More than 16 million children in the U.S. are living in poverty. What can we, as teachers, do with our short time in their lives?
By the Numbers: Childhood Poverty in the U.S.
5 Ways to Help Kids Affected By Generational Poverty (pdf)
Educating Students Who Live in Poverty (pdf)
Students in Poverty
ReplyDeleteThings I agree with:
1. The second method listed in the article 5 Ways to Help Students Affected by Generational Poverty is Expose Students to New Experiences. This section talks about how students in generational poverty have limited experiences that enable them to build upon prior knowledge. Therefore it is important to "[r]ead them books about exotic lands, show them pictures of your travels, let them watch videos about other parts of the world, invite guest speakers in to talk about their experiences, and take them on field trips." I definitely agree with this idea, especially after hearing the anecdote in class about the boy who, at the start of the school year, wanted to sit on the couch and collect money from the government and by the end of the year wanted to be a teacher because of the effort his own teacher had put into showing pictures of her job-related travels around town. This showed me that exposing students to experiences truly can help broaden their horizons and give them new goals to work towards.
2. The third point in this article is Give Plenty of Praise. I absolutely agree that "praise is key to any relationship with a child." So many times throughout my childhood and my academic career, I have needed positive reinforcement in order to keep improving at something, and as mentioned in the article, I was most encouraged when people began to cite specific examples of what I have done well. It helps me to se that I have potential, and I can go further with the help of the teacher.
3. I also agree with the concept of the students responding better to teachers when they feel like there is an atmosphere of respect. I have witnessed several students in my old schools saying they felt as though teachers did not like them, and I definitely noticed a lack of motivation to do well in a class if they did not have a good relationship with the teacher.
Two questions I still have:
1. Why is it less likely that a person in poverty will attain a college education than it was in the 1940's?
2. Why is it that students in situational poverty can be harsh judges of those in poverty?
One aha moment that I had:
Students living in poverty learn that they cannot break out of poverty or be successful later in life, which is why it is so important for teachers to reinforce that they are smart, can learn more, and can be successful. Also helping the students feel a sense of "belonging" in new environments by attending with them the first time, talking about expected rules, procedures, etiquitte, etc.
I am replying to Lauren Cleary's "aha" moment:
DeleteI really like how you chose this to be important because every word is true. These kids see the environment they are in and think they will never be successful or do something great in their life. But, with the help of teachers pushing them to be the best and showing these kids how great they can be, hopefully one day they will look back and see where they were and who they have become. You did a great job explaining everything too! Thanks for sharing!
I agree Lauren, great thoughts! I'll try to answer your questions the best I can:
Delete1. I think the fact they are less likely to attain a college education now is because the cost of living is higher and it seems that, at times, there are more penalties for being poor. Less patience.
2. Students in situational poverty have not always been poor so they don't have the same experiences. This can make them more judgemental.
I also thought that exposing kids to new experiences is a great idea. I particularly thought about culture and language. So much of our language is built on understanding idioms and cliches. But to understand these, you often have to be well-read, or exposed to "great thinkers". I remember my 8th grade English teacher taking time in our weekly lesson to teach us Greek and Latin word roots. I cannot tell you how much this has helped me throughout my life and I will never forget Mrs. Parks for doing that.
DeleteEducating students in poverty
ReplyDelete1 I agree with examining our own beliefs and opening our minds to new interpretations.
2 I agree with the strategies to breaking barriers!
the chart is very helpful/informative.
3 I agree with Mentoring students... a positive role model is very important for any student.
My aha moment is the remarks for children in poverty not attending college I'm in awe of this as they should be getting the funding/scholarships to attend for free!!
Question
Do the school guidance counselors help these children apply for any assistance needed for college or refer them to programs that will help them??
Julie Gordon
Yes, those services are available and it just depends on the counselor as to whether or not they seek that student out to help. It is always a good idea to mention that assistance to parents or to be an advocate for the student yourself.
ReplyDelete5 Ways to Help Students Affected By Generational Poverty
ReplyDeleteThree things I agree with:
1. Love is so important. Treating the kids with kindness and respect can do wonders, as her example shows. Sometimes these kids do not have that kind of relationship outside of school, unfortunately.
2. Anonymous donations for the classroom! This is a great idea and will take the pressure off of kids who cannot afford to contribute as much as others, if at all.
3. Do not lower your standards. Teaching them as if they are incapable of learning and achieving educational goals diminishes them. Like the author said, they're poor, not ignorant.
Two questions I have:
1. How do grants for field trips work? What do they cover?
2. What if a child's parent does not sign a permission slip to go on the field trips? What can be done to give that child a memorable experience as well?
My "aha" moment:
This is all about relationships! How about that? A little love, patience, and encouragement can make a world of difference.
Great questions! For field trips, we ask if anyone would like to make a donation or be a sponsor then what we can't get the school, usually PTO will cover it for the child. We work really hard to make sure these kids get to go because, oftentimes, field trips are the only opportunities they will have to see different places and experience different things.
ReplyDeleteAs part of an interdisciplinary project, I created a documentary on the attainability of the American Dream. All the data show that there is actually very little economic mobility in the U.S. Kids born into poverty are at a disadvantage. without help, it is not likely they will be able to improve their status. As an educator, knowing some of the strategies to break poverty barriers can help these kids. Also, knowing resources that might be useful to the family is another way to help these children.
