Working in a low-income high needs setting is an opportunity and not a sentence. The work will be challenging and rewarding. Some teachers may feel like they are making real changes in the course of a student’s life trajectory. The satisfaction that both a student and teacher may feel after overcoming obstacles and breaking stereotypes is immensely rewarding, but can also take a toll on both. 

That all being said, teaching in a high needs environment is not for everyone. The teacher that tries but either does not succeed or has limited success should not feel ashamed or degraded; it is OK to seek work in a different setting, especially if a low-income and high needs environment is taking a personal toll on the teacher. Every type of person, including race, culture, socio-economic status, and personality types, deserves a good teacher, and many teachers may thrive in situations that they never expected to be in.  We are not trying to create “rags to riches” stories; rather, we are hoping to give all students equal opportunities.  

I do hope that this course did not come across as being condescending or unaware of students from the middle class to higher-income areas.  Furthermore, I hope that I did not paint a picture of low-income area families constantly needing a helping hand.  Rather, the intent was to focus on specific issues and possible solutions to help provide a fair or equitable education for all students.  We will always have those students that seem to get the job done without any stress or need for additional support. It is easy for those students to blend in, but we should not forget them, and we should never prefer one group over the other simply. We can certainly celebrate students that have worked through tough issues, but we don’t know what everyone is going through. 

Finally, remember that teaching is a lifestyle that can be broken down into additional sub-lifestyles.  Think about your current professional description: it may be middle school orchestra and general music teacher.  Or it might be K-12 orchestra, choir, band, and technology teacher.  Adding “teacher for low-income area students” is yet another lifestyle.  If this is you, wear it with a badge of honor, but also don’t be disappointed or ashamed if this is not the lifestyle for you.  Our situations already had challenges prior to COVID-19. Still, I'm confident that all of us will prevail and come out as stronger teachers and advocates for our students and ourselves