The impact of education on someone who is disadvantaged

Lecturer Essay # The impact of education on the poor People from poor backgrounds generally lag behind their peers. This greatly reduces their ability to participate in the socio and economic activities. Education is a powerful tool that can be used to address challenge, giving people from poor backgrounds an equal chance in life. This concept is well explored in the TED Talk video’ Our Failing School. Enough is enough’ by Geoffrey Canada (2012) and the ‘ Clamorous to Learn’ essay by Eudora Welty.
Education has the ability to influence the thinking and actions of people, thereby equipping them with skills relevant in their life. For the poor children, their parents do not have such information or knowledge. In the essay by Welty, she describes the influence her first grade teacher, Miss Duling, had on her life. Although her parents were uneducated, school helped her gain what her parents did not provide. Duling was the kind of teacher that demanded perfection. She describes her as a figure of authority. These are the skills Miss Duling and the other teachers passed to her students. People from poor backgrounds might not have access to such knowledge. However, education, especially their interactions with the teachers, gives them the vita skills that prepare them for a better life. She notes that they learned “ grammar, arithmetic, spelling, reading, writing, geography, physical training, and singing” (Welty, 414). As Welty notes in the essay, Miss Duling had ‘ stridden into a larger part of my work than I’d realized until now’ (Welty, 414). Similarly, in the TED talk by Dr. Canada, he points out that the children of the wealthy have an advantage because their parents know many things. The poor people do not know. Education is the only channel through which the poor can be helped.
Poor people do not operate on the same level as the rich. While the rich might be able to enjoy certain privileges, the poor cannot afford these. Through education however, people from poor backgrounds are able to access the same opportunities as the rich. In the video by Dr. Canada for instance, he argues that while the rich will take their children to pre-kindergarten and access the benefits that come with it, the poor do have the chance. Through education however, the poor and the wealthy are equalized. In the essay by Welty, the idea of equality is also brought out. For instance, when the new governor sent her daughter to Davis School, Miss Duling telephoned her and told her that she will simply ‘ be plain Rachel here’ (Welty, 414). Although she was from a wealthy family, the governor’s daughter was at the same level with the rest- including those from poor backgrounds. Through education, the rift between the poor and the wealthy is closed.
Finally, education is an effective weapon the breaking the poverty cycle. People born and raised in poor families are likely to remain so for ever. However, education is a tool that helps change the status quo. In the essay by Welty for instance, it is clear that she has grown to become a successful person, unlike her parents. It can be argued that she has become a better person because of the impact Davis School and the teachers had in her life. Through education, we change the lives of the poor and the society in general.
Works Cited
Canada, Geoffrey. Our Failing School: Enough Is Enough! Video. 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2014.
Welty, Eudora. “ Clamorous To Learn.” Welty’s memoir, One writer’s Beginnings (1985)