Relevance to Book 3

Our third book discussion was based on a book called, "Teaching with Poverty in Mind" by Eric Jensen. It described the adverse effects poverty has on the education of students and how schools can lessen the negative outcomes it creates. Jensen talked about the numerous ways that poverty effects the minds of young students and how they have the potential to succeed with or without poverty. Students can have a variety of results from their economic hardships and teachers need to addresses how they can be approached and helped. Poverty in students comes in 6 different forms and needs to be handled accordingly. There are 4 risk factors to take into consideration and various models to use to overcome the difficulties. The main conflict deals with how a teacher can help a impoverished student succeed without favoring or privileging that student as opposed to other students who do not necessarily need to the same help. Jensen asks the question: What can you do to decrease the negative effects poverty creates in your students in your classroom? He does not provide a final solution because each model varies in effectiveness and appropriateness depending on the situations present. He draws attention to the fact that it is unfair that students suffer because of their economic conditions at home and that as teachers, we need to do all that is in our power to help our students succeed.

At the PLC, poverty is a part of numerous students' lives. It is evident through not only their physical appearance but also in their approach to schooling. Many students go without notebooks and other materials simply because they cannot afford them. Many of the students I personally worked with would speak of paying bills for their parents, working double shifts, and dealing with very adult financial matters to better their own lives. Some of my students would have forced absences because of conflicting work schedules and lack of transportation to the school. The first girl I worked with mentioned how difficult it is to attend school simply because of the bus system, bus stamps, and the lack of bus stops near her house. She realized the necessity of money over English because her water was turned off and her cell phone bill was not paid. Each hardship with money seemed unfair to me coming from a very supportive family both financially and otherwise. I can't imagine what it must be like to have to pay bills FOR my mom instead of the other way around as I am accustomed to. The students at the PLC are doing the best they can with what they are given. They acknowledge both the importance of school and obtaining a high school diploma but also realize that realistically at school they are not making any money or bettering their own financial situation that surrounds them outside of the PLC walls. At very young ages, too young of ages, the students are forced to be adults and decide if school is a priority after all. If they cannot afford notebooks, what is a diploma going to do for them? If they are not able to get to the school that day, what good is going the next day? Being in poverty effects them both mentally and physically. I admire the students at the PLC experiencing economic hardships and still attending class. I desperately hope that in the end, each and every students I worked with will succeed and live the life they deserve.