From October 17-23, students reflected on themes that emerge from Anti-Poverty week. For Anti-Poverty Week, students read books and thought about why poverty exists and also about actions that we could collectively do to end poverty. The message of Anti-Poverty Week is one of hope, and not despair.

Prep to Year 2 students read the 2021 CBCA notable Picture Book of the Year, “I saw Pete and Pete Saw Me.” A book about how small acts of kindness shown through gestures show care and empathy. The book teaches our young readers to respond with compassion and thoughtfulness to all people, and perhaps especially to those who have been ignored.  

Students in Years 3 and 4 read “Fly Away Home”, a sensitive picture book about a boy and his dad who live at the airport. During the book, the child watches a bird fly away and compares it to his life, hoping that one day he too, like the bird, will be able to leave the airport. His father insists that he goes to school, as education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Year 5 and 6 students read “On Our Street: A First Book About Poverty” before using a Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Thinking Routine, “I used to think … Now I think …” to scaffold and support their thinking. Students responded in insightful and thoughtful ways, reflecting on how their thinking about poverty transformed to be more imbued with empathy and understanding, as a result of reading this book.  

Through the pages of these books, students learned about some of the challenges that poverty brings and that so many people experience. They also discovered positive ways our community can help support people living in poverty, and that education is the silver bullet for reducing the chances of experiencing poverty.

Siana Einfeld - Teacher Librarian