Chapter Eight Reflection

This chapter was incredibly sad to read. I felt so bad for the people living in poverty, I can't even imagine what it is like moving from one shelter to the next, skipping meals and constantly feel hungry, and not know what it is like to have a stable life. During the chapter, the authors introduced the idea migrant families, which was shocking to me. I have lived in the same house for my entire life, so I have no idea how it would be if I moved from school to school, never having constant friends, and not being able to call a place home. I know I'm repeating myself, but throughout this chapter that is truly how I feel on the topic.

As a teacher, I need to understand that poverty is something I will most likely have to face in my classroom. Last year, I was enrolled in ETE 227, one of the Middle School classes a guest speaker came in and discussed poverty and homelessness and how it effects the classroom. She gave us a few pointers to help us, as teachers help these children, because often time they fall through the cracks. She mentioned that if a student falls a sleep, let them take a nap. They may be missing out on the lesson, but essentially they need a safe place to sleep. She also suggested having "emergency packs" in your class. What that is is just a plastic bag of necessary toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shampoo, soap, etc. ) and have dried food in the bag as well, such as granola bars. This way if a student is homeless in your class, you can help with the bare essentials. Most importantly, she suggested that you keep in contact with the principal and therapist at the school. As a teacher, especially a new teacher, you do not want this to be a secret, and having the support from the school will in the long run help the child. I think these are very intelligent ideas and I will definitely adopt these plans into my classroom.