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The poverty simulation was for me something I have experienced within my own family. Playing the part of an elder person without anyone else forced to survive without any assistance is an all too horrible reality for many elderly people. It became a subject of debate within my extended family as some wanted to put my grandparents in a home as their health failed while others decided to take turns providing 24 hour care and using their inheritance to hire the best nurses we could afford. The end of life is especially hard because by that point it feels like all the battles that can be fought have already been lost and won. So often in this day and age we are so caught up in the now that we forget the people who were our mentors and guides through early years. Growing old is something of a double edged sword because everybody expects to live to see it but at the same time it is riddled with troubles. For my grandparents, all their friends and neighbors since the 1940s were already dead, despite being scientists in youth they could barely remember their own children. I have always felt this will one day be my own fate, and so I'm not overly eager to think about this. However, it shows us that we all have a responsibility to the people who gave their time and energy to prepare us for life without them.

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I walked away from the simulation feeling overwhelmed. Knowing what our students may be experiencing on a daily basis is truly eye opening. I had no idea these families had all that working against them...I felt like it was like being in a deep hole...you could see the daylight, but there was absolutely no way to get to it. Every time you tried to get ahead...make progress forward, you are knocked back down again. You are constantly waiting for the shoe to drop. It was truly exhausting. I have always felt I had a lot of compassion for those who are less fortunate. I now have more respect than compassion. I believe the biggest take away from that night would be to recognize that these kids behaviors are most certainly tied to their...and a direct reflection of what they are experiencing at home. It not only impacts their behavior, but also their academics...finding ways to teach them how to just be a student when they come to school. I believe they bring so much of it with them every day. It impacts their attitude and motivation. I feel a lot of these students start out behind when they begin school, and they are constantly playing catch up.  I would like to find out ways that I can be of help with the students and their families.

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My biggest take away from the poverty simulation was even though families may have resources available to help them it is difficult to find time to do get to the resources when you are trying to hold down a job. This is especially difficult for single household families. Teaching within a high poverty school it really opened my eyes to how some of my students and their families may be struggling. Not only are the parents struggling, but that can trickle down to the students who have no control over the situation.

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My biggest take away was seeing how a family could legitimately stay in the cycle of poverty even though they were working, trying to find jobs, applying for assistance etc. I used to find myself thinking that if someone stuck in poverty just found better jobs and worked harder they could easily break the cycle. But, through the seminar I saw just how far from the truth that may be in many cases. I am definitely now more sensitive to the pattern of struggle that many hard working families may experience. Because of that I desire to show more compassion, patience, and understanding toward students and memebers of our community who find themselves in those difficult situations.

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I found this simulation to be very insightful. I have been aware of the struggle people have who live in poverty, but thankfully haven't experienced it. It helped me see what is might be like to live in poverty and gave me a chance to consider how it effects my students. As chaotic as school can seem sometimes, it is the most stable place for many of my students. As a teacher, I will try to remember that students can come from difficult home lives and to show them compassion.

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This was a really great reminder of why I volunteer with the groups that I do. With the school year starting, I haven't been giving as much of my time or resources, and this simulation did a good job of reminding
me.

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After participating in the poverty simulation, I realized what a valuable resource time can be for individuals living below the poverty line. There are only a finite number of hours in a day and if certain deadlines are not met, it can be devastating for some people. As a speech therapist within the special education department, I realized how taxing scheduling IEP meetings and other required meetings may be on parents. If they have to be at school for a certain period of time, they do not have time to do other tasks like going to work or running errands. Having completed this simulation, I realized it may be beneficial to combine meetings of some of my students who are siblings so their parents do not have to come back multiple times as well as offering to have the meeting over the phone so the parent does not have to factor in travel time and transportation costs.

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The poverty simulation opened my eyes to situations that parents and students in the community are having to go through. One of my biggest take away from this is that students may not always be able to focus in class because of the other things outside of class they are having to worry about. I played the role of a 14 year old girl that was in school with little motivation to learn. After school she was going home to brother who was selling drugs and a single mother with no jobs. Her family was only able to survive off of illegal money her brother made. This helped me to see that my class is not always my students first priority or concern. Sometimes it may not be a parents main concern as well. As a teacher i want to challenge my students to work hard but still be aware of other issues that they may be dealing with outside of my classroom as well.

