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second
By cvt

I second Addie's suggestion about Payne and Kozol. I work in an inner city school. Most kids are on free or reduced lunches (code for poverty and low scores).

When I did my student teaching many years ago, I was placed
in two opposite SES areas. One school was very high SES with a primarily white population, and the other in a very low SES with mostly minority students. I was able to see the stark differences in school culture, parent involvement, teaching styles, and so on. It was a great eye opener for me. After a few years of teaching in an affluent school I made the move to inner city because

that's where the need is greatest for good and caring teachers.

Keep in mind that the students in the inner city school are still children. They may look and act different from you, but they need respect, attention and love that they may not get from home. You become their parent. Your problems will be very different in the inner city school: very little or no parent involvement, children whose language (and other) skills are far below those of affluent children, sheer poverty, child abuse, etc. However, you will also find that the children will be very affectionate and loving when they know you care. And when they make progress, it is a fantastic feeling.

Look at your placement as a wonderful opportunity to broaden your horizons. You may find lots of frustration, but you will also learn so much about teaching AND about life! Good luck, and keep us posted .