Economic vulnerability in the school : - A qualitative study of how teachers identify and deal with economic vulnerability among students in a Swedish city

The aim of this essay was to understand how teachers identify and deal with the problems surrounding economic vulnerability among their students. A qualitative study method was conducted by seven semi-structured interviews with teachers from a big city in Sweden. When analyzing my result I found support in Goffman's stigma theory as well as in previous research. The teachers identify economic vulnerability amongst their students through their material belongings, when the class does something extraordinary, and through how the students communicate. Problems that the teachers can see in the classroom for economically disadvantaged students are that they can be aggressive, unruly and become introverted. Problems with studies and shoplifting are also common. Teachers deal with these problems by strengthen the students' self-esteem and teach them good manners, offering tutoring and report shoplifting to the children’s parents, the police and social services