Exploring Economically Disadvantaged Families

American Families
Prior to submitting this assignment, make sure you have completed the associated Learning Activities and Practices Exercises in the module.
Overview
Family is something we all know something about -- or do we? American families come in an amazing array of forms. On top of that, families are morphing to adapt to the new realities that we have already been introduced to in this course, including:
Post-industrial Society (Module 2.1)
Globalization of the economy (Module 3.1)
Changing gender roles (Module 3.4)
Understanding these societal changes gives us the tools we need to analyze the shifts we see in the institution of marriage and family.
The sociological study of family can be a challenge since our lens is colored by our own personal experience. Because of this, using the sociological perspective and tools of sociological analysis is especially important, since many careers require that we interact with families on a professional level. Most codes of professional ethics require unbiased delivery of services (social work, criminology/criminal justice, psychology, education, etc.). This module challenged you to move beyond your biography and social location, to view all family forms as equally valid.
Before you begin, you should have:
a working knowledge of the following material covered in this module, including:
Marriage and Family in Theoretical Perspective
Diversity in U.S. Families
Trends in U.S. Families
Divorce and Remarriage
completed the Quizlet practice exercise to brush up on your sociological vocabulary
Instructions
Answer all parts of the essay question below using the style formatting of your choice: MLA or APA. Your essay should be at least a minimum of 900 words, spell checked and edited for grammar. Be sure to include information from your text material and properly cite that information.
You will be graded on your sociological skills, so you need to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts you have learned in this course.
Essay Questions
1. Select one type of family from this list:
Economically disadvantaged families
Ethnic/Racial families
Consider selecting a family form you might be coming into contact with as a professional -- or a family form that you are unfamiliar with so you can learn something you did not already know.
PROFESSIONAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER/COACH
2. Research this family form online, collecting statistical data and providing a written description of the statistics. Start by searching the Internet for websites on a specific family form. Include in your analysis how this family form has changed (or not) over time. Your sources need to be credible. Cite your sources using the style formatting of your choice: MLA or APA, including your text.
3. Apply at least one theoretical perspective (refer to Module 1.1, Module 4.1) to explain the patterns or changes in families. Use relevant terms and provide specific evidence why you think this theory is the best explanation.
4. Use your sociological imagination to connect statistical trends (Macro) to individual-level situations (Micro) such as those you experience in your daily life. This is your opportunity to apply what you have learned here with your own experiences. Consider these questions:
How do you think you might come into contact with this family form?
How might family members inform or impact the delivery of your professional services?
Comment on the new sociological information you have learned.
Do you think this assignment might/ might not improve your capacities -- personally and/ or professionally?
Evaluating Your Essay
Before you submit your essay, check your work to make sure you have covered the following:
Did you understand the concepts as it was explained in the Learning Activities?
Did you use your sociological vocabulary appropriately? Did you provide specific data to support your answers and not use generalizations and common sense?
Did you demonstrate mastery of the sociological concepts/ terms? If you are not sure about these concepts, review the material again.