From the Heart: Learning about the Working Poor and the Living Wage

Abstract

Since 2008, classroom learning activities on the working poor and the living wage have been included in an introductory core course that focuses on community services and professions in the School of Community Resources and Development at Arizona State University. The U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2008 that 8.9 million people were classified as the working poor, about one-third of them service workers. This has implications for the leisure delivery system, which uses many services workers as base employees and knowledge of this subject is important to future professionals. Students have been required to qualitatively interview and report on a person they believed to be among the working poor. Initial reaction to the assignment was one of reluctance, but the exercise has had significant impact on the students, changed their attitudes about the working poor, and developed a sense of respect for those they may one day supervise.

KEYWORDS:

• Classroom learning activity
• working poor
• living wage