Socioeconomic status refers to a sociological and economic combined measure of an individual’s work experience. It also refers to a person’s or family’s social and economic position based on education, income and occupation. Socioeconomic status is divided into three categories, i.e. high, middle and low (Woolfolk, 2007). When placing an individual in any of the three categories, some variables has to be assessed. These variables include education, income and occupation. Low income has been associated with physical and mental health problems such as arthritis, viruses, schizophrenia and coronary diseases.
Nick was a classmate of mine who hardly scored beyond pass mark in all his exams. His parents were casual laborers whose tenure was not guaranteed. Their employment was not consistent and as such, their income was low. Nick did not get access to the necessary amenities required for smooth learning. This hindered his classroom study considerably. There were forces beyond his control that affected his learning. He could not get the learning material required in school. He was mentally disturbed by the situation in their household. Consequently, he was absent minded most of the time while in classroom. Nick was affected by the poverty stigma. He had low self-esteem and often performed lower than other children from families with high income
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Educators should endeavor to reinforce self-esteem in students from families with low income (Santrock, 2004). They should also relate class content with real world experience to improve students’ achievement. Teachers should discuss openly with the students concerning the class and socioeconomic status differences. In addition, they should talk openly about these differences with students. It is vital for teachers to view learners as individuals as opposed to viewing them as members of SES group. Moreover, teachers should not judge students based on their SES or class. This is because it can prevent students from having equal opportunity as far as academic achievements is concerned.