Poverty in the Classroom

 Poverty within the education system is very prevalent and an issue that is not discussed enough in our current date and age. According to research by the NASSP, around 20 percent of students under the age of 18 live in levels of poverty in the school year 2015-2016. Poverty has many effects on a child's education. Poverty can often be linked to physical health and mental health as well. Students can have a hard time concentrating in class or even completing homework. Poverty effects students' lives more than just financially. Students can struggle from a lack of sleep, neglect, hunger, and lacking basic necessities. This overall effects a students school readiness, and how likely they are to continue education. Poverty can effect a student in the classroom in many ways. Some students might see school as a safe haven away from an abusive home, while others may fear the social and educational stress of the school day as they don't feel prepared with materials. 

Students in a classroom,
working on a writing assignment.

I think that poverty is a topic that is not addressed enough in education. Poverty effects many children in our school systems all over the United States. Understanding how poverty at home might effect a child in the school academically, mentally, socially, and physically is very important for educators to be aware of. Personally, I went to a magnet school as a child. So I grew up in an area that was well off and did not have much poverty, especially in our school system. However, I when I moved to Knoxville for college I began to volunteer at a local after school program. This program takes place in an area with high poverty rates. Many of the students speak English as. their second language was well. This experience really opened my eyes to new perspectives. I started to realize how important it is to work intentionally with these children that experience poverty of any level. By providing children with support and really listening to them and their experiences, we are able to guide their education and really focus on the students. By knowing their situation we can work with their parents, the administration, teachers, and other students to provide the best educational experience possible for each student. Creating a personalize experience for students, especially those struggling in their home life, will create an association of positivity and encouragement in schools, which will hopefully allow students to pursue higher education. Overall, poverty effects many students, whether we are able to recognize it or not, we should treat our students with kindness, encouragement, and intention in order for them to have a maximal educational experience.