Dana Woods

Social Studies Methods

March 27, 2017

Community Inquiry Activity Project: Part II

For the second portion of this project, I will shadow one specific student who may face
marginalization in the classroom and school community. Upon entering Beacon Heights
Elementary school, any visitor will immediately feel compelled by the colorful and creative use
of the modern school walls as a canvas for student creations. Art is a strong focus here and this is
represented through student artwork as a focal point throughout the building. Throughout the
school, students seem to be gathered excitedly in clusters, dressed to match the scene.
Both the student and faculty populations are predominantly white, although there are
students of multiple different races. The largest population outside of white students are Asian.
There are some Hispanic and black students as well. Although Beacon Heights boasts a richly
diverse population, the demographic largely appears to be homogeneous. Despite this, something
I found to be really positive was that students of all races seemed to be mixed in their socializing
and there was minimal segregation based on race. To me it appears, that although diversity is not
exactly even, students are outwardly open and welcoming to one another.
Socioeconomic status appears to be the greatest factor for separation and being socially
outcast. The school secretary states that about twenty percent of the students are from households
with low incomes and living in what is technically defined as poverty. However, this is not a
great enough percentage of students for Beacon Heights to qualify for any special financial
support. I would imagine that the students at this school with lower socioeconomic status face
certain challenges, disadvantages and feelings of separation from their peers with higher
socioeconomic positions. Conversely, the educational opportunities at this school for students
with families who may struggle financially are much more advantageous than at other low-
income schools throughout Salt Lake City. These students benefit from the grants and extra
programs Beacon Heights receives as a result of donations and connections from the families of
affluent students.
I chose to shadow a student, which for the purpose of his privacy, I will refer to as A. His
family is originally from India. He speaks Hindi as his first language, but is also fluent in
English. A is in many ways a typical second grade boy; he likes sports and video games, and has

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bountiful energy. A caught my attention, when I was working with him, providing some extra
support for a math problem. While we worked together he opened up to me and told me he lived
in an apartment and not a house, like most of the other students in his class. He disclosed this
without any coaxing and not in relation to anything our conversation was focused on. Given this
situation, I sensed that this perceived difference was something which was weighing on his mind.
As a student of color, and a student with both socioeconomic and cultural differences from the
schools norm, A was a wonderful student for me to learn from.
At home, A lives with his parents and grandparents, and one older brother. They live in
an apartment. He comes from a family with a lower income than that of the average family
within this class. From my estimate they are lower-middle class, but by no means live in poverty.
A enjoys playing outside and spending time with his big brother. He is close with his Mother,
and his father works late, so he spends most of his time with her and his grandparents. His Mom
is active within the school community. His apartment is located next to a park where he
expresses that he loves to play. His family is important to him and they still have many ties to
their Indian heritage and culture. His practiced religion is Hindu. He has visited India several
times. During activities in which students share their background knowledge, he often connects
to his experiences in India or with Indian culture. When the class learned the word customary
as a vocabulary word, he eagerly shared some traditions from India which were customary for
his family. In these moments where he is sharing these ties, he lights up and an endearing sense
of pride is evident.
A is a little shy and reserved, but when he feels comfortable, he comes alive socially. On
the playground he stays in a smaller group of friends and doesnt engage in the big groups of
boys playing sports. He loves science and enjoys math but struggles a little with reading and
writing. He says he likes school but cannot always concentrate and prefers to play outside. His
academic performance is generally a little lower than average. The more I engaged with him, the
more it was reinforced that he feels some sadness and separation in not being just-like
everybody else. It is evident that these feelings may have or may already have a negative impact
on his abilities within his schoolwork.
The observations I had made in shadowing A and what I sensed about him intuitively,
were only confirmed through my interview. As an educator, my intention would be to help create
an environment where A could overcome some of these struggles. This would include

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representing more students of color and other cultures in the texts we read as well as finding
more opportunities to share and celebrate different cultural backgrounds. I noticed during my
time in the classroom that people of color are rarely represented in the daily readings done by the
class, this is absolutely something I would shift. His family is already involved with the school,
so this is very positive and would be a strong resource to draw upon. I would also want to be sure
to celebrate major traditional Indian holidays in the classroom and allow this to be a way for A to
share his knowledge and experience with the class, and for us all to learn from him. The
classroom I am in uses go-noodle an electronic activity program via smart board, to help
children engage in activity and mindfulness. Some of these programs include Yoga stretches. It
would be fun to look at Yogas roots in India as well. The most important factor in supporting A
would be in building a bridge the place of separation he feels for his differences and helping him
and the entire class to learn to celebrate these differences and their inherent value.
Through this assignment, I was able to learn small but essential details about this
individual student in a way that any teacher could benefit from with each and every one of their
students. As educators, we must gather information from varied assessments not only in the
fields of academic performance and knowledge but further, we must engage with our students on
a personal level and through compassionate assessment, gain wisdom of their inner beings.
Building trust with our students is paramount to allowing them the optimal learning environment,
and in our own learning and growth.