Kyle DellaPietro -Literature Review 1

Kyle DellaPietro

Lit review #1

 

1.

2. Tough, Paul. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

3. A source that I have found important and packed with ideal research is Paul Tough’s “How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character”.  This book describes the correlation between the increase in percentage of Americans who are attending college after high school and also the increase in those who drop out of college. Tough explains that in today’s society role models and educators exemplify egalitarianism. Normally this should not be filtered but pushing individuals who cannot handle college and are to intellectually demanding to take out massive loans and eventually fail out of school can ruin their lives.

            Tough also proves that students in low income environments generally weren’t overreaching their abilities with the schools that they chose. A lot of data came from schools in North Carolina that argue that 1/3 of students in low income areas actually decide to attend a college fit with their GPA and SAT score credentials. Tough goes on to explain that SAT scores is an indicator of someone’s IQ where GPA illustrates a student’s discipline and self-control. Throughout examples and scenarios Tough explains the cognitive skills needed to be developed, parental involvement and other necessary factors that mold and shape a student.

 4. Tough is a writer and speaker covering categories such as education, poverty and politics. He has covered stories in the New York Times as well as edited the articles written by others. Throughout his career he has covered articles such as Harlem Children’s Zone, The post-Katrina school system In New Orleans and the No Child Left behind Act. All works of research relate to either poverty stricken environments or children. He is knowledgeable about this topic because he understands what factors are important during childhood development and the outcomes each factor can determine.

5. Key Terms:

a. Egalitarianism- is the belief that all people should be equal and everyone should possess equal rights generally speaking.

b. Democratization- is the transition to a more democratic political regime. It may be the transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy, a transition from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy or transition from a semi-authoritarian political system to a democratic political system.

c. Educational romanticism

6. Quotes

a. “A young American today who is able to complete college but does not do so is leaving large amounts of money lying in the streets”

b. “In certain quarters, the college-dropout phenomenon has been explained as a problem of excessive and unrealistic ambition on the part of many students, especially low-income students”

c. “It’s not that too few Americans are getting a college education; it is that too many are.

7. Value

This material gives value to the question of why students who grow up in poverty are less likely to finish or even attend college.  It proves that students who grow up in a poorer environment do not develop the same education both from parents or the school system as those who are wealthier. Students who are not as fortunate financially tend to under match their college selection thus giving them more struggles in the long run.  

Another point brought up by Tough is that society shapes the mindset of individuals by encouraging every single student in high school to attend college. Teachers and adult role models are constantly pushing the idea of higher education onto students by reassuring students will not receive a well-paying job unless they attend higher education.  The students who are pressured into college or just unaware of the expectations in poorer areas also have a higher chance of dropping out while attending a four year university.