Name one social issue of concern and project how schools, schooling, or you as a teacher might be able to help address this issue. What good will it do, what part can you play?

When I first decided to undertake answering some of the Big Questions presented to the class, I overlooked this one. I could think of so many different issues of social concern to discuss that I thought to narrow it down and only discuss one would be extremely difficult. As I reread the question last week however, one issue came to my mind immediately. Poverty.
After reading about the increasing presence of poverty in schools, as well as discussing it in our class jigsaw groups and addressing poverty in my strategies, I could think of fewer more appropriate and important issues to examine here. Poverty is a growing problem effecting students all throughout our country’s schools. Students living in poverty are often at higher risk for other problems. In Educational Psychology the issue of the “environment of poverty” is discussed. The environment of poverty points out that students of low socioeconomic backgrounds are often exposed to an accumulation of multiple risks that adversely affect healthy development on multiple levels.
One of the questions asked in our Jigsaw groups had to do specifically with poverty and hunger. “How can you help a student overcome hunger while sitting in your classroom?” Whether in a general education classroom or a private therapy room, being hungry (as a result of poverty) will undoubtedly affect a student’s performance. But, how can one teacher help or make a difference in the lives of hungry students? It is not realistic to expect to be able to provide food for all of your students. However, there are routes teachers can take in helping to establish free and/or low cost pre-school day breakfasts or lunches for the children in need within their schools. The principal and school board, as well as other teachers need to be involved and made aware of the conditions and needs of students, as well as various resource options they may not have otherwise been aware of. Sometimes even taking proper traditional courses of action may not yield the desired results for our students.
In situations where our immediate strategies do not work, it is important to continue to seek results and move forward toward change. We should also look to other schools for examples. We must remember in all that we do as teachers, that we need to always remain advocates for our students. We should do all that is within our means to help our students reach their highest level of success in school and in life.