Module 5 Reflection Post: School Socioeconomic Status Review

After doing a bit of research on the socioeconomic status of Waterford, Michigan. I was surprised to see that 90% of the population is white/caucasian. I believe that my surprise comes from noticing an increasing hispanic population in some of the elementary schools. Part of the reason, in my opinion, is that our district is considered school of choice in kindergarten. One of our neighboring communities has a growing hispanic community as well as a high African American community. 

Both Waterford and Pontiac indicate that the average age of people in the respective cities is in the early to mid 30s. During a district-wide meeting, we were told about the steadily declining enrollment in our district. A big reason is that adults just aren't have as many children and when they do have children it is usually later in life. 

In terms of the economy, the majority of Waterford has a salary between $50,000 and $75,000. Most people also fall into the category of "management, professional, and related occupations." Only 7% of the population with families is falling below the poverty level. 

Understanding these facts, I believe, can help teachers better serve their students. As mentioned in the readings from this week, the SES can have an affect on musical preferences. Thinking about one of my personal experiences, I remember walking the students out to their cars for dismissal when I heard latino music blaring from one of the vehicles. Bear in mind that this is winter and all the doors and windows are closed. The music was so loud that I could actually hear the lyrics and different instruments being played. The student who got into the car was a young hispanic student. Knowing that this is they style and type of music that a particular student is exposed to most of the time lets me know that they need to be introduced to a variety of other styles. It can also be beneficial when learning about music of different cultures to discuss with the student what specific songs they know and can share with the class.