Real Stories about the Problems of Society - Personal Statement Example

Reflection Journal Paper 1 Articles/Discussions

Story one – my experience growing up (family story)

a. Part of the story

Working for two shifts was very hard for my father. However, he did so to sustain our family. My mother was a housewife, and for this reason, my father was the only breadwinner in the family. Money was tight as we had numerous bills to settle every month. Unlike other kids from wealthy families, my father dropped us to school in a modest car, which was somehow embracing. Therefore, our family was not wealthy, like those families I saw on the media. This experience that our family had relates to the lives of many other kids in society. This relates to the concept presented by the film "Black Mirrors," which focuses on modern society and how people interact with the media. What our family went through is the manifestation of what has been happening in the larger society, and this is often portrayed in various forms of media.

b. Part of the story

This story connects to the community because many families encounter financial constraints while others are ravaging in poverty. This echoes the situation depicted in "Case 3.1: Chocolate Bar Fundraiser," whereby the parents of the children from different social classes do not agree on the issue at hand in the PTA meeting, since some children come from low-income families which makes it hard for them to achieve their career goals. Children who could not see many chocolate bars were perceived as failures, and they mostly came from low-income families.

c. Part of the story

The family story relates to scavenger hunt because, in this game, the participants are required to look for the hidden objects within the play area. In this game, some participants can collect more objects than others. My father had to put some extra effort to sustain the family, the harder he works, the better our lives became. In a scavenger hunt, the individual efforts are what determine how many objects a person will find. This relates to the "Case 3.1: Chocolate Bar Fundraiser," whereby some students can sell more chocolate bars than others. The individual efforts amongst the learners contribute to the number of chocolate bars sold. Therefore, the more one works hard to like it was the case with my father, the better the results.

d. Part of the story

The idea of equity is painted in various forms in this story, and it is apparent that most of the low-class individuals are from minority populations in society. They are either women, immigrants, persons with disabilities, among others. In the reading “Case 3.1: Chocolate Bar Fundraiser," lack of equity is depicted by the ability of some kids to sell more chocolate than others. This reading highlights social stratification, whereby there is a significant difference between the rich and the poor. In my family story, my father worked for two shifts but could not make enough money to sustain the family. This is because of the inequality in wealth distribution and employment.

e. The implication for you as a future teacher

This story has an implication for me as a future teacher. It helps in understanding that the learners are from diverse family backgrounds, including poor and rich, which means that they have different financial needs. If these needs are not satisfied, it may be hard for them to learn.

II. Story two - my experience growing up (school story)

a. Part of the story

Following my family's low social status, school life was also hard for me because I could not afford most of the things. Anything beyond the basic needs was a nightmare for me. I remember my peers boasting about their new iPads and sneakers, which I could not afford. This affected my self-esteem and academic performance. At times I used the bus as the means of transport, while some kids were dropped by their parents in luxurious vehicles.

b. Part of the story

It also connects to the community whereby people are not the same in terms of the wealthy possessed by each household. Some are rich, while others are poor. Besides, others are homeless. This explains why there are different social classes, even in school. This story echoes the concept depicted in the reading "This is What Poverty Looks Like" by Dawn Meehan, which explains that some students are impoverished because they can barely afford to pay the school fees or rent, which drives them to drop out of school. Poverty is among the leading concerns that many schools in the US have to deal with. This eventually leads some learners to drop out of school because they cannot afford to pay fees.

c. Part of the story

This story connects to the idea of equity because it shows the disparity in asset ownership among various groups in society. Equity plays an essential role in determining the kind of life and experience that a student will have in school. Those from families with properties are likely to have better lives than those without. It is because of equity that some people have more opportunities than others in society. The reading "Has Social Media Made it Easier to Effect Social Change? Inquiring into Tactics for Change through Primary Sources” by Daniel G. Krutka and Marie K. Heath ascertains that social media's inception is a great step towards advocacy. Activism is the primary method that has been used to restore equity in society. If society were fair, I would not realize that other people are wealthier than us.

d. Part of the story

The media and the school story correlates as it contributes to the experience the students expect from schools. The school life, as portrayed in the media, is different from reality. As depicted in the film "Black Mirrors," people lead different lives in media and reality. In the media, most of the individuals are depicted as wealthy or successful. However, this is not always the case. The film echoes how people relate with one another in society and different encounters like wealth, power, and social relations. These are some of the ideas that are represented in the film.

e. The implication for you as a future teacher

As a teacher, I have gained some insights from this story because I have learned that the students will never be the same because of their differences in social backgrounds. This means that their needs are relatively different depending on family backgrounds.

III. Story three - my experience growing up (friends’ story)

• Part of the story

My friend lived in our home for two years after they were evicted from their house. His parents had to relocate to other states to look for employment. He was in his last years in high school; thus, changing school would be inconvenient. This individual represents many other children who suffer because of their parents' financial status. In the community, poverty is widespread, and many children cannot afford decent meals or pay the school fees. This eventually makes them have a hard time in school. This is highlighted in the reading "This Is What Poverty Looks Like" by Dawn Meehan, whereby some children do not get some of the basic needs like food and hygiene because their families are too poor to afford them. The reading explains that there are learners who only come to school for only two months, and then they are gone. This is driven by the fact that their parents can no longer sustain them in school.

b. Part of the story

The issue of eviction from homes is pervasive in the media. The news outlets have been reporting such cases, which links the media to the friend’s story. Activists have stood up for the vulnerable populations like those living in the streets. This pronounces the concepts presented in the reading "Has Social Media Made it Easier to Effect Social Change? Inquiring into Tactics for Change through Primary Sources” by Daniel G. Krutka and Marie K. Heath. This reading echoes the need for advocating for the poor in society to help them acquire quality life at home and in school. Like my friend in the story, the media has featured immigrants, disabled, LBTQ members, and other vulnerable populations and the challenges they go through in schools and the community.

c. Part of the story

This story relates to the idea of equity because, in society, people go through many challenges because there is no fairness in various realms of life. There is an unequal distribution of wealth among the various populations, which is depicted by wealth inequality. Lack of equality in the employment sector contributes to the increased rate of poverty in the community. As depicted in the reading “The View From Room 205 Can schools make the American Dream real for poor kids?" by Linda explains that everyone has a responsibility for making the American Dream come true for every poor kid. This cannot be if there is no equity in various realms of life.

d. The implication for you as a future teacher

As a teacher, I will use the knowledge and experience acquired from this story to help the students overcome various difficulties presented by their family backgrounds.