Have you been impacted by poverty?

When I was in middle school my father became ill and could no longer work. My mother worked hard, but we did not have as much money as we used to. We never let this bring us down but poverty has been a part of our life ever since. It has made all of us work harder and appreciate what he have. I try to make my classroom a positive environment that the kids can feel safe in. I hope that my class will be a place that the kids can forget about any problems they have at home and simply love to learn.