Living in Poverty Affects Our Children; GrapeSEED Can Help – Part 1
January 20th, 2026
Over the next three weeks, we are going to explore poverty: what it is, what it means for our students, and what we as educators can do to give all of our young English language learners hope and the chance at a successful life, regardless of their socioeconomic background.
More than 16 million children in the United States today are living in poverty. That word—poverty—tends to conjure up a variety of images, ideas and opinions in all of us, some based on stereotypes, some based on media, and some based on our own life experiences and perspectives.
What is poverty, anyways? In reality, poverty is “ a chronic and debilitating condition that results from multiple adverse synergistic risk factors and affects the mind, body and soul.” Wait—-what? Our sweet little students’ minds, bodies and souls are being affected ? Whoa. Pretty powerful, isn’t it? Needless to say, poverty is very complex and the factors surrounding it are emotional, unique and certainly very personal.
Consider these five different types of poverty that may be affecting the students and families that are part of your school community:
- Situational Poverty – Caused by sudden crisis or loss and is usually temporary. Events causing situational poverty include environmental disasters, divorce, and severe health problems.
- Generational Poverty – Occurs in families where at least two generations have been born into poverty. Families living in this type of poverty are not (yet) equipped with the tools to move out of their situations.
- Relative Poverty – Refers to the economic status of a family whose income is insufficient to meet its society’s average standard of living.
- Urban Poverty – Occurs in metropolitan areas of at least 50,000 people. The urban poor deal with complex aggregate stressors (crowding, violence, noise) and are dependent on often-inadequate large city services.
- Rural Poverty – Occurs in non-metropolitan areas with populations below 50,000. There are more single-guardian households, less access to services, less support for disabilities and less quality education opportunities. Programs encouraging transition from welfare to work are problematic in remote rural areas, where job opportunities are fewer. The rural poverty rate has exceeded the urban rate EVERY YEAR since data collection began in the 1960s.
So what can living in impoverished conditions look like in the United States? According to the work of Eric Jensen, a renowned researcher, here are some of the characteristics:
- Long-term unemployment
- Low-wage jobs
- Limited job skills
- Homelessness
- Cramped housing – more than one family to a home
- Non-energy efficient housing
- Housing in need of repair
- Unreliable transportation
- Limited or no assets
- Lack of quality child-care
- Incarcerated family members, be they children or parents
Now that we know exactly what poverty is, we’ll take a look at some of the obstacles children are facing in Part 2 of Living in poverty affects our children; GrapeSEED can help.
And for a longer video on the topic, look here to find out more about how poverty affects education.
January is the season of decluttering, but in schools, it’s about clearing space for what truly matters! This month’s blog explores how thoughtful organization supports multilingual learners and why strong language systems are worth keeping. A little clarity now can create momentum that lasts all year… and beyond!
The new year is a perfect time for reflection and renewal—not just for us, but for our students, too. After a long winter break, January offers a natural opportunity to revisit and reinforce classroom routines and procedures, especially in multilingual classrooms where clarity and consistency are key to helping all students feel secure and successful. For multilingual learners, routines are more than just classroom management—they provide language-rich structures that support understanding, reduce anxiety, and foster confidence. Whether students are newcomers or have been learning English for years, a clear and predictable environment helps them focus on learning rather than guessing what’s expected. Start the month by gently reviewing procedures: entering the classroom, transitioning between activities, participating in group work, asking for help, and using classroom materials. Model each step and invite students to demonstrate, using visuals, gestures, and multilingual supports when possible. Pair verbal directions with pictures or sentence stems to help students connect words with actions. This not only aids comprehension, it builds community and shared responsibility. Remember, reviewing routines isn’t about enforcing rules—it’s about resetting the tone for a peaceful, productive, and joyful classroom. Make space for students to share what helps them learn best and celebrate the positive habits they already bring with them. By investing time in January to revisit expectations with warmth and intention, you're setting the stage for a second half of the school year filled with growth, laughter, and learning—for every student, in every language.
In today’s classrooms, elementary school teachers juggle countless responsibilities—planning engaging lessons, managing behavior, communicating with families, and differentiating instruction for every learner. Fortunately, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is opening up a world of support tools that can help educators reclaim valuable time while still meeting the diverse needs of their students. Lesson Planning, Simplified AI tools and other educator-focused platforms can generate customized, standards-aligned lesson plans in minutes. Whether you're teaching reading comprehension, performing science experiments, or developing math centers, AI can help you brainstorm activities, create differentiated tasks, and suggest formative assessments—all tailored to your students’ grade level and learning goals. Behavior Intervention Plans Made Easier Creating thoughtful, individualized behavior intervention plans (BIPs) often requires collaboration and time that’s hard to find. With the right prompts, AI can assist by generating plan templates, suggesting positive reinforcement strategies, and even helping you write goal-specific language that’s clear and professional. This allows for quicker implementation and better support for student growth. Boosting Communication with Families Need to send home a weekly newsletter, a classroom update, or a quick note in family-friendly language? AI can help you write clear, respectful, and engaging messages in seconds—and even translate them into multiple languages. This promotes stronger school-home connections without adding to your workload. More Than Just Words AI isn’t just about writing. It can generate visual aids, adapt texts for different reading levels, offer creative ideas for classroom themes, or even draft rubrics and anchor charts. When used responsibly, AI becomes a teaching assistant in your pocket—offering fresh ideas and saving you time. A Word of Caution—and Empowerment AI isn’t a magic wand, and it doesn’t replace the care, creativity, and wisdom that teachers bring to the classroom. But when used thoughtfully, it can remove some of the mental load and help you focus on what matters most: building relationships, inspiring learners, and making a lasting impact. AI can be a game-changing tool for educators—not by replacing the human touch, but by enhancing it. With the right approach, you can use AI to create, communicate, and collaborate more efficiently—without sacrificing quality. Just as AI can support teachers in the classroom, GrapeSEED does the same. From intentionally designed lesson plans to materials at your fingertips, to a results driven, joy filled curriculum for your language learner students, GrapeSEED has it all. Click here to learn more !
If you’ve ever looked at your lesson plans and thought, “There’s no way I can fit all this in,” you’re not alone. Teachers today face an ever-growing list of standards, assessments, and initiatives, all while striving to create joyful, meaningful learning experiences for young children. The struggle is real! So how can we honor curriculum expectations without overwhelming ourselves or our students? Read on for ideas and strategies! Start with What Matters Most Not everything carries equal weight. Identify the skills and concepts your students truly need to succeed, both academically and developmentally. Prioritize depth over breadth when possible. A well-understood concept is more valuable than one that’s been rushed and checked off a list. Integrate Across Subject Areas Look for ways to blend content. A science lesson can include reading comprehension. A writing activity can connect to social studies. Integration allows for richer, more efficient learning and saves time while deepening student understanding. Protect Time for Play, Talk, and Joy Children learn best when they are engaged and emotionally connected to content. Carve out time for class discussions, movement, and creative exploration. These “non-academic” moments often bring about the deepest learning and are critical for social-emotional development. Be Realistic, Not Perfect It’s okay if not every lesson goes as planned or every objective is met on the first try. Focus on consistent growth, not perfection. Trust your professional judgment. After all, you know your students best. Support One Another Collaboration is key. Talk with teammates about what’s working, what can be scaled back, and how to share the load. A balanced curriculum starts with a balanced teacher, and that balance often comes from working together. Remember, you aren’t just covering content, you’re helping to shape children’s lives. When we prioritize purposeful, joyful learning over packing it all in, we give students (and ourselves) what truly matters most.. To learn how GrapeSEED English for Children saves teachers time so that they can focus on what is important, click here today!
