Payne Chapter one and two

I thought I had a pretty good idea what poverty looks like before I read these two chapters. I figured that no matter what the situation that there is always someone to help and always a way out of things. My ideas were completely disrupted with these two chapters. I found myself floundering when asked the same questions at the end of each case study. It was hard to imagine that these people didn't necessarily have anyone to turn to and didn't know how to get out of the current situation. I think it will be a challenge to try to break through some of the generational mindsets that students will bring to the classroom. I am not sure how I will deal with issues like students coming to school hungry and not knowing who their fathers are or where their mothers are. I know these issues exist. I remember sitting in a classroom during my observation and a student was making fun of another students father. The student who was being made of informed the class that she could not know any of these things about his father because he didn't even know who his father is. That moment was huge for me because I saw not only his response but the response of his fellow students. The thought of this boy not knowing his dad was not uncomfortable to any of them, not foreign in any way. I realized at that moment that I have no idea what poverty looks like and the two chapters on poverty confirmed that for me. I am extremely uncomfortable with dealing with this issue, but, it is when we are most uncomfortable when we are most aware and willing to change.