Poverty and Teaching - Day 4

Sadly, and far too often, poor children live in chaotic, unstable households. You can take my word for it or that of the researcher, Eric Jensen, I'm following in his insightful paperback Teaching with Poverty in Mind. Along these lines, poor children are more likely to come from single-guardian homes and their parents or caregivers tend to be less emotionally responsive. Further, 'single parenthood strains resources and correlates directly with poor school attendance, lower grades, and lower chances of attending college.'

I've also witnessed homes where deep poverty exists and persists and where getting decent meals and having access to clean clothes are problematic. All too frequently these same homes are not able to provide the proper type of hygiene that is required to help ensure success in school.

Where poverty is rampant in homes, far too many students have too little parental time and supervision.

All of the above can and does, for many children coming from impoverished homes, translates into "undermining the development of self and the capacity for self-determination and self-efficacy.' Kids may also feel that their parents are uninterested in them. And, if that is the case, the kids will not seek out their parents for help with their schoolwork.

As you can see, the home environment plays a critical role with respect to how a child, coming from an environment of poverty, will fare in school.

Dick