Hundreds of thousands of students in Quebec are returning to school with supplies to help them with their education.
However, many children from low-income families go to school hungry every day. This prevents them from concentrating and learning, which contributes to the highest dropout rate in Quebec compared to the rest of Canada.
As a retired teacher, I believe it is very important to teach students about hunger and poverty. One thing teachers need to consider when talking about these sensitive issues is that some of their students might go hungry. Teachers should also ensure that students understand the impact hunger has on learning and academic success!
Consider the following. Studies show that when students eat a free breakfast at school, academic performance improves, especially in math. Sadly, hunger comes with a sense of shame that causes many of these children to skip the free breakfasts and lunches offered in school cafeterias.
Students may feel embarrassed about having to go to school earlier in order to go to the cafeteria before going to class, or having to get a free lunch when their classmates have full lunch boxes or the possibility of buy a meal out. Few students want to admit that they get a free or reduced price lunch and are ashamed of not being able to afford school lunch costs. This feeling of shame can lead to more problems with hunger, because these students refuse to take the meals and food that are offered to them.
At present, the candidates in the provincial electoral campaign are full of promises. They must commit to ensuring that no child goes to school hungry. We need to alleviate the problem of hunger in our classrooms. After all, this is where it all happens and where the learning happens.
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