Mariah Arellano

Research in context
Meadowlark Elementary

Meadowlark Elementary lies in the heart of Jordan Meadows neighborhood. Or as I

know it, Morton Meadows, because of the Morton Meadows apartments. North Temple,

downtown, the airport, and the Jordan river enclose Jordan Meadows, but single-family homes

and apartment complexes knit it together (Issacson, 2018). Having lived in this neighborhood, I

feel the importance of community. Everyone knows everyone and is welcoming to everyone

and their diverse background. With 52% of the population being Hispanic, Jordan Meadows

grades at an A in diversity based on ethnic and economic range (Niche, 2018). With this

diversity, comes a lot of strength and sense of community that can be developed in the

classroom.

Meadowlark Elementary was given an F grade in 2016 and slightly improved in 2017

with a D grade. These grades are based on student’s tests scores which show that the percent

of proficient students falls below the state average (USBE, 2018). With students coming from

low-income families, worried about deportation, and being a person of color can all be factors

as to why students may not be performing as well in school. It is important to meet student’s

basic needs before they can begin to learn.

Meadowlark Elementary reflects the community it serves with 405 Hispanic, 47 black,

43 white, 41 pacific islander, 13 Asian, and 5 American Indian students. Of these students, 370

have limited English proficiency and 62 are students with disabilities (City data, 2018). I see

these statistics represented in the grocery stores, restaurants, schools, and households of
Morton Meadows. There are many Mexican markets, panaderías, and the only sit-down

restaurants I know of, are those that serve Mexican food. I often times see signs and

promotions in both Spanish and English or only Spanish. When I drive home, I see houses that

have been painted bright colors with many cars parked at the residence. When I drive around

on a weekend night I see big parties going on in the garage or backyard and leading up to the

weekends I often times see people in the front yard dancing, practicing for quinceañeras. I see

beautiful graffiti art and some not so beautiful graffiti.

Many students in this neighborhood are also facing economic stress. The median

household income is $33,395 with 31% of the populations highest education level is a high

school diploma or equivalent. Majority of residents rent homes with the median rent cost at

$809 (Niche, 2018). Many parents I know within the community work in fast food or retail jobs

and often work long hours. There are many families who live in multi-household residence or

low-income apartments. Out of the 556 students at Meadowlark Elementary, 523 receive free

or reduced meals (City data, 2018). When I worked at the school, I observed that some

students eat all three meals and a snack at school. They were at school from 8:00am to 6:00

pm as their parents were at work. The Utah Food Bank would provide free food once a month

and parents loved getting the food they offered, although some parents would often times say

they could not accept it and tell me to give it to someone else who really needed it. This is just

a glimpse of our bond as a community.

Students who come from low-income and Hispanic homes will bring a different

background than those who do not. With all the diversity, comes different learning styles and

different Funds of Knowledge. In her article “Funds of Knowledge,” Lopez (2017) discusses the
importance of understanding students’ funds of knowledge to build on their strengths. She

said, “In order to provide the best possible education for all the students in a classroom

teaching practices must reflect an authentic sense of caring for a child in a way that recognizes

the importance of knowing about Latino students’ funds of knowledge” (Lopez, 2017). The

Morton Meadows neighborhood has a strong sense of community where everyone knows and

looks out for each other. Majority of the population is Hispanic and bring their different

language and culture with them to school, including the concept of machismo, the focus on

cooking, and the shared task of cleaning. They may also know a lot about organizing and

planning as they have quinceañeras and big family parties. Coming from a low-income

residence, students may also learn to be resourceful which is a great strength not only in the

classroom but in life. They also learn to appreciate the things they have a lot more.

One class of sixth grade students from Meadowlark Elementary discussed their views on

immigration through their YouTube video. After sharing their stories, they voiced, “We have to

work twice as hard to get half as much. Should we have to? Doesn’t matter, we have to, so let’s

go” (9thEvermore, 2018). With a smile on their face, they said that the best thing about

immigrants was their children; who are strong, humble, respectful, grateful, and have learned

to appreciate the things they have (9thEvermore, 2018). This is a great example of what I could

do as a teacher to bring students funds of knowledge into their learning. I could use students

sense of community, planning, and organizing to plan big projects within the community or like

the one above. I can have students who are bi-lingual work with students who may be

struggling to learn and read English. With students being resourceful and appreciating things, I

can guide them to self-regulate their learning and focus on the importance of education. In
social studies, we can learn about the different places that people are from. Finding how to use

and strengthen students funds of knowledge in the classroom is an important part of being a

teacher.

References

City Data (2018). Meadowlark school in Salt Lake City, Utah (UT). City-Data.com [Data File].

Retrieved from http://www.city-data.com/school/meadowlark-school-ut.html

Issacson, S. (January 25, 2018). Living in Jordan Meadows, Salt Lake City. Move.org [Data File].

Retrieved from https://www.move.org/living-jordan-meadows-salt-lake-city/

Lopez, J. K. (2010). Funds of Knowledge. Learn NC Retrieved 9 March 2010,

from www.learnnc.org

Niche. (2018). Jordan Meadows. Niche [Data File]. Retrieved from

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/jordan-meadows-salt-lake-city-ut/residents/

USBE (2018). Meadowlark School. Data Gateway [Data File]. Retrieved from

https://datagateway.schools.utah.gov/Accountability/SchoolGrades/2017/SchoolSumm

ary?leaNum=36&schNum=216

9thEvermore (January 23, 2018). No more waiting- “praying” by Kesha Remake [video file].

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Uf40Wv0j8