“U.S researchers reported that a murder in the neighborhood can significantly knock down a child’s score on an IQ test, even if the child did not directly witness the killing or know the victim” – Reuters
Patrick Sharkey, New York University Sociology Professor stated in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences “They can also explain about half the achievement gap between blacks and whites on such tests”.
The 2009 the California Academic Performance Index (link below) scores, presented African-American results at 670 while Whites scored 827 and Asian’s 877.
Is the significant gap between African American’s and Whites merely because of their living environment? To what degree can parents strengthen their child’s learning ability regardless of nationality, creed, age, or surrounding?
Although many individuals are aware of the upheaval that is occurring in and around their neighborhoods, it is imperative that parents inspire children to become better. Demonstrate to them what the outcome would be if they reached for higher ground, and to not become a product or a victim of their environment.
It’s vital to not think people are no better than their environment or those around them. The whole phrase seems to bind us in chains and restrict us from trying before we’ve even gotten started. Granted there are possibly certain circumstances such as an infant being raised by a pack of wolves who never knew a life of humans existed outside of the forest, but nothing short of that should give much cause or concern that we can’t change or better ourselves.
We need to teach our youth to be intelligent enough to know what’s good and what’s bad. So if we’re to be a product of our environment, then let’s pick all the good things that it has to offer and get rid of the bad to produce a product worth its weight in gold, something of great value to be cherished and admired.
As human beings we all have a unique quality called free will. We have a choice in who we are and who we want to become.
It’s important to know who we are, know who we want to become and be that person.
2009 California Academic Performance Index
http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore/embed?ds=cdldfhfilcloo_&ctype=c&strail=false&nselm=s&met_y=base_value&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&idim=ethnicity:AA:AI:AS:FI:HI:PI:WH&ifdim=ethnicity&pit=1230768000000&hl=en&dl=en&uniSize=0.035&iconSize=0.5
My name is ShaRae Kalian and I am an education and leadership advocate. I strive to bring about extreme personal humility with intense personal will to help others to succeed. I believe that the passion we have within us is the fuel that drives us and it’s the burning desire that says, “Let’s march! Let’s go after what we want.” It shows in my publications and leadership trainings. I believe that each one of us has a passion that is self-generated and a contagious tool!
