THE CULTURE OF HUDSON

MIDDLE SCHOOL
Jacob Runyon and Scotty Greer

Community

Economic
Where it was and where it is.
Its future potential.

Political and Social views

Conservative views
Shaped by churches and old economic views
Explains students beliefs and conditions

Economics Then

Industry
Furniture
Hosiery
Textiles

Created a class of people that did not value

higher education
Good or bad, it created a way of life and one that the
community valued
Not uncommon for a student to drop out of high
school and go to a factory making 17 dollars an hour

10-15 years ago that all changed when jobs

went over seas

Economics Now and its

Potential

The county and the town seem stuck

between 2 worlds:

The old world

The Great Migration

The new world

One that is trying to push forward with education
Google has an office and industry based in

Lenoir
Most jobs require a higher education, which many
dont have and can not afford

Economies Effect on
Students

Cyclical poverty

434 students out of 782 are E.D.

Negative and Positive Effects

Parents did not need higher education-why

should their kids
Work is more important than education

Parents want their children to have more

opportunities than they have
Parents understand the importance and security

of higher education.

What Can Teachers Do?

Advisory
Create an effective advisory program
Advocate

Exploratory

Create an exploratory curriculum that meets

frequently, consistently, and positively

Teach their students

Not the subject

Social Implications

Diversity of Hudson
Race- 701 whites, 5 blacks, 60 Hispanic, 12 two or more races
SES- Either low or high, not much of a middle class
Mostly Christian- Southern Baptist/Methodist

Results
Students are unable to connect o events on a deep level
Only see the world from their small town perspective

Homosexuality
Genocide and the Holocaust Lesson
Obama

Everyone understands one another

Unity is a key ideal at Hudson, especially

Many broken families

Strong extended families
Caldwell born and raised

Teachers Role in Social Issues

Students have a narrow view of their

surroundings
Social influences
Cognitive influences

This is a developing characteristic

Teachers should help them widen their

horizons

For the most part this practiced

While we have noticed narrow views, at

least students are thinking about these
events in and outside the classroom

Student Identity and

Interests

Music

Rap, country, pop, abnormal amount of classic

rock

Fashion

No on really stands out

Unity complex

Apparent through fashion (uniforms) that

sports teams run the school
It is cool for students and teachers to be on

sports teams
Baseball

Identity and Interests

Contd

Technology

Cell phones- are not a super huge deal

Tablets are allowed for reading purposes
Laptop carts used for projects
Easily off track due to:
Mindcraft
Social media
Funny videos

Books

Reading anything is highly stressed in ELA classes

Divergent, Hunger Games, Fault in Our Stars, Boy in the Striped Pajamas,

The Book Thief, Harry Potter, Series of Unfortunate Events, Nicholas Sparks
Can discover students interest if you get them excited about reading things
they like
Football

AR-Kind of hinders what students can read even though a lot of books
are on the list now.

Overview

Great Environment for fostering growth

Unity is an essential ideal at Hudson

Positive respect from both students and
faculty
Lack a deep understanding of the world
Teachers minds in the right place

Community that is in a cyclical depression

What about their hearts?

Unity, Unity, Unity