Download - Child Poverty Poster - Kids can't wait
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Kids Can’t Wait...
child poverty.FOR SOLUtIONS TOchild poverty.
British Columbia Teachers’ Federation Social Justice Program | 604-871-1842See resources on reverse
Access Agency
Solidarity action
Advocacy
How can you ensure families living in poverty have equitable access to all school opportunities?
• Takethetimetobecomefamiliarwithyourstudents.Isthereasituationinthehomethatkeepsthemfromattendingschoolonaregularbasis?
• Fieldtrips:EnsureequitableaccessforstudentsandsupportfromPAC;don’tpressurestudentstodofundraisers.
• Sports:Providefinancialandtransportationassistanceforlowincomestudentssothattheyareabletoparticipateinextra-curricularactivities.
• FineArts:Makesurethatrequiredmaterialsaresuppliedtostudentsinneed.• Participateincommunity/culturaleventsoutsideschooltobuildconnectionsand
trustwithlowincomefamilies.• Advocateforuniversalbreakfastandlunchprograms.
How can you help students to develop resiliency skills and think critically about child poverty issues?
• Allowchildrentosharetheirstoriesinasafeenvironmentbyencouragingcourageousconversations.
• Fostercommunicationskillsthatresultinstudentsbeingabletoarticulatetheirneeds.
• DeveloplessonstohelpstudentsbuildcriticalthinkingskillsaboutthesocialimpactsofpovertyinBCandCanada.
• FamiliarizeyourselfwiththeChildPovertyReportCardbyFirstCall(firstcallbc.org/pdfs/economicequality/3-reportcard2011.pdf).Usetheirfactsheetsinteachinglessonsaboutpovertyandprivilege.
• Establishconnectionswithcommunitygroupsthatpartnerwiththeschoolindeliveringprograms,services,orresourcestolow-incomefamilies.
How can I advocate for children and families in need?
• Speakoutabouttheneedforaffordablehousinginyourcommunity.• Workwithcolleaguestodevelopalistofcommunityorganizationsandpersonnel
whoaddresslocalpovertyissues.• Connectchildrenandfamilieswithsupportservicesinthecommunity.• Provideprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesforstafftolearnandadvocate
aroundpovertyissues(seedescriptionsoffreeworkshopslistedbelow).• Exploretheinterrelationshipsamongpoverty,race,andgenderinyourteaching
andlearning.
How can we work together to take action with others on this issue?
• Changeschoolpoliciesthroughstaffcommitteestoensurethatstudentslivinginpovertyarewelcomedatschool(i.e.,latestudentprocedures,studentabsences,homeworkexpectations,etc.).
• Buildrelationshipswithcommunityservicesandorganizationstosupportfamilieslivinginpoverty.
• Encourageempathyandanethicofcareamongststaff.• WritetoyourMLArequestingaprovincialpovertyreductionplanwithspecific
targetsandtimelinesforaction(sevenprovincesandterritorieshavethemnow).• Challengenegativestereotypesaboutpeoplelivinginpoverty (i.e.,lackofeducation/skills,unwillingnesstowork,statementsofblame).• Ratherthanfundraising,developschoolplansthataddresstherootcausesofchildpoverty.• Throughallybuilding,explore,andcalculatethelivingwageforyourcommunity
andadvocateforfamiliestobepaidalivingwage.
Personal goal: Starting tomorrow, what can I do?• Assessyourownbiasandprivilege.• Buildrelationshipswithlow-incomefamiliesandstudents.• Welcomestudentswhentheyarrive—nomatterwhattimeofday.• Talktoparentsandinvitethemintotheclass.• Haveschoolpoliciesthatdonotpenalizeorexcludestudentsforbeinglate,
nothavinglunch,ornothavingtheirhomeworkdone.• Explicitlyteachandmodelcommunicationandsocialskills.• Connectchildrenandfamilieswithcommunityresources.• Affirmthecultureandheritageofstudentsinyourclass.• Rememberthatchildrenandfamiliesarenottoblamefortheirsituation.
Antipoverty Resources:BCTFantipovertylessonplans(bctf.ca/SocialJustice.aspx?id=21358&libID=21348)
BCTFworkshopsonpoverty
PovertyReductionCoalitionwebsite(reducepoverty.ca)
“TheTimeisNow”video(policyalternatives.ca/multimedia/time-now)
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) (policyalternatives.ca)FirstCallCoalition—ChildPovertyReportCard(firstcallbc.org/pdfs/economicequality/3-reportcard2011.pdf)
LivingWageforFamilies(livingwageforfamilies.ca)
Taking action on child poverty using a Social Justice Lens
BCTF WORKSHOPS
Poverty as a classroom issueBChasthehighestpovertyrateinCanadaand20%ofallourchildrenliveinpoverty.Thisworkshophelpsteacherstodevelopanawarenessoftheissueofpovertyanditsimplicationforourstudents.Itwillprovidechallengesforteachersontheassumptionswemakeaboutchildrenlivinginpovertyandprovidestrategiesforteachersonhowtosupportchildrenwhomaybeexperiencingdiscriminationatschoolduetotheirsocioeconomicstatus.
Teachers can make a difference for children living in poverty ThisnewworkshopisacontinuationfromPovertyasaclassroomissue.Participantswillbechallengedtoexaminetheirattitudesandbeliefsaboutpoverty.Specificstrategiesandpedagogywillbeincorporatedthatwillprovideteacherswithtoolsandperspectivestochallengeandtransformthecurrentpovertycrisisinourclassrooms,schools,andcommunities.
Torequestaworkshop,usetheWorkshopRequestform,foundatbctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/ProD/Conferences/FaxbackWorkshopReqForm.pdf.Youmayalsoe-mailNadiaBoveatnbove@bctf.ca,604-871-1860,or1-800-663-9163local1860.