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My biggest takeaway from this experience is the negative affect that poverty has on not only the parents, but the children as well. I felt so helpless while watching the older people in my family struggle. I was distracted the whole time I was at school and I had to worry about issues that children should not have to think of. It really put it in perspective the stress and worries that some of our children may have and how difficult it makes it to function in school. I will strive to show these students compassion, love, and understanding; even more so than I was doing before this simulation

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My biggest take away was that not everyone is looking out at what is best for you. There seems to always be someone who is trying to take advantage of an already bad situation.

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The poverty simulation provided significant insight in to how the socioeconomic status of our students in District Six can impact their learning abilities and their relationships with their caretakers. Seeing how certain organizations can "rig" the system against individuals who have found themselves to be victims of unfortunate circumstances. The third week of the simulation in which the students were out for spring break was very eye opening to me. We weren't able to pay for groceries that week, and it highlighted how once our students leave the school how their environment can prevent their learning. I couldn't imagine trying to study for a test after having hardly anything to eat over the previous few days. I do believe the simulation could have been improved by laying out a more negative tone. I felt that several groups, mine included, appeared to be having too much fun while participating. Being below the poverty line is definitely not fun. If the United Way rep provided more statistics on how poverty impacts educational attainment, to see what these children will be facing throughout their lives.

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Growing up with a father who is in full time ministry, I have been able to witness families, from an outside perspective, who are poverty stricken and are doing everything they can to get by. And many of the times I just see the situation that is right in front of me without seeing the full details. But after this experience and playing the role of a 7 year old, with a 9 year old sibling, who is being taken care of by their grandparents challenged me. Their grandparents faced challenges as there is one who is disabled and the other who is working full-time as a store clerk. It was so heart breaking to see and to read the details of their situation. So, my take away from this experience is that behind every smile and every tear there is a deeper story. Maybe that smile is one of joy and happiness because of having a great family atmosphere at home. Or maybe it is a smile of thankfulness, because they know they are going to have an opportunity to eat two meals that day and have an adult smile back at them for the first time that week. With each child that walks through our doors, we should not only focus on what we see in a child that is obvious to everyone, but we should also see them through the eyes of compassion because there is more than what meets the eye.

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Wow! Learning by experience is my after thought to this simulation. I was able to get an inside, deeper look into the harshness of living in a life of poverty. It's HARD. It's STRESSFUL. It's DEPRESSING. Even though this was not reality, knowing that I was temporarily living out someone's lifestyle made it real to me. During the simulation, our family were living paycheck to paycheck and were eventually evicted from our home. What was even more sad, a one-year old was born into this poverty life. I am aware that is tough for anyone to have to suffer through poverty, but to see the children go through really does something to me. I chose to work in a Title 1 school (Fairforest Middle) because of the love and compassion I have for students who have it rough at home. It's not their fault. They need to know that. I am so blessed to be a teacher and to be able to inspire and motivate so many adolescents. They need all the encouragement they can get during this time in their lives. They need love, care, and HOPE.

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My biggest take away was the realization that many of our students in our classrooms end up taking on many of the responsibilities that their parents can't catch up on. I know in my group that I felt like I didn't have enough time/resources to complete all the necessary tasks within the alotted time, thus our house getting evicted...I don't even think we had groceries for 3 weeks...What ended up happening was us parents telling our pregnant daughter to go do this & that so we could have an extra hand. This is so real and its happening more than we think, I'm sure. It really opened my eyes to say, "hey, you don't know each student's home life or their situations..be a little understanding/compassionate"

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My biggest take away was the realization that many of our students in our classrooms end up taking on many of the responsibilities that their parents can't catch up on. I know in my group that I felt like I didn't have enough time/resources to complete all the necessary tasks within the alotted time, thus our house getting evicted...I don't even think we had groceries for 3 weeks...What ended up happening was us parents telling our pregnant daughter to go do this & that so we could have an extra hand. This is so real and its happening more than we think, I'm sure. It really opened my eyes to say, "hey, you don't know each student's home life or their situations..be a little understanding/compassionate"

