Note:  Your seminar grade will be determined by the quantity of your responses (how many questions you answer and how many other students you respond to) and the quality (how well you demonstrate an understanding of the ideas you're responding to, how detailed your responses are, how coherent and in-depth they are, etc.)

Directions:
1.  Read chapters 4-7 in The Working Poor.

2. Choose one question and respond with a 3-5 paragraph mini-essay. Include quotes and specific references to the text to back up your responses.

The "Necessity" of Undocumented Workers: Why does Shipler insist so often in Chapter 4 that people who work illegally in this country are necessary to our economy? Do you agree with him? Think about some of the reasons why people come to this country to work illegally, as well as the kinds of jobs they do while they’re here. Do their reasons for being here make a difference in your attitude toward illegal immigration? Why or why not?

Unemployable Workers: In Chapter 5, Shipler interviews someone who says that a large percentage of people are “just not employable”. What does he mean by that? What are some reasons why so many people can’t get or hold down a job? What contributes to workers lacking the “soft skills” that enable them to sustain employment, even when there is no hope for promotion? What does Shipler seem to think needs to happen before employees become valuable to an employer instead of a liablity? To what extent do you agree with his proposed or implied conclusions, and especially solutions?

Childhood Influence: What conclusions does Shipler make about the influence of childhood experiences on the cycle of poverty in Chapter 6? How do some parents protect their children from poverty, and others pass poverty on to their children? Why is family dysfunction harder on poor children than children from financially secure families? Have you found this to be true in your experience or observation? Explain.

Family Ties : How do strong social bonds provide a buffer against the debilitating effects of poverty, according to Shipler? What happens when those relationships are not available to people who dwell on the edge of poverty? Do you agree with his conclusions about the importance of family? How has your own experience with family influenced your opinion?

Extra Credit Opportunity: If you want to earn up to 10 points extra credit, choose another question from above, answer in a 3-5 paragraph mini-essay (use quotes from the text) and post to the forum.

3. Submit your response to the Assignment Chamber by midnight on Monday, October 24.

4. Post your responses to the appropriate forum by midnight on Monday, October 24.

5. Read all the other students' posts throughout the seminar period.

6. Respond to at least two other student's post (more is better) .  You will have until midnight, Monday, October 31, to read and respond to the other students' ideas in the website.