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Respect3. Keep your judgement at home. It’s so easy to judge a child, family and home once you find out everything isn’t perfect like the 80’s sitcom, The Cosby Show.  Instead of looking to blame why some one lives in poverty, take that time to hear a child’s story. Growing up my story was that despite my father being a small business owner, it was hard to provide for two household with four mouths to feed.  So we struggled. Since I grew up in a small community, many teachers already knew my story from my older siblings.

I’m not sure if any of teachers judged me, but I never felt judgement when I came to them with an issue. Instead I felt compassion and love. I remember my AP Literature teacher sitting down with me to have a discussion about college and financial aid. She didn’t cringe when I told her that I needed financial aid, instead she showed me what to do to quality.  As teachers it’s our job to teach and nurture children and judgement has no place in that space. Click here for rule #4.

For fifteen years Franchesca taught English/Language Arts in two urban districts in Atlanta, Georgia,...

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  1. Teaching in a high-poverty school is definitely different than teaching in a rich or even modest suburban school. I’ve just finished my 13th year at a rural school in Michigan with an 80+% free and reduced lunch rate. We received PD on the Culture of Poverty to help us better understand our clientele. Those of us with real-life experience growing up poor were able to add an authentic stamp on what we learned. I highly recommend reading A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D. There is so much insight in this text.

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