I teach in a K-5 elementary school in California. Many of my students have to deal with poverty, undernourishment, occasionally migrant schedules, and gangs on a daily basis. Our city has over 5,000 documented gang members belonging to at least 94 gangs. About 80% of our district qualifies for free and reduced lunch and almost 97% of my school speaks another language at home, mostly Spanish. That said, we are very fortunate to have a secure campus, a good parent population that wants to see children do well in school, and extremely well-qualified teachers who work tirelessly and spend much of their own money on their classes.
Our community lost its public library a few years ago and with it any chance of borrowing good books or connecting to the Internet on a regular basis. Even with their daily challenges, our students often do not get initiated into gangs that target 4th and 5th graders. Our students do get excited to receive a new book, do well in school, or receive an award.
About my class
I teach in a K-5 elementary school in California. Many of my students have to deal with poverty, undernourishment, occasionally migrant schedules, and gangs on a daily basis. Our city has over 5,000 documented gang members belonging to at least 94 gangs. About 80% of our district qualifies for free and reduced lunch and almost 97% of my school speaks another language at home, mostly Spanish. That said, we are very fortunate to have a secure campus, a good parent population that wants to see children do well in school, and extremely well-qualified teachers who work tirelessly and spend much of their own money on their classes.
Our community lost its public library a few years ago and with it any chance of borrowing good books or connecting to the Internet on a regular basis. Even with their daily challenges, our students often do not get initiated into gangs that target 4th and 5th graders. Our students do get excited to receive a new book, do well in school, or receive an award.
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