Here are my thoughts about teaching children who are living
in poverty. The weekend before Christmas
my husband and I (and our 2 year old granddaughter) had the privilege of
helping the Rugby Food Pantry box up and deliver 120 boxes of food for families
in our community. I had also asked some
of the NHS students to help as well and they were sworn to confidentiality
before we all began helping with the deliveries. Of the 6 families we
delivered to in one area of town, 4 of them were families of students in our
high school. It was humbling and yet frustrating for me. I was disappointed by
the extreme untidiness and appalled by the strong cigarette odor coming from
the homes, and one of them housed a single father with children who attend our schools. Outside the home, there was frozen
litter all over the yard, the steps and the attached deck. Two of the children were outside just standing there, and I assume it was to get
fresh air because that house had the worst cigarette smell I have experienced
in a long time.
We were as cheerful as we could be while walking up to their
door with a box full of food, and my husband carrying the 20 # bag of potatoes
and the turkey but as I looked at the children’s faces, I held back the urge to
cry and on the way back to our vehicle, I held back the urge to say, “Hey boys,
do you have some garbage bags or empty grocery bags inside so we can pick this
litter up while we stand out here? I can sure help you.”
Over the
Christmas break I have often thought about them and their older siblings (who
attend our school) and I wonder what in the world can I do for them. The tired blank looks, the hopelessness they
seemed to have really makes me wonder how getting assignments completed for
school can even happen. Their home was one of the smallest so I know they
probably don’t even have an empty spot at the kitchen/dining table. What makes anything we say or do resonate
with them to give them hope and motivation to make a better life for
themselves? What can we do to instill a work ethic in them when their own dad
was puffing on a cigarette while I handed him the box and there was litter all
over the yard and deck that should have been taken care of a long time ago? What makes us think that reading, writing and
arithmetic are at the forefront of these children’s minds or even should be?
They are just barely surviving and their basic needs are (probably) not even
being met.
There are two other elementary children I
want to mention. They live in another area of town and those two boys
are the most energetic and motivated kids that my husband and I have ever seen
(for their age). They seem to ALWAYS be outside doing something. They are
either mowing their own yard or someone else’s. If they’re not working, they are either playing
ball or hockey or football or building something. Even this weekend with temperatures way below
freezing they were outside shoveling the snow off their driveway! They are the friendliest, happiest boys and I
know that with their work ethic they are going to be successful and do well in
whatever they decide to pursue. I look
forward to having them in our school someday and seeing the success they will experience. The difference between the two families is
astounding.
I am grateful that we have begun a mentor/mentee program for
our students but I am wondering if we need to do more for many of our students.
Students who are living in poverty and experiencing hopelessness and those who
don’t have the support and even the expectations to be successful need men and
women in their lives who can mentor them and help them change their mindset and
give them hope on a daily basis, not just once a month. Just so you know,
Social Services is already involved with the first family I mentioned. Without intervention in these children’s
lives, the cycle of poverty will very likely continue for another generation.
I have always said that it would be great if our community
had a boys/girls club or somewhere for these kids to go to get help with
homework or to get help in other areas and it would be great if we could
convince every child to take part in constructive and productive activities. If
we too could provide our low SES students with enriched treatment as has been
done in other communities, I am sure we would see the same positive results. In
the meantime, it is imperative that we encourage our low SES students to take
part in extra-curricular activities and maybe there should be a
fund/scholarship they apply for to pay for their cheerleader uniforms, their
basketball shoes, FFA jacket, dress up clothes for game days, etc. so that they
will be able to participate.
I look forward to seeing the positive changes that we can make in our community. Being a part of the Pierce County Health and Safety Coalition is one positive step that the community can make (and by the way, any of you reading this are welcome to be part of the coalition) and I know that the caring and professional team of educators we have on staff in the RPS system will also want to make a difference in the lives of our low SES children! (as well as all of them)
