How can kids feel that education is valued if money is not spent?

All of the examples that we have been reading about in this chapter end up describing how great their education systems have become, with the underlying reason, I believe was the decision to allocating money towards education, a lot of money. When thinking about this for my own school and classroom, I think back to things I have heard my students say…I don’t want a laptop, or need a laptop, I would like to attend a school that doesn’t have water stains on the ceilings, puddles of water on the floor after a big rain, and new textbooks. I think my students then find it hard to value the education they are receiving when there are greater problems that need to be addressed, but decisions are being made to spend money elsewhere. Technology is the big boom, but if you have a school that leaks water on your head constantly, and the textbook you are reading is 20 years old and the material is outdated, then how can you feel you are receiving the best possible education you can in an environment that you take pride in.

I know that my impressions affect me, just in being on campus here, when you are in the new buildings, you feel a sense of pride and that money has been spent to portray a professional, on the cutting edge, and providing you with the best. On the other hand, the old buildings feel neglected, and makes you wonder why, which in turns makes me feel like maybe the education I am going to receive here is being neglected.

How can I approach this feeling of neglect that student are experiencing, and turn it around so that I am not making an environment in my classroom that portrays neglect that we are all feeling?