertygenerallyhaveasmallervocabulary
thanthatofastudentwhocomesfromamiddleorhigh
classfamily.AsateacherIcanincorporatemore
vocabularybuildingexercisesintoeverydayactivitiesand
makesurethatstudentsfromimpoverishedhomesare
encouragedtoparticipatefully.
Thelasttopicthatstuckouttomeiseffort.Jensenstates
thatmanystudentswhocomefromlowincomefamilies
tendtohavea"lackofhopeandoptimism."Asateacher
Jensensaysyoucancreatecloserelationswithyour
studentsandbuildthemupandgetthemexcitedaboutthe
futuretheywillhave.
D) HowdoyouseeyourCooperatingTeacheraddressing
(ormissingtheopportunitytoaddress)students
developmentofsoftskills(Bespecificwithconcrete
examplesofthesesoftskillsClosuretothePoverty
AnalysisDiscussion)andanyspecific21stCentury
FrameworkSkillsdiscussedinthefollowingresources:
 Journal Table Two
Name: Allison Hovel

because the theory focuses on how social P21FrameworkDefinitionsandDescriptions(Dont

interactions help develop cognitive skills in justsaysomelamesentenceaboutSmartboardshere!!)
Althoughtherearenotanyidentifiedimpoverishedlearners
children. How the children interact within their
andnodiversityatRidgewayElementary,theexamplesI
own family and household will affect how they wouldexpecttoseeofteachersaddressingsoftskillsand
learn at home and how they interact with teachers 21stcenturyframeworkskillsareactivitiesthathelpall
and classmates and learn at school. Lower studentsbebetterpreparedfortheiradultlives.
economic conditions can make learning harder for Iwouldexpecttoseeteachershelpingelementaryage
a child because conditions at home are difficult. studentswith21stcenturyskillsbygivingthem
opportunitiestodeveloptheirproblemsolvingskills,andto
communicateandworkonprojectswiththeirclassmates.
Piaget Piagets theory has specific development
Theseskillswillbeusefultoalmostalljobsinthe21st
stages that each child goes through. He says that centurybutstudentsdontautomaticallylearnthem.Having
all children go through the stages in the same order smallgroupprojectswithapresentationattheendwill
but not at the same ages. This is related to the workoncommunicationandcollaborationskills.Giving
societal factors because the stages can be delayed studentsrealproblemstosolve,likehowtocreateabasic
for a child if household dynamics do not help budgetorhowtofixsomethinghelpsthemdeveloptheir
support the childs development. Economic problemsolvingskills.
Iwouldalsoexpecttoseeteachersmakesurestudentshave
conditions at home could also affect how fast a
accessandtimetouseclassroomtechnologysincesome
child moves to the next stage. If a child is not in maynothaveaccesstoitathome.Iwouldexpectthatthey
the same stage as his or her classmates, learning at wouldguidethestudentswhoarelessfamiliarwithitso
school can be more challenging. thattheybecomeascomfortableandskillfulatitastheir
classmateswhohavemoreaccesstotechnologyathome.
E)Howdoyousee(orfailtosee)howyourcooperating
teacherdemonstratesanyoftheconcretestrategies
forworkingwithimpoverishedlearnersthatyou
learnedfromyouroutsidesocialclassscholarSee
yourSocialClassIndividualOutline(Second
Columnsocialclassresearchreportindividual
outline201617)?(Citeyouroutsidescholar,thetitle
ofthearticle,pagenumbers,andspecific,concrete
strategiesdiscussedinsaidarticle!!)
ThetwostrategiesthatIlearnedfromtheleadersatRidgeway
Elementaryarepersonalconnections/relationshipsand
disciplininginafirm,andsometimesstrongvoicetone.
RidgewayElementaryhasamazingleaderswhocareforthem
andwanttogettoknoweachofthestudentsonapersonallevel
andformrelationshipswiththem.TheseleadersincludeMr.
Larsen,Mr.R,Mr.EricandMs.Sandy.Thesefourleadersare
theonesthataretheredaily.Therearealsosomeotherhelpers
whocomebutarenotalwaystheredailyliketheotherfourare.
Allofthestudentsarealwaysveryexcitedtoseethesefour
mainleadersandyoucantellthattheyhaveformedverytight
bondswitheachoneofthem.Ifinditsuperinterestingthatthe
studentsandleaderssharesuchaclosebondwitheachotherand
yettheleaderscanstillbetoughonthestudentsandbeableto
raisetheirvoicesatthem,nomatterwhotheyare,girlorboy,
 Journal Table Two
Name: Allison Hovel

kindergartenerorfifthgrader,whentheyneedtodisciplinethem
andthestudentsstillwanttobeabletohaveacloserelationship
withthem.Mr.RistheonewhoIhavewitnesseddisciplining
thestudentsthemost.Heisnotafraidtoraisehisvoiceatthem
andhavethemrunlapsfortalkingwhiletheotherleadersare
talkingwhentakingattendance.Allofthestudentsgenerallyare
veryrespectfultoalloftheirleadersthough.

F) Listthe2HumanResources,2AcademicJournal
Articles,and2CurriculumandInstructionresources
youwillpossiblyuseforyourAnnotatedBibliography.
2HumanResources:Mr.LarsenandMs.Sandy(afterschool
programteachersatRidgeway)
2AcademicJournalArticles:
Buildingapedagogyofengagementforstudentsinpoverty
GenderMattersinElementaryEducation:Researchbased
StrategiestoMeettheDistinctiveLearningNeedsofBoysand
Girls
2CurriculumandInstructionResources:
PerspectivesonLearning
ApproachestoTeaching