Link Made Between Poverty and Learning

Educators are Agents of Change in Fighting Poverty in Canada

Oct 17, 2009

After two decades, Canada is far from reaching its1990s goal to reduce child poverty and Canadian children's learning is suffering. Teachers are instruments of change.

For many Canada is a great country in which to live. Yet, as a country, Canada has not done well in alleviating family poverty or in providing for the needs of its youngest people. Caring educators are all too aware of poverty’s devastating effects on learning, the obstacles these children must overcome and the importance of education in effecting change to systemic poverty.

In “Oh Canada! Too Many Children in Poverty for Too Long,” Laurel Rothman addresses the need for educators to become aware of the complexities of poverty and its implications on education. “Given the clearly demonstrated link between poverty and learning, educators need to be aware of the breadth and depth of the problem and become advocates for strategies to address it.” Since poverty is prevalent, students struggling with poverty issues in the school are customary and thus teachers and administrators must learn how they can help children from low-income families learn.

Causes of Poverty Multidimensional

The causes of poverty are multi-faceted and thus understanding poverty’s underlying issues is crucial. Julia Preece defines poverty “as a human condition characterized by sustained or chronic deprivation of resources, capability, choices and security, and power necessary for enjoyment of an adequate standard of living and other civil, cultural and economic, political and social rights.” Since there is no single cause of poverty, there is no single solution and tackling poverty will require various strategies and community partnerships.

Exclusion is an Effect of Poverty

One effect of living in poverty is exclusion. Rothman states that, “the impact of poverty goes beyond material deprivation and contributes to social exclusion.” Rothman also speaks to the stigma that children who live in poverty endure citing grade 4 & 5 students who say that poverty is “feeling ashamed when my dad can’t get a job, pretending that you forgot your lunch, not buying books at the book fair” and “not getting to go on school trips.” Poverty is detrimental to student health and exclusion seriously undermines low income students’ confidence.

Poverty Negatively Impacts Education

Since socio-economic status has an impact on how students do in school, tackling poverty and its underlying issues is important for teachers. According to Benjamin Levin, “there is overwhelming evidence that socio-economic stats (SES) has been and continues to be the best single predictor of how much schooling students will obtain, how well they will do at their studies, and what their life prospects beyond school are.” Teachers and school communities must address the greatest hindrance to students becoming successful learners.

Educators as Influencers of Poverty Policies

Understanding the system changes that need to be effected is only helpful if they are implemented. In "Reducing Poverty: What has Worked, and what Should Come Next," John Richardes is concerned that government is aware of system changes that need to be made but has yet to find ways to fund “early childhood education programs” that “may yield significant benefits in terms of children's subsequent school success,” and “relevant cultural content in the curriculum” that “may lower high-school dropout rates among students from historically marginalized groups.” Educators need to continue to lobby policy makers to think long term and invest in people.

Educators Partner to Improve Low-Income Students' Success

Parents who live in poverty can become pre-occupied with providing for their families. While breakfast, homework clubs and fundraising for field trips indicate a willingness to address the issue as a school community, parents need the support of teachers with learning strategies for the home and classroom. Rothman states that “teachers and schools are essential partners in improving life chances for low-income students. As daily mentors in children’s lives, teachers experience directly the impact of poverty upon children.”

Dealing with poverty issues in the classroom will only bring limited success unless teachers partner with parents. Levin states that “improving the quality of instruction received by poor children, strengthening pre-school education, and giving more attention to building links with parents and communities are three strategies that are known to be successful with poor children and their families but we do not employ them widely in Canadian education.”

In her lecture on poverty, York University Professor, Sarah Barrett, suggests that helping the poor means understanding that “they have a right to make demands, articulate needs and evaluate whether their needs are being met.” Teachers can share “that education is the way out” and that they “are here to help.” Indeed, education will empower them to make changes and help them overcome poverty mindsets.

In addition to their many other responsibilities, teachers see the tangible evidence of how poverty affects education and understand that education enables low income students to change their poverty mindsets. They must be instruments of change in the classroom, partner with the home, in the community and in government policy.

Sources:

Barrett, Sarah. “Poverty,” September 29, 2008 Lecture. York University Faculty of Education.

Levin, Benjamin. “Poverty and education: schools can contribute to alleviating the impact of poverty,” Education Canada.Toronto: Summer 1995, Vol. 35(2), p 28.

Preece, Julia. “Education for Inclusion,” Convergence; 2006; 39, 2/3; CBCA Education, p 147.

Richards, John, "Reducing Poverty: what has Worked, and What Should Come Next," Comentary.-C.D. Howe Institute. Oct. 2007 (255), p. 1.

The copyright of the article Link Made Between Poverty and Learning in Educational Issues is owned by Lynda Allison. Permission to republish Link Made Between Poverty and Learning in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.