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--Jake Gilbert

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Having worked with state agencies for several years including the Department of Social Services and the Department of Health and Environmental Control, I have seen, first-hand, the living situations that many in our state experience. In addition, I have been an advocate and voice for those who don't speak English in these situations, and I know that some of the simulator's stories were somewhat an accurate representation of the lived experiences of people living at the federal poverty line. Keeping in mind the concepts of our students' daily struggles should allow us to not focus on just the behaviors that the students exhibit, but rather we should be able to see the student as one that may be experiencing additional unseen and unspoken difficulties. I try to get to know my students on a personal level to see what kind of issues they might have, but I don't change my academic expectations for them because I want them college ready by the end of my course. However, by understanding the difficulties that they may be facing, I have had to create more classroom digital activities because I know that they have an inability to access technology outside the classroom.
While I believe that this could have been a good exercise for us, I think the moderator could have provided more specific information to the group to better drive home the points. She could have started with a definition of the federal poverty line and what that looked like for Spartanburg county and more specifically the area that encompasses district 6. (See http://uwpiedmont.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/FS-_-SpCoOverview.pdf for more information about Spartanburg county and the census track map for district 6 specific information). In addition, it would have been nice had the moderator asked the group about possible experiences that they had had in their lives. When I joked about the DSS workers being mean, the truth is that many of them are paid such that they would qualify for the same assistance that they are providing. In addition, many first year teachers may be struggling to make ends meet, despite not necessarily falling in the definition of the federal poverty line. Fictitious accounts of others' lives can provide some understanding; however, I believe that had we had a chance to talk to each other, we might have been able to find out some additional information that could have been even more impactful.
Finally, I do believe it necessary to follow up with everyone with information about what the district has to offer for students that fall in this definition. Recently, I had the Cavalier Care program come to all of my classes to present about the program because I want my students to by better self-advocates for what they need; however, that takes me as the teacher to know that this program exists. One of the biggest takeaways that I think my group got was that it took all four of us working together to make things happen. Essentially, the village approach is the only way that we could survive and therefore, as teachers, we have to be part of our students' village. Is there a way that we could get a list of resources that the district offers/a training session on these programs?

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It helped put things into perspective for me. As a school counselor, I am very aware that several of our students live in poverty and I’ve learned to be sensitive to that. I think it’s important for educators to always take a step back to try to see things from our students’ perspective. The simulation made things seem more real as far as knowing and seeing what our impoverished students face everyday.

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While I had many takeaways, my biggest one is to be more mindful of not just students in particular, but everyone that comes into the school building. There are days, or mornings, where the smallest things happen within my home that throw my day off. The result of those small things sometimes create a negative mood.  Of course, the smallest things to ME cannot compare to those situations in the simulation. In the simulation, I took on the role of a 9-year-old girl attending school. I witnessed the many hardships my caretakers had to face. They were stressed, grumpy, and always in a rush. Time seemed to be just one of their many enemies.
There are a handful of my students who belong to single parents or just a grandmother. Many of them do not have a constant male presence in their life.  Sometimes my first reaction isn't what I intend for it to be when misbehavior occurs. This simulation reminded me of the saying -- "Love first, teach second."

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I learned that families who live in those type of conditions are really trying and it’s so hard to make changes when you’re on a fixed income. They are really trying to do the best they can.

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I learned that even though I see these types of situations on a regular basis at school, experiencing this in real life, being in someone else’s shoes makes a tremendous difference. In my family yesterday we got robbed, we were evicted, my husband ended up in jail, my children were expelled from school, one got pregnant and for weeks we weren’t able to feed our children.  It was hard trying to make the right decisions, while all these negative events were happening in our lives, all at the same time. I feel this is an eye opener for everyone. We sometimes don’t understand why these families are in those precarious situations with children that have numerous emotional and behavioral problems.  A lot of times we think parents don’t care when they don’t show up to meetings or help their kids with homework. I definitely want to help more families, be able to point them in the right direction when they are looking for resources and be able to provide the support and stability those children need. If they can find someone at school that can connect and can be there for them, then they will be able to be successful and we can make a difference in their lives.

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My biggest takeaway from this experience is the negative affect that poverty has on not only the parents, but the children as well. I felt so helpless while watching the older people in my family struggle. I was distracted the whole time I was at school and I had to worry about issues that children should not have to think of. It really put it in perspective the stress and worries that some of our children may have and how difficult it makes it to function in school. I will strive to show these students compassion, love, and understanding; even more so than I was doing before this simulation.

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I learned that even though I see these types of situations on a regular basis at school, experiencing this in real life, being in someone else’s shoes makes a tremendous difference. In my family yesterday we got robbed, we were evicted, my husband ended up in jail, my children were expelled from school, one got pregnant and for weeks we weren’t able to feed our children.  It was hard trying to make the right decisions, while all these negative events were happening in our lives, all at the same time. I feel this is an eye opener for everyone. We sometimes don’t understand why these families are in those precarious situations with children that have numerous emotional and behavioral problems.  A lot of times we think parents don’t care when they don’t show up to meetings or help their kids with homework. I definitely want to help more families, be able to point them in the right direction when they are looking for resources and be able to provide the support and stability those children need. If they can find someone at school that can connect and can be there for them, then they will be able to be successful and we can make a difference in their lives.

