beliefs and values
We believe poverty is not a defining factor of any person’s being or worth. As future educators, we hope to instill in our students an authentic understanding of poverty while simultaneously encouraging individuals to cultivate relationships unbiased of socioeconomic status. In the future, we hope our classrooms will provide students with a healthy and safe environment to conduct group discussions where they can freely express themselves without the stressors of labels. Classroom seating will be arranged to encourage collaboration and exposure to diverse thought. We believe barriers are broken when students build relationships with one another.
principles
We want to help our students to the best of our abilities. We will accomplish this by striving to find new ways to include every student and instilling the importance of equality. If we see inequality in the classroom, we will address the issue in a calm and collected manner making sure to respect each student. We will take the time to address topics of poverty in the classroom, as well as encouraging class discussion in order to create inclusion of each student's thoughts. We will make sure to set the tone for treating people with respect and dignity. As educators, we wish to encourage and empower students. We will also provide points of contact, such as guidance counselors, for students to be able to use as resources to further discuss either personal struggles with poverty or seek guidance with how to encourage their peers who are going through poverty.
practices
Cooperative Learning: Teachers can assign a book about poverty to a pair of students, and can have them answer questions and discuss their thoughts relating to the text.
Class Discussions: Teachers can provide their students with a prompt pertaining to poverty and can have students share their thoughts. Teachers could possibly ask questions that can help their students think about how to make psoitive change in their and other's communities.
Read-Alouds: Teachers can select a book about poverty to read to the entire class. Teachers can ask questions before, during, and after reading to foster understanding of the text and provide students with opportunity to learn valuable themes.
Remember to praise performance and not material possessions: Every student comes from a different background. Students should not feel like they are being compared to their peers just because they do not wear the latest fashions or have the latest cool gadgets. A good rule is to not comment on clothes unless they are in violation of dress code.
Provide required materials in class: Having materials in class will help students be able to complete required class work. Students should not be penalized because of their lack of supplies. For example, extra markers, paper, and crayons so students can anonymously take what they need.
Include lessons about successful people who have risen above poverty: By bringing awareness of commonly known people who have succeeded, this will help students understand that poverty is not a defining quality of a person. This also helps students understand that they can achieve goals.
Increase group activities: Working with others encourages understanding. This will create a classroom environment of acceptance. Each student has a different perspective and each students voice deserves to be heard.
Class Discussions: Teachers can provide their students with a prompt pertaining to poverty and can have students share their thoughts. Teachers could possibly ask questions that can help their students think about how to make psoitive change in their and other's communities.
Read-Alouds: Teachers can select a book about poverty to read to the entire class. Teachers can ask questions before, during, and after reading to foster understanding of the text and provide students with opportunity to learn valuable themes.
Remember to praise performance and not material possessions: Every student comes from a different background. Students should not feel like they are being compared to their peers just because they do not wear the latest fashions or have the latest cool gadgets. A good rule is to not comment on clothes unless they are in violation of dress code.
Provide required materials in class: Having materials in class will help students be able to complete required class work. Students should not be penalized because of their lack of supplies. For example, extra markers, paper, and crayons so students can anonymously take what they need.
Include lessons about successful people who have risen above poverty: By bringing awareness of commonly known people who have succeeded, this will help students understand that poverty is not a defining quality of a person. This also helps students understand that they can achieve goals.
Increase group activities: Working with others encourages understanding. This will create a classroom environment of acceptance. Each student has a different perspective and each students voice deserves to be heard.