Tammy's Story

This was probably my least favorite movie I have watched while in college. I walked away from the class thinking, "Well, let's see....I know that Tammy is living in extreme poverty but honestly, I do not know what that has to do with early childhood education." The movie opened with people cavorting at a Redneck Festival (they have rednecks in Ohio?). While the film crew was talking to a man about being a redneck, they also managed to capture a boy playing in a mud hole in the background. That image plus the fact that there was a bobbing for chicken feet competition probably scarred me for the rest of my life. After we, the viewers, were introduced into the world of 'redneckedness' we then met Tammy.

Poor Tammy. She has a house where half of the things are broken, a heap of garbage in the backyard because no one knows what to do with it, and a car that is missing wheels and something is wrong with the wiring. After her situation is introduced, we then meet her boys. The blonde one with the broken front teeth...WHAT A JERK! I was outraged by the way he was talking about his mother. She does everything she is capable of to provide with him and his siblings with things they need and he doesn't even say thank you. According to Tammy, the blonde son is ashamed of her because she works at Burger King and only wears her work outfit when she is running errands. Tammy has to walk ten miles each way to work and then when she gets home, her sons give her grief because all she does is wear that Burger King outfit.

I understand that as future teachers, we are have children from poverty, extreme poverty in our classroom. I believe that it is the responsibilty of the teacher to make every child feel appreciated and special within the classroom. Every child brings their life to school because, emotionally, they are surrounded with their station in life whenever they are not in the classroom. No matter what background a child comes from, be it child of incredible wealth or the extremest form of poverty, once they enter the classroom everyone should be on a level playing field. A classroom is an environment of learners and fostering healthy and positive relationships within that classroom is one of the most crucial of tasks.