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After going through this simulation twice. I learned that under all the stress it is alot  easier to be in a bad mood or turn to crime to solve your problems.

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My biggest take away was how hard poverty stricken families lives are. throughout the simulation I felt as if I was on an episode of a TV show. Just constantly struggling and could never get ahead. I can now see how many of my students live their lives and can see where their stresses are.

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When people who are not impoverished experience stress, we usually have the means to alleviate it. People who live in poverty  do not have the means to alleviate stress, so they are living in a constant state of over-stimulation. When I experienced roadblocks at the simulation (DSS closing, lack of transportation, no food, etc.), I was overwhelmed and frustrated; and that was for ONE HOUR!

This simulation opened my eyes to see that when some students come to school, it is SO different from what they experience at home. This experience will help me keep all of the stressors in mind and help me provide solutions.

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My biggest take away from this experience was that it is much more difficult than I could have imagined. More than I care to admit I take for granted the way that I live. It's easy to say that others could work or try harder but when it is happening to you it feels much worse. This experience was a great one and I hope in the future I am able to be more compassionate and understanding of my students situations and where they come from.

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I was a 9 year old boy in my simulation. Often times I was left to attend to my sister's 1 year old. The thing that stuck with me was how expensive it was for me to be out of the house. If I was at home, I could care for a baby and save the family money. If I ran errands with the family, it cost transportation tickets. I also got expelled from school and that ended up being a good thing for my family because I could stay home and care for a baby. I realize that this is a reality for many students. They have a HUGE burden to bare and filling in in adult roles is a huge stress. I also felt so very bored. I was "home" most of the time with no adults. No activities and no play. I can see how children from low income families struggle emotionally and academically because of this.

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I had two big take aways from the simulation. First, I realized how easy it was to be taken advantage of if you don't speak English. I tried to apply for EBT and as soon as she found out I did not speak English, she denied me. Second, I realized how easy it is to justify a criminal act when living in poverty. We stole almost 1,000 to feed our grandchildren and didn't think twice about it. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to make that decision in real life.

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I think my biggest take away was how easy it is to get caught in an oppressive system that once you're held captive to, doesn't let go. Playing the role of a drop out high school student who was a drug addict, the only income my family was getting at the time came from my "illegal dealings". There was little interest in returning to school for a diploma much less finding a job when money was being acquired illegally. There were no support systems in place to assist me in my circumstance so I remained a part of the broken system and sadly that is the story for many of our students.

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I honestly left with conflicting feelings. I was overwhelmingly guilty that my life has never been that hard. I've always had enough and have never wanted for anything. I realized that this is not the case for many of my students. I know now that I haven't reacted in the correct way to many of their situations. I was also very grateful for MY situation and to have the students that I do. I know they were placed with me for a reason and hope that in the future I can help lessen the burdens they may face at home.

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I learned how chaotic it can be for students and their parents on a day to day basis. School is often the last thing on their mind because survival is often the focus. Most of the time we have the same expectations for every student and that is not fair to them. I need to be more culturally aware and sensitive when dealing with them if I am too reach them. In order to do that I must take the time out to get to know them on a personal level. This will help me be a wiser more effective teacher.

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I think through modern news and social media and the like we often are fed the idea that "they got themselves into that situation" "They're just lazy and refuse to get a job." I think it was very eye opening to realize that those things are not always , or very rarely are the case. It almost becomes a perpetual cycle that is nearly impossible to escape from.

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I learned through the simulation how school may be the highlight of the day for many of my students. I was a "child" and had to spend a week at home for fighting and I felt bored, alone, and hungry while the other "students" got to go to school. This simulation will impact my teaching in the way I view my students and how I seek to educate them as whole children not just their academic beings.   I want to nurture their spirits while I have them in my room each day.

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I learned to not judge anyone for a criminal act they may commit. Sometimes desperation takes over us. Especially the NEED and LOVE we have for our families. This drives us to due certain things which are sometime illegal but can help us financially. The saying: "don't judge a book by it's cover" really came into play.

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I learned through the simulation how "going to work" and "paying your bills" sounds easy enough to make a life when you aren't facing hardships such as disability, unemployment, lack of reliable childcare, etc. This simulation will impact my teaching by raising my awareness and lessening my judgement.