Understanding Poverty by Ruby Payne is a fantastic reference to begin the journey of understanding the differences between the classes. She defines poverty by whether or not an individual has access to variety of support structures. One structure has to do with understanding the options that are out there. For instance, I always knew that many students in poor areas are not offered proper information regarding preparation for college. Although I had learned about the lack of information, I never experienced it for myself. Until... friday.
During a game... improvisation between teacher and student... the teacher's want is to convince the student to sign up for after school tutoring (as the tutor). He is a bright student that could add more to his transcript by offering his services and knowledge in the after school program. This would assure him a scholarship for college.
Okay... as the scene progressed I realised that my students don't know what a scholarship is. I explain what a scholarship is. mY students are interested to say the least. Before this, they never saw college as an option. They had no good information about college at all... it is simply not an option.
I feel like screaming... educate students about college... how can they get through high school and not know??? This is a dis-service! We must look differently at our cutural needs... We must look differently at ourselves...
I realise that people have been taken advantage of... oppressed... but we need to utilize an optimistic perseption if we are ever going to be able to improve our situations. It is up to us! It is futile to wait for the hand me downs of others.
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