For years my morning drive used to be a 5 - 7 minute trip through city streets to go work at a poor inner-city school in one of the largest school districts in California. We dealt with frequent graffiti tagging, homelessness, and once with a gang-related shooting death. These are issues that urban schools face and I never expected nor wished to work anywhere else.Now my drive to work is a 20 - 30 minute commute through the country. The pace is slower at my new rural school and teachers and children do not seem to be wound so tight.
I want to study poverty and I am sure my new Title I school will provide ample opportunities to deal with the issue with my students. At the same time, I marvel at what I see in my new classroom. For the first time, I have students with braces and no students with silver teeth. For the first time, a girl wore a cheer leading outfit to school and no one is wearing the same t-shirt day after day.
Maybe since this district has only two elementary schools I am seeing children from different social classes represented in my classroom. There must be more economic diversity here than I have experienced before.
I thought I knew what poverty looked like, but maybe I just knew what city poverty looked like. I am having to change my perceptions. I thought moving from one Title I school to another would seem the same, but I find myself dealing with culture shock. Students out here are quieter. Adults are more calm. I hear no yelling!!
Poverty out in the country might have different issues than those found in the city. It's going to be my job to figure out what the pressing issues are here and figure out a way to address them with my new class.
4 comments:
I also teach in a rural Title 1 school and have pondered rural poverty. Certainly it takes a different form from that which you faced in the middle of Fresno. What I notice in my school is generational poverty, behaviors and attitudes passed down from one generation to the next. Good luck with your new venture
I live in Palm Springs. The name might make a person think that everyone here is "rich!" It's not the case. More than half of the mom's in my class clean houses for a living. I teach in a low SES school, Title 1. More than 80% of our kids get free or reduced lunch. You never the location of poverty. Good luck, your project sound interesting.
I think one of the main keys here is what is poverty? Is poverty a relative term? Am I poor because I don't have what someone else has or because I eat beans instead of steak? Am I poor because I am a latch-key kid or because my mom is home but she's severely depressed and in the bed all of the time. What determines my poverty? Am I poor because of my pride? This is an awesome topic. I look forward to your research. I would suggest that you develop some kind of trust base before interviewing parents.
Your new commute, task, and population sounds as if it is perfect for your study. You are in a new environment and have the ability to view it through an entirely new lens. How rich is that, Shawna? It's all new, no preconceived notions or expectations. Your research will be FABULOUS! Congrats on the job. I hear you are working with Falhon, very cool!!
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