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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.