***Community Research Project
This community research project is ethnographic research in which you will give an overall analysis (view of the project) of a neighborhood study. You will give a critical view of various factors that compose that neighborhood.Consider the following questions: How has it suffered as a consequence of COVID-19? What are the vaccination efforts? What does an economic recovery look like or would look like in this neighborhood?
A.You will choose a community in New York City(Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens or Staten Island). Your research will include at least five categories from the list below. In the six categories number one (1) and number (4) must be included. Once you gather your facts, you will write a summary followed by your reflection and or perspective.
B.What are you looking for?
1.Demographic makeup percentage of young to old (census tracts and physical boundaries of the neighborhood)Use the zip code to guide the boundary.
2.Socioeconomics types of employment, educational background, length of residence and immigrant status (if possible)
3.Ethnic,racial make up and language or languages spoken
4.Schools private (religious/preferred admissions, tuition based-charters) and public (pre-schools, elementary, middle-schools, high schools)
5.Religious makeup churches, mosques, temples,store front, etc.
6.Cultural or civic centers; block associations or Neighborhood Watch
7.Recreation,Entertainment and Media cinemas, shopping centers, sports fields, playgrounds, parks; newspapers, pamphlets, soapbox (street corner sermons)
8.Housing: tenements, rentals, private houses, coops, condos.
C.Once you have picked a community, visit or contact a school in the community and interview any of the following people to get a personal perspective:
1.Guidance Counselor
2.School Psychologist
3.Principal
4.Asst. Principal
5.Teacher (classroom or resource ESL, ELL or Sp. Ed.)
Do you believe that the school reflects the composition of the neighborhood in both the student and teaching body? How has the school suffered/dealt/helped with the pandemic and or still does?
D.You will present your community and community findings to the class at end of the course (sessions12/13/14). In your presentation you will give the name of the neighborhood, 2 to 3 important facts and what you learned about the neighborhood (5 to 7 minutes).
E. A writing piece must also be submitted and emailed to my BC email.The writing piece should include first, the facts researched, followed by a reflection of what has been discovered or learned.This research project should be typed and doubled spaced in no more than2 to 3 pages.It should include a list of the sources used (websites,videos, newspapers, articles or interviews).
Rationale of the Community Project is:To develop a critical awareness of the composition of neighborhoods in New York Cityin terms of self-segregation, race, class, politics, economics, religion and education.
