My Role in Fighting Poverty

During the holidays, I was able to connect with family members and enjoy time together in laughter, joy, and of course, political dialogue. As the conversation shifted toward urban education, and the challenges facing urban centers in general, the conversation drifted toward the challenges of poverty. This is a topic that I spend a great deal of time thinking about and wondering how I, as a white, middle-class woman, can truly make a difference in the fight against poverty.

While opinions regarding how people can move out of poverty vary significantly, many of those opinions are based more in political rhetoric than a true understanding of poverty. Misconceptions about poverty are everywhere from political debate to dining room table conversation. Some popular misconceptions regarding poverty include that people in poverty are lazy or lack a work ethic, that people in poverty choose to live off of public assistance, or that if people living in poverty wanted to, they could just "get out."

The research about poverty is clear - children growing up in poverty face challenges that are significant. Children who live in poverty are less likely to have their basic needs met, have limited language development and a limited vocabulary, and even develop different neural pathways and cognitive functioning. Denying this reality is akin to denying global warming (it was over 60 degrees on Christmas Eve where I live, so I don't think that seems likely at this juncture). Education is essential for challenging the effects of poverty - but educating children who live in poverty requires a unique skill set in order to empower and elevate children and families to their true potential. read more here

Schools with high poverty require the very best teachers in order to begin to level the playing field. Too often, there is a perception that suburban schools or more affluent districts are easier places to teach in or have better teachers. The reality is that high poverty schools need the best teachers and should not only work collaboratively with teacher training programs to develop the skills of great teachers, but need to work actively to recruit and keep the very best teachers in the classrooms that need them most. Shifting the perception in teacher training programs is necessary in order to encourage better preparation for teachers and achievement for our most needy students. Research supports the need for effective teacher training programs and genuine political debate that no longer blames people in poverty for their circumstances. In order for us to make a legitimate difference in the lives of our children, it is important for us to remember that our children are the future, and investing in that future needs to involve more than just talk - it takes time, commitment, and resources in order to empower and elevate people struggling with the challenges of poverty.