Framework of Poverty

1. Framework of Poverty An Understanding of the Division of Classes and Wealth Amber Hubbard

2. Relativity: • Poverty is relative. • If everyone around you has similar circumstances, the notion of poverty and wealth is vague. Poverty or wealth only exists in relationship to known quantities or expectations.

3. Cross-Categorical • Poverty occurs in all races in all countries. • The notion of middle class as a large segment of society is a phenomenon of this century. • The percentage of the population that is poor is subject to definition and circumstance.

4. A Continuum: • Economic class is a continuous line, not a clear cut distinction, • In 2004, the poverty line in the United States was considered $18,850 for a family of four. • According to a census data from 2003, the median household income was $43,318. • 15% of U.S. households earned more than $100,000. • Individuals are stationed all along the continuum of income and sometimes move on the continuum as well.

5. Types of Poverty • Generational poverty and situational poverty are differently. • Generational poverty is defined as being in poverty for two generations or longer. • Situational poverty is a shorter time and is caused by a circumstance (death, illness, divorce, etc.)

6. Patterns and Exceptions • The work on poverty is based on patterns. • However, all patterns have exceptions.

7. Hidden Rules • An individual brings with him/her the hidden rules of the class in which he or she was raised. • Even though the income of the individual may rise significantly, many of the patterns of though, social interaction, cognitive strategies, etc, remain with the individual.

8. Poverty and Students • Schools and businesses operate from middle class norms and use the hidden rules of the middle class. • These norms and hidden rules are not directly taught in schools or businesses.

9. Student Success • For students to be successful, educators and those around them must understand their hidden rules and them the rules that will make them successful at school and work.

10. Exceptions • Educators can neither excuse students nor scold them for not knowing the rules. • As educators, we must teach them and provide support, insistence, and expectations.

11. Changing Class • To move from poverty to middle class or middle class to wealth, an individual must give up relationships for achievement (at least for some period of time).

12. Keys to Leaving Poverty • Education and relationships can be key to helping individuals move out of poverty.

13. Moving Away from Poverty • Four reasons one leaves poverty: • It’s too painful to stay. • A vision or a goal. • A key relationship. • A special skill or talent

14. Poverty Stats. in the US in 2003 • The poverty rate for all individuals was 12.5%. • Children under the age of 18 had a poverty rate of 17.6%. • For children under the age of 6, the poverty rate was 20.3%.

15. Families in Poverty • There were 7.6 million poor families in the United States in 2003. • Poverty-prone children are more likely to be in single parent families.

16. Consequences of Poverty • Regardless of race or ethnicity, poