Poverty in our school?

1. West Central – January 2012 Poverty in our school? Pat Hubert ESA 2

2. Purpose/Targets • Recognize that students from homes with low SES may have cultural differences • Understand what the cultural differences may be • Consider classroom strategies to assist in the learning of ALL kids

3. Dr. Ruby Payne…

4. According to the U.S. Census Bureau seven states showed increases in their poverty rates based on two-year averages Illinois Michigan Nevada North Carolina SOUTH DAKOTA Texas Florida Why should we care?

5. 2010 Estimated Income Requirements

6. Children in Poverty in U.S. • Greatest number and greatest percentage of people in poverty are children – 18.0% • African American 3,904,00, 34.5% • Native American 194,272, 31.9% • Hispanic 4,482,000, 28.6% • Caucasian 8,395,000, 14.9% • Asian 374,000, 12.5% • About 1 in 5 U.S. children live in poverty • Growing fastest in rural areas and first-ring suburbs Based on U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey, 2009

7. Some Americans Are Much Less Likely to Graduate From College Note: SES is a weighted variable developed by NCES, which includes parental education levels and occupations and family income. “High” and “low” refer to the highest and lowest quartiles of SES. Source: Postsecondary Education Opportunity, Number 156, June 2005, “Family Income and Higher Education Opportunity 1970 to 2003”

8. Ruby’s Key Points • Poverty is relative. • Poverty does not discriminate • Generation & situational poverty are different. This work is based on patterns; all patterns have exceptions. • Individuals bring with them hidden rules of their class. • Schools operate from the middle-class norms and values.

9. Her research says… • There are cultural differences in poverty • The rules that mean survival in poverty may set student up for failure at school • We must neither excuse nor scold, we must teach • We must teach students that there are two sets of rules • To move, one must give up (for a period of time) relationships for achievement – if you are not educated you won’t have a choice to move

10. Lots of Great Information • Hidden rules exist • Resources must be examined and acted upon • We need to be aware of Language Registers • The structure of Family is critical to understanding and working with students/parents from poverty • There are effective Strategies and Interventions we can use to help us be more effective when working with kids from poverty and ALL kids in our classroom

11. Hidden Rules

12. Time • POVERTY • Present most important • Decisions made for the moment • based on feelings or survival • MIDDLE CLASS • Future most important • Decisions made against future ramifications • WEALTH • Traditions and past history most important • Decisions made partially on basis of tradition/decorum

13. Destiny • POVERTY • Belief in fate • Cannot do much to mitigate chance • MIDDLE CLASS • Believes in choice • Can change future with good choices now • WEALTH • Noblesse oblige – the obligation to • behave responsibly

14. believes that one is fated or destined behavior Caught/not get caught ‘meant to be’ deny Punished & forgiven

15. Possessions POVERTY People MIDDLE CLASS Things WEALTH One-of-a-kind objects, legacies, pedigrees

16. Hidden Rules of Food • Poverty • Is there enough? • Middle Class • Does it taste good? • Wealth • How is food presented?

17. Hidden Rules in Poverty Your value is derived from the ability to be • Entertaining • Strong • Connected to family

18. If I Am Judged based on Entertainment, Strength, Loyalty… I might … • draw attention to myself thru behavior • not be afraid to use my power to get my way • have a distrust of authority, systems, and those outside my family

19. Language Registers • Frozen – always the same, Lord’s prayer • Formal – write papers, business reports • Consultative – a presenter uses this, in and out of formal, casual consultative • Casual – fun language, gossip • Intimate – between two intimate people

20. To survive in poverty, one must rely upon non-verbal, sensory, and reactiveskills. To survive in school, one must use verbal, abstract, and proactive skills.

21. If those who surround you rely on fate… • Children often wont see adults plan… • So they: • cannot predict • cannot identify cause and effect • cannot identify consequences • cannot control impulsivity • struggle in school….And likely in life…..

22. Resources

23. Definition of Poverty The extent to which an individual does without resources Poverty is more about lack of resources than it is about money

24. We All Rely on “Resources” • Financial • Emotional • Mental • Spiritual • Physical • Support Systems • Relationships / Role Models • Knowledge of Hidden Rules

25. Resources • A student must have sufficient resources to negotiate his/her reality. • Different realities (situations) require the use of different resources. • So, the more resources a student has, the more situations he/she can handle. • Having three resources or less is poverty

26. If Resources are Lacking • My self esteem fails • My concentration fails • My motivation fails • My body fails • My outlook fails • My brain fails • My relationships fail

27. Family Structure

28. Family structure affects attitudes about: • Cooperation • Competition • Authority • Identity • Deception

29. Patterns in Generational Poverty • “Society owes me a living” • A job is about making enough money to survive • Common-law marriages • Often single-parent homes • Mother is center of organization • Many multiple relationships • Multiple internal feuds • Changing allegiances, favoritism

30. Students or parents often… • Get mad and quit their job or work • Work hard if they like you • Say exactly what is on their mind, especially when angry • Extreme freedom of speech; enjoy humor • Are frequently late due to family emergencies • Need emotional warmth

31. Strategies and Interventions

32. Teach/Use “Voice” • CHILD • PARENT ADULT

33. Adult Voice • Builds resolution • Allows for recommendations • Appropriate choices • Express feelings safely • Discusses consequences • Negotiation

34. Build Relationships! • Interest inventories • Get to know families • Teach “mutual respect” • Teach “friendship” • Set clear expectations • Create common ground • Firm and fair

35. "No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship." –Dr. James Comer

36. Mental Models • Mental models are how the mind holds abstract information, i.e., information that has no sensory representation. • Mental models are held in the mind as stories, analogies, or two-dimensional drawings. • Mental models tell the structure, purpose, process, or pattern. • Mental models often explain “the why” of things working the way they do.

37. Mental Models Translate Abstract Concepts to Concrete Representations Visual Representation Analogy Story telling Metaphor

38. The Continent Song North America (hold up left hand) Europe (point to nose) Asia (hold up right hand) Africa, Africa (hands around waist) South America (point to left knee) Australia (point to right knee) Antarctica, Antarctica (stomp feet)

39. Build Conceptual Frameworks and Cognitive Strategies • Teach students how to use Graphic Organizers to organize thoughts and information • Establish goal-setting and procedural self-talk • Teach planning/organizational skills • Use a kinesthetic approach • Use rubrics and share them with students ahead of time • Re-write strategies

40. How will you change your practice to incorporate this instructional strategy in your classroom?

41. Questions: Thank you!