Does socio-economic status Make a Difference

S.N

Mohsin- single mother child low socioeconomic status

Akram – having both parents high socioeconomic status.

1 How might this child spends his time before he attends kindergarten?

Playing with other kids outside his house in the street. Mother only cares for feeding and clothing and doesn’t device any learning activities due to lack in resources and her low education.

Participating in various learning activities at home with books and toys. Parents provide a wide range of resources to promote and support his development.

2 Why does this matter? As not experiencing the learning activities, emotionally and cognitively, he is not ready to learn among children in the class. He is totally unprepared.

The variety of enriching experiences are helpful for him for creating readiness to learn more among children.

3 When he goes to kindergarten, he is diagnosed with a learning disability. What type of help is he most likely to receive?.

No help at all. Neither the teachers are trained to deal with nor any child counselor is there. Rather he is scolded continually by the teachers for not learning properly. More over his mother cannot afford to take to any specialist in this concern. Mother does not have know how of this problem

There is a child counselor. Primarily the teachers help him and guide him, then the child counselor takes the session on and off. Meetings with the parents are also scheduled. The parent due to sound financial background, can afford to have an expert help. Parent would be conscious and can work on the disability themselves by searching internet.

4 Why might these resources be somewhat different for these two boys

Due to his mother’s low income Mohsin studies in a public school. This school cannot provide high-quality child care due to its low budget.

Fee structure is quite high in Akram’s school. Having adequate financial resources, school can implement the quality education policy and provides individual attention.

5 During school studies how is he likely to spend his school vacations?

He tries to do his home work by his own. No help he gets from mother or cannot go to a tutor due to low financial status. Most of the time he plays with his street mates.

He attends the summer camp in school and participates in the curricular and extracurricular activities. Parents too help him in his studies and keep an eye on activities.

6 Why does this matter? As he doesn’t continue to remain engaged with his studies mostly, he falls behind in key subjects like Maths and English.

What he has been doing in vacations contributes a lot in getting top grade.

7 In what types of after-school activities is he likely to participate?

Not so particular. His mother is busy in her job and Flying kites, playing with street fellows or wastes time in gossip. He goes to shops often to buy some items needed by his mother.

Parents are literate and they encourage him to lean at home. There is a television set, radio, pictures, reading and writing materials which stimulate him to lean at home in readiness for the school work. Twice in a week he attends the cricket club, goes to library with mother, plays computer games, watches cartoon or video films for kids as suggested by his parents.

8 What difference could it makes to He is social and has a large group of His activities are devised and guided

their lives? friends. He is confident enough as he is to move everywhere by his own. He gets information and knowledge from environment but as activities are not guided and disciplined, abusing and fighting is common, he doesn’t learn good values and life discipline.

by parents. Activities not only keep him active, increase his knowledge but enhance his curiosity and creativity too. He is not allowed to go out unescorted so he lacks confidence a bit.

9 What role may sports play in his life?

He gets good exercise which keeps him fit in spite of lack of good nutrition. But he wastes his time at the cost of his studies.

He gets good exercise and learn life long habits of keeping himself mentally and physically fit and disciplined.

10 Why may these role be quite different for these boys?

As there is no time management. Mother doesn’t have time, energy and awareness to guide him or check him.

His all activities are guided and planned by parents. Parents are not only educated, can provide the facilities but have vision for grooming of their child.

11 As a teenager, who are most appropriate to be his role model?

His mother and some favorite teacher as he has no father.

Mostly both parents.

12 He needs help with math in high school. What types of resources are most apt to be available to him?

Teacher at school and some acquaintance having skill in math who can give volunteer assistance.

Parents other than teacher at school. He can make use of internet too. Parents can afford to hire a private tutor

13 Where can he learn about technology and develop about computer expertise?

School only Not only from school but from his parents as well as from computer academy.

14 If his college/board scores are not too high, what resources may be available to help him raise his score?

He may go for cooperative studies with his class fellows.

Parents can help him or arrange for home tuition or he may join some academy.

15 What are his three most likely choices after high school?

1. Any job to meet the inadequate financial status

2. Vocational training 3. Some discipline in college

studies of his interest to achieve the higher aim of life.

1. Pre engineering discipline2. Pre medical discipline3. Such discipline in college

studies through which he can achieve the higher status.

16 Why may these differ? Who has the better chance of graduating

He is facing the very poor conditions of life. He also feels the sufferings of his mother but he has his own dreams too. He is double minded in his choices. He has not a better chance of graduating.

He thinks of only higher status in future even higher than the present one. He has a better chance of graduating.

17 If he goes to college how are his expenses paid?

He is to apply for fee concession. He is also doing some part time job.

His parent are bearing his expenses of education.

18 How could this affect his grades or experiences in college?

Due to part time job , he is facing many difficulties in studies, assignment not in time, quizzes not well prepared so getting low grades but now he has started to express the challenges.

His life is care free as regard to expenses. He is nothing to do other than studies. He is getting good grades. He is still under the watchful eyes of his parents, so cannot afford to waste his time like other fellows of same status.

19 If he needs an internship in Only his teachers can who knows Parents can pursue for him and

college who can help him secure one.

that he is self dependent student and is hard working.

convince the faculty that not for money but for experience he should be allowed the internship.

20 Given the differences of growing up in different social classes, what job related life and career skills may he have that give him workplace advantages or disadvantages.

He is hardworking but not very disciplined. He likes to have money and luxury. He is not good in spoken English, and unaware of manners and interpersonal relationship of high class. He may have job in public sector.

He is disciplined. He is status conscious. Hard working but less tolerance for rough and tough job. Quite fit for job where public dealing with elite class and sophisticated environment exist like some multinational company.