ReplyDeleteThe articles are heartbreaking to read, but it is a reality we must acknowledge. I agree with the articles. To answer the question; What can we, as teachers, do with our short time in their lives?
ReplyDeleteI would like to acknowledge what former Second Lady, Dr. Jill Biden does, which I feel is a great solution. Dr. Biden is a community college teacher and as preparation, she always has a few extra snacks in her bag to share with her students.
- Montse Miranda
I love your question, what can we, as teachers, do with our short time in their lives. Let's talk more about that on Saturday!
ReplyDelete1) I agree that the stress of poverty can have a huge impact on learning. Stress is poison for the brain, and children sponge up the emotions and attitudes of their families.
ReplyDelete2) I really liked the story under 'love the students' about how the teacher switched a rebellious student into their class, and used a positive approach. Props to them both!
3) I agree with praising students in a specific way. Praise is important, but praising someone in a vague way is not as effective. Praising someone accurately makes them feel understood, and if they agree with the praise they will respond positively. If you praise someone inaccurately and they do not agree with the praise, it can have an opposite effect, especially on a negative person.
One question is, who actually asks their students for money? I would never expect students to buy materials out of pocket, I think the idea is just absurd.
Lets say a student was unable to complete an assignment because their power got cut off, and the child brings up the fact that their family is broke. What is a good way to respond? My instinctive response with a peer would be, "yeah man, that really sucks. Sorry to hear that," but I don't know how to respond to the subject with a child.
My aha moment was realizing roughly 15 million American children live in poverty. Once you factor in the wealthy children in private schools, this number seems like it might even be the majority of children in public schools
If you relate Money to Education, you can give a logical conclusion/reason to a student as to Why they need to learn…… the subject they are studying. Money will help you support your family, buy a house, travel and see things… buy glasses and good dental care for you and your family. You need to learn….. Insert subject….. in order to make money to have a good life. Maybe this seems crude, but the truth sometimes may be crude. They will understand though that you are speaking honestly to them and from your heart. I also told them that their teachers loved them and were in their job because they wanted them to learn and be successful, strong adults.
ReplyDeleteMany times when a student, especially our black male students would be sent to the office I would give them, “my talk” about their role in Their community, how they can make a difference in their future by leading their siblings and showing them a positive way….. being a leader in their community and family was emphasized! I also included a money talk….. “You Need a good education so that You can make a lot of money and buy things and take care of your family”. Help you mother with paying bills, etc. I always enjoyed those talks and I hope some of them did some good.
ReplyDeleteThe achievement gap in Asheville City Schools is getting worse instead of better . A good resource for getting information and learn about this subject is “The State of Black Asheville”
Students in Poverty - Educating Children in Poverty
ReplyDeleteThings I agree with:
* Empower children - while it is important to empower all children, it is harder for children who live in poverty to have the self esteem and the confidence to believe in themselves. And without that confidence they are less likely to think that they CAN learn let alone try. Using the Strength Perspective Approach and finding their skills, utilizing and encouraging children to use those skills and celebrating successes can go a long way. Love and positivity is often something children living with poverty sorely need.
* Mentoring is really important - In the AmeriCorps program I served with our main mission was to lift children up through mentoring, academic assistance, and providing resources for them to be successful. We partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters as Bigs in our schools and we helped recruit mentors for children in our school who needed them. I saw firsthand how children with an adult who showed up for them and believed in them made a huge difference.
* Think about where you get your information about poverty - checking sources and finding multiple outlets of information is always a good idea. A different perspective can totally alter your outlook on certain students and their circumstances and how you as a teacher can influence that child.
Questions I Have
* What are the best outlets and avenues for finding reputable information for us as teachers and resources for our students?
* Are there better/individualized ways to handle students who come from different forms of poverty?
A-ha Moment
* The assistance resources from the US Government are really not enough and education is one of the best ways to fight poverty but it requires teachers who are aware, informed, and caring. Helping raise children’s confidence, self-esteem, and connections can make a huge difference.
Agrees:
ReplyDelete1) The US has a huge poverty problem (as proven by the statistics in the first article) and it's a seemingly endless cycle unless something changes, and that could be teachers.
2) A summary of the second article, and something I truly believe in, is that school can be a true escape from the pressures, negativity, and troubles that home life can bring sometimes. The praise, experiences, and camaraderie in schools can make them a safe space for all students, those in poverty and those not.
3) That food can play a big part in a student's performance. This goes along with the third article's fact of food stamps giving families $3 per day for food, i've seen plenty of people taking a $3 a day challenge to understand the food insecurity battle in the US and just how much it affects you mentally. I think i'll give this a shot myself in the near future.
Questions:
1) Similar to working with homeless or those with disabilities, what is an appropriate amount of help (financial, food, praise, etc.) to give someone? When does it become too much? Is there such a thing as helping a student in need too much?
2) Is the poverty level of a student something teachers are told? I highly doubt it but it's something like the whole gamut of disabilities listed on this site, which is made known to the teacher usually in lower grades.
Ah-Ha!:
1) I'm extremely fortunate. And also I owe it to myself to give to those in need more, both my student and others in the world.