3-Core Values

A. Poor Self Esteem

• It’s been taken for a fact that the poor are the marginalized members of society. When you’re poor, you’re the one greatly discriminated by upper members of society.
• The poor are made to think worse of their situation instead of making the best of what they have left.
• Instead of being given the drive to make things better in their lives, they’re just made to sulk in their corner, and feel bad about it.

B. Limited Freedom

• Freedom gives us the power to make choices in our lives.
• Ask the class questions about the choices that they make in their daily lives. (E.g. "What clothes will I wear?, What’s for lunch?, Who will I take to the prom?")
• Further ask, "If given the choice, do poor people want to remain poor? Why?" Get the class’s opinions and reactions.
• In most cases, the poor always have to work with compromises. Squatted homes, tattered second-hand clothes, and poor healthcare are just some examples of compromises poor people have to live with. Primarily because they can’t afford anything better. They don’t have much choice over the things they need. And in order to afford more, they must have more income, and to have more income leads to more freedom to choose more options.
• Freedom in this sense is therefore proportional to the wealth one can accumulate.
• Have the students compare their choices to perhaps someone who would be living in the streets and begging for alms. Enumerate a number of differences between the two.

C. Lowlife Sustenance

• With all of these factors at hand, the poor don’t only feel a financial poverty, but also an emotional poverty. They are devoid of such hope, that someday they may rise of their ill state because of society’s discrimination and abuse. They just remain to be poor, because they’re made to think that way.

D. Implications on the Poor

• The poor would develop as "boss" mentality of sorts. For them it always better off being in charge of the situation and owning most of the business.
• They’re not satisfied with their current situations as workers and laborers because they don’t receive the proper treatment and just wages.
• For them, getting rich is a means of proving to society that they should be treated with dignity and respect. Ideally, such dignity and respect should be delivered to people no matter of financial status.

E. 3-Core Values in Discussion

• Give the class certain situations, which they can react on. Perhaps an instance where a street child would beg for alms or see a poor family living off in shanties in slum areas. (If possible, it would be a very good activity, to have the students observe a depressed area of the city first hand through an exposure trip).
• Ask for their opinions and reactions towards a given scene – somewhat like a "what would you do if you were there"-type of question. Follow up by further asking if their actions were morally correct or incorrect. If needed, have them justify their reasons. (This can be a good jumping platform for a class discussion towards society’s acceptance of the poor.)
• Have the students list instances where discrimination of the poor happens. Be particular about the place and in the manner they are discriminated.
• Ask the students, "Why does this happen?" Get their reflections and reactions.
• Getting that as a platform, it can be further explained how society gauges respect by making a comparison of what a poor person has in contrast with that of a well-off individual. What are the factors that can garner respect and dignity in society? Are these factors morally correct?

Further Reading

• Economics lesson plans were based and adopted from Fr. Roberto Yap's economics notes found in the Tulong Dunong Sourcebook and Michael P. Todaro: Economics for a Developing World