What's important to know about the presidential candidates when you're 5

janma529

We read our little Scholastic magazine today about Election Day and there was a chart on the last page to help the students compare the candidates.  Obviously, they're 5 so it wasn't like the chart detailed how Obama and Romney differ on issues like gun control.  No, it dealt with more hard-hitting things...like their favorite foods and sports.

What was really interesting, though, was how my students' socioeconomic statuses seemed to impact their ability to interpret the information on the chart.  It stated, for example, that Mitt's favorite sport is skiing.  My students from lower income families had absolutely no idea what that was.  They also struggled with his favorite food, granola.  My middle class students had to help them understand these concepts.  I found that rather fascinating.  I mean, my classroom typically strikes me as a microcosm, I just never thought about it in a political sense before.  Probably because my students from my previous school came from predominately affluent and vocally Republican families.

And that's your random Janet post for the evening!

 

beebe918

WTF that Mitt's favorite food is granola? 

mana8503

Very interesting!  

janma529

beebe918:

WTF that Mitt's favorite food is granola? 

Barack's is chili.  And his favorite sport is basketball.

Olalala157

Ugh, H once called Mitt Romney Mittens and now whenever I see his name I instantly think Mitten's in my head. Thanks H. 

janma529

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/01/2-percent-voters-thought-mitt-romneys-real-name-mittens/46916/

mana8503

janma529:

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/01/2-percent-voters-thought-mitt-romneys-real-name-mittens/46916/

I just had to google his name.  I would go by Mitt too if I was named Willard 

mana8503

Did your class hold an election based on these facts?  I remember doing one in like 2nd grade... clinton won.

janma529

mana8503:

Did your class hold an election based on these facts?  I remember doing one in like 2nd grade... clinton won.

No, we elected a class mascot instead.  Larry the Lion and Barry the Beaver ran.  Larry won, 16 to 4.

court115

beebe918:

WTF that Mitt's favorite food is granola? 

haha! I thought the same thing. So random. 

janma529

amcourt09:

beebe918:

WTF that Mitt's favorite food is granola? 

haha! I thought the same thing. So random. 

Right?  And then it said Barack likes to play with his dog and Mitt likes to go horseback riding.  It's like they purposefully tried to make him unrelate-able to the average kid.  Well...I mean, I guess he is...but they could have gone with favorite color or something!  It just seemed a little biased to me.

beebe918

janma529:

amcourt09:

beebe918:

WTF that Mitt's favorite food is granola? 

haha! I thought the same thing. So random. 

Right?  And then it said Barack likes to play with his dog and Mitt likes to go horseback riding.  It's like they purposefully tried to make him unrelated to the average kid.  Well...I mean, I guess he is...but they could have gone with favorite color or something!  It just seemed a little biased to me.

I agree that Mitt probably isn't relate-able to the average kid but it does seem like there's a big gap in Mitt's portrayed uppityness and Obama's portrayed down to earthness.  

Olalala157

janma529:

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/01/2-percent-voters-thought-mitt-romneys-real-name-mittens/46916/

Ha! 

s517

And while a 5yo's understanding of skiing doesn't seem important, when they come to me as a 7th grader and there is a passage on a state test about skiing, they don't stand a chance. Students of lower socioeconomic statuses often have SUCH a lack of background knowledge that it directly impacts their ability to perform academically.

beebe918

queensteph17:

And while a 5yo's understanding of skiing doesn't seem important, when they come to me as a 7th grader and there is a passage on a state test about skiing, they don't stand a chance. Students of lower socioeconomic statuses often have SUCH a lack of background knowledge that it directly impacts their ability to perform academically.

I had no idea that 7th graders wouldn't know what skiing is.   

amccul20

beebe918:

queensteph17:

And while a 5yo's understanding of skiing doesn't seem important, when they come to me as a 7th grader and there is a passage on a state test about skiing, they don't stand a chance. Students of lower socioeconomic statuses often have SUCH a lack of background knowledge that it directly impacts their ability to perform academically.

I had no idea that 7th graders wouldn't know what skiing is.   

me either! when I was in 6th grade my whole grade went on a ski trip together.

**note to self make sure children know what skiing is

mana8503

amccul20:

beebe918:

queensteph17:

And while a 5yo's understanding of skiing doesn't seem important, when they come to me as a 7th grader and there is a passage on a state test about skiing, they don't stand a chance. Students of lower socioeconomic statuses often have SUCH a lack of background knowledge that it directly impacts their ability to perform academically.

I had no idea that 7th graders wouldn't know what skiing is.   

me either! when I was in 6th grade my whole grade went on a ski trip together.

**note to self make sure children know what skiing is

Don't they watch the olympics?!