Poverty

Poverty is a topic that can be as uncomfortable to talk about as race or gender. One of the reasons it is so uncomfortable is because we don't really understand it if we haven't lived it. Much like we don't understand what it's like to be another race or a different gender. That's not to say we can't learn about it's effects on those who are experiencing it and apply our new understanding. I really enjoyed this week's reading by Dr. Donna Beegle. She gave us a first hand account of what it was like to grow up living in poverty. This first hand perspective is a much different perspective than an observer that is reporting on what poverty looks like from the outside.

Poverty is not as visible as other forms of diversity in our classrooms and communities. We may not always recognize the signs or we might attribute those signs to other things. If a student is always tired in class, how do we know that he/she wasn't up all night in a crowded shelter or maybe got an unrestful nights sleep on a friend's couch? Is the student's lack of attention due to hunger or stress? Maybe the reason the student 'forgot' their permission slip for the field trip is because his/her family didn't have the $8 that needed to be returned with the permission slip.

Those hoping to escape the situation of poverty are most likely to succeed if they have the help of a mentor or concerned educator that can create a bridge that leads from their current situation to something better. Someone to provide encouragement and direction and a view of what is possible. This outside perspective is necessary to bridge the gap between poverty and working one's way out of poverty. The cyclical nature of poverty is something that most often times continues until a different path is introduced and encouraged. This is where we, as educators, can help. A better understanding of 'what poverty looks like', is essential to serving our diverse classrooms and addressing the needs of all students.