Since I was only a one-year-old during the simulation, there wasn’t much I could do while in character. I spent most of my time following my mom around to the places she needed to visit, making her spend an extra transportation pass everywhere she went. It made me personally feel like I was just a burden, so I felt pretty relieved when we visited the community action table and I was placed in day care for a week. However, while in day care I just sat there at my seat not learning or interacting like I should have been doing with my mother. I also experienced hunger until finally during the last week my mother was able to afford to buy food for the family. I was also very happy when my family got our own home during the third week.
One important thing I learned from following my mother around was how frustrating it can be to find the right help. The first place we visited was Quick Cash to buy transportation passes. However, since they only accepted cash, we were out two bus passes and not able to purchase anything. When we visited the community action area, they had run out of funds to assist my family with utilities, so we were referred to the social services office that also told us they couldn’t help us.
The main thing I learned that will affect my teaching is about basic needs. In order for learning to occur, a child must have all basic needs met. Throughout the simulation, I was hungry, homeless, and wearing the same clothes. I also didn’t get many opportunities to interact with anyone including my own family, since my mother was too busy taking care of our living situation and finding a job. It is easy to understand that, even though my mother cared for me and wanted the best for me, other needs came before spending time with me.
I hope that you will get the opportunity to take part in a similar simulation to learn about the effects poverty has on the individual. It was an enriching experience that I believe all teachers should have.