Erickson 1

Lauren Erickson

Cunningham

British Literature (3)

6 February 2019

Annotated Bibliography

Wexler, Barbara. "Self-Esteem." ​Healthy Living​, edited by Elizabeth P. Manar, 2nd ed., vol. 3:

Self Esteem, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Behaviors, Habits, Addictions, and Eating

Disorders, UXL, 2013, pp. 403-431. ​Student Resources In Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX2763900023/SUIC?u=rive31076&sid=SUIC&xi

d=512ba0d4. Accessed 10 Feb. 2019. In this database, Wexler breaks down how low

self esteem in children can lead to bullying. The author breaks down all the major

stages in child development and explains that the self images children create for

themselves are vital to children’s relationships with self and others. Through research,

Wexler is able to outline how children create their self image and what factors

influence it. She uses research done on children with high and poor self image to prove

her theory that having a positive self image creates children that are generally happier

and more well rounded people who extend this positivity to their peers. It is also noted

that children with very poor self image experience gratification from bringing others

down. I have found Wexler’s research to be very interesting in relations to my project.

She states that financial struggles and fitting in has a profound impact on the

development of self image, in my project I am aiming to collect school supplies,

hygiene products, and clothing for kindergarten through 6th grade. By doing this my
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main goal was to ensure children had the necessities needed for school, but looking

deeper I realize that my project can have an even bigger impact and help to create long

lasting positive self image.

Suttie, Jill. “How to Help Low-Income Students Succeed.” ​Greater Good,​ 3 June 2016,

greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_help_low_income_students_succeed. In this

article, Suttie discuss the common mindset of blaming low income students for their

academic shortcomings and how damaging this can be. The author references research on

the brain function of students under serious financial stress, the findings show that children

affected by financial stress show delay in areas of the brain that deal with planning and self

control. They also tend to have emotional and behavioral issues. These problems are

manageable initially but when the student faces more challenging grade levels it can become

a problem and teachers may label these struggling students as “unmotivated” or

“troublemakers”. In my project I am unable to solve financial struggles and stressors a

student might face at home, but by providing school supplies, hygiene products, and

clothing I might be able to help. It might be hard for students to take notes without a

notebook and pencils, and some might be too embarrassed to ask a teacher or peer for

supplies. It would also be difficult to focus when your toes are crammed into a shoe too

small or if you’re shivering without a proper jacket. Some students even face bullying for

problems beyond their control, like body odor or messy hair. Children who are bullied show

significantly worse attendance than those who are not. These are all areas I might be able to

make a small difference in and help students create good academic habits.
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Barnum, Matt. “One Strategy to Boost Students' Test Scores: Help Low-Income Families.”

Chalkbeat,​ 26 Sept. 2018.

chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2018/09/26/research-boost-test-score-help-families/. In this article, the

author takes a firsthand account from a mother of six who was temporarily homeless. She

discusses the struggles she faced as a mother, and also documented the changes she saw in her

children. Barnum compares her accounts to pre existing data and the similarities were evident.

She notes her children as being depressed and even says “she didn't know children could even

be depressed” and also noticed her children were getting into trouble in school for lashing out

behaviorally. The children even faced teasing for their unfortunate predicament at school, which

made her once happy and normal kids not even want to go to school. In the school that I’m

doing my project at there is five students currently living in shelters in one fifth grade class. It

happens to be the class that my mom teaches, and she has affirmed that these students struggle

in school and behaviorally. The Moreno Valley school district offers programs to feed students

but as far as in school programs there isn’t much. By creating a program for student’s living

under the poverty line that exists within the school it makes it more accessible for the students

who need it, it also makes it a community thing for the parents and staff of the school meaning

it can be something to keep alive.

Callahan, Shelly. “Understanding Child Poverty: Facts and Statistics.” ​Children Incorporated​, 5

Dec. 2018, childrenincorporated.org/understanding-child-poverty-facts-and-statistics/. In

this article, Callahan outlines the statistics of child poverty. She lists raw facts and shows

that poverty can affect a child for life, as well as shape their future. Children who live in

poverty are more likely to be truant from school because they need to care for family
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members or work. The programs offered are helpful but sometimes it can be hard for

families living in poverty to get transportation to these programs. By creating a community

closet I can offer a program that gives kids what they need without having to travel

anywhere. This is because it is on school campus, which makes things so much easier for

the children I am aiming to help. Fixing the issue of child poverty is near impossible and

very complex, but we can make life so much easier for the children affected by making

reliable and easily accessible programs for kids.

Lehman, James. “Why Do Kids Bully? Understand Bullying Among Children.” ​Empowering

Parents​,

www.empoweringparents.com/article/the-secret-life-of-bullies-why-they-do-it-and-how-to-s

top-them/​. In this article, Lehman gives reasons as to why children bully others. He

discusses the type of children that bully and the internal and external factors as to why they

do so. One of the biggest causes for bullies and their targets alike was low self esteem.

When children view themselves as the odd one out or not fitting in one of two things can

happen. They can either begin to bully others in an attempt to fit in more and gain

popularity, or they can become a victim of bullying. By giving children nice things and

teaching them self worth we can help lessen bullying and help the victims of bullying. This

is what I am aiming to do with my community classroom project.Giving children nice things

that they might not have been able to afford teaches self respect and boosts confidence. If a

child wears a shirt with holes in it or that is ill fitting it can put a target on their backs. But

by providing nice clothing to students I can assist in getting rid of these targets placed on the

backs of young and sensitive children.

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