Poverty and Education

I have not heard back from the professionals I am trying to be in contact with so I have decided to do the alternative option for this week. I decided to listen to the podcast from September 10, 2013 on the #edchat radio station. This podcast was titled The Challenges of Teaching Students in Poverty. This podcast brought many different views and provided me with a great deal of eye opening information about poverty and how large of an impact it can have on students and learning. As they brought up in the conversation it is easy to think of poverty of one type of thing and that all people in poverty are going through the same thing. This is very far from the truth. There are many different types of poverty and in many different types of areas.

One great statement that was mentioned is that poverty is not an excuse, it is an explanation. This is a very profound statement that all educators and administrators need to be aware of. Children that are in poverty have many things that they are concerned about on a daily basis. Some are just in survival mode, not knowing if they will make it home with out being killed or if they will be harmed by someone in their home. When these are the concerns that fill their day, they often times do not have time to worry about hours of school work each evening.

Another issue children in poverty have, especially those in urban areas is a lack of understanding of teachers. Many times teachers are not from middle class and have not had to live a life like those in poverty. It is harder for them to truly understand what the children are going through on a daily basis. Teachers need to educate themselves about the lives of students in their area so that they are better equipped to teacher and help them when needed. The podcast also talked to the fact that teachers need to inform themselves about the different supports in their area for those in poverty. Teachers can help their students get support and resources they may not be aware of on their own.

As professionals and educators we need to do all we can to help children in poverty and be informed about the issues that effect our students and all students.

http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1222:jackstreet54&catid=86:edchat-radio-&Itemid=249

My Supports

I have many supports that help me through my daily life. Some of these supports include my co-workers and a to-do list at work. Both of these supports help make sure that everything that needs to get done is and that the children are able to be in a happy, healthy environment. One of the most important supports is my family. They support me in many different ways. They are there to offer emotional support whenever I am going though a tough time and need someone to lean on. My parents are a great financial support when I need them as well. This fall I decided to take a job back home, which was 100 miles from where I was living. Without having place to live and not finding anything that was decent, and could afford they have let me stay with them. They also purchased a fixer-upper house that I will rent from them when it is finished. They are also a great support for fun and entertainment when I just need a break from work and school.

One challenge that would greatly impact me if it were gone would be the support of my family. Life would be tough without them. I would have much more work to do on my own. I have relied on my family to help me physically move my possessions many times. Without them I would have had to pay for someone else to do it or would have taken much longer. My current housing situation would be very different as well. I might not have ever made the move back home. That would have been a huge negative for me since I love my current job. If I did make the move I might have had to settle for a falling down house or apartment with very high rent. I am very thankful and blessed to have the supports that I do!

Relationship Reflection

I believe that relationships with others are one of the most important things in life. Whether it is relationships with family members, friends or co-workers they all shape how we live our lives. My most important relationships are with the members of my family. We have always been close and will always be there for one another when it is needed.
My family is what has made me the person that I am today. They have helped define who I am and the beliefs that I hold. When making decisions in my life I always look at their opinions or ideas and use it to help make my decisions. Although we are not a perfect family, we still try to help out and support each other. We all make mistakes and slip up on the way, we even get mad at each other, but we always figure out what needs to be done to fix the problem and we go on living for each other.

                                                                My Family

Another relationship that is important to me is with my dog, Raymond. A few months ago I was going through a stressful time for many different reasons. I began looking for a home to live in, but didn't want to be alone. So I started looking for a dog. I found one that I really wanted to adopt but soon he was adopted out to someone else. A week later he was returned and once again up for adoption. I knew that I needed him in my life and was able to finally adopt him. It took a while to really build a good relationship and find out what he needs in his life. Since he is a puppy sometimes life can be a little chaotic but I wouldn't trade him for anything. His constant joy and happiness helps to remind me to be happy.

Me and My puppy, Raymond

Another set of relationships I find to be very important is with co-workers. Being in a teaching field collaboration is very important in every day work. This seems to be a type of relationship that takes longer to build because it is in a professional setting. Each of you have your own set of expectations that you need to meet and a different way of going about them. It takes time to learn what is best for each and how to go about sharing what you have. Building positive relationships is important to how you behave at work and the atmosphere that you work in. When you have great relationships you are able to feel safe sharing your ideas and you are happy to come to work every day. I have been in situations where I did not have good relationships with my co-workers. I dreaded going to work and felt that even though things were not being done how they should, there was nothing I could do to change it. I love the work environment that I am in now and feel like it is a great place for me to keep growing.

These are just a few of the important relationships that you encounter throughout your life. Whether you encounter good relationships or bad relationships they always help you to grow and learn so that you are able to keep going on to a better person.