My first class activity was a game that required the students to look at a map image on the projector and quickly answer questions. The map I made consisted of only a few simple shapes, each with a typed label that was in large font. I thought that the large font and simple shapes would definitely be clear enough for students in the back of the classroom. However when the activity was conducted, students in not only the back of the classroom, but also in the front of the classroom, said that they could not read the map. Some students wore three glasses at once in effort to read the map. It seemed that several students had glasses prescriptions that were far from up-to-date. When I mentioned to the teacher how so many students had trouble reading what was on the projector, she said that some students just have bad vision. From the way she said it, it seemed that to her it was a problem that could not really be helped. If students have bad vision and are not getting the proper eye prescription, this could definitely be an obstacle to their learning. A report from Stanford earlier this year showed that test scores of rural Chinese students increased significantly after vision screenings were administered to approximately 20,000 elementary school students. The Stanford report explained how many people from rural China still believe that glasses are detrimental to eyesight. People also still believe in the effectiveness of eye exercises- a routine of rubbing eyes and areas of the face and head[1]. At Dandelion, they still perform eye exercises. A recording comes out of the speakers that plays a woman saying instructions with instrumental music in the background. Eye exercises do not necessarily help vision at all. To compare, since I was in middle school I had glasses. I had an eye examination every year and got new glasses each time my prescription changed. My eye examination and glasses were covered by my mother’s health insurance from her company. Migrant worker children thus far do not have a nation-wide enacted health insurance. A small percentage of migrant workers themselves actually receive the basic medical insurance meant for urban workers. In 2012, the percentage was 16.9%. Those with the medical insurance must give a certificate of study in order for their children to also receive the insurance[2]. I asked a couple of my students about their glasses prescriptions, one that did not have trouble seeing during the class activity and one that had much trouble viewing what was on the projector. One student said that glasses cost around 300RMB. The student that did not have trouble seeing said that he did have eye appointments every year. He told me that glasses were not expensive in his case. When I asked a student who had trouble seeing, he said he has had the same glasses for a few years now. When I asked him why he did not have up-to-date glasses, he responded that it was a hassle and was too expensive. Another point to mention is that the not all the students at Dandelion come from the same socioeconomic status. As demonstrated by the two students I asked, 300RMB may be a hefty sum to one person but a small expense to another. Michelle has mentioned how there are a couple students that are extremely wealthy. Before coming to this school, I did not know that such a big range in family income existed among the students. [1] Bach, Becky. (11 March 2014). Stanford study shows glasses help Chinese children succeed. http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/march/glasses-chinese-children-031114.html [2] n.a. (27 June 2013). Migrant workers and their children. Retrieved from http://www.clb.org.hk/en/content/migrant-workers-and-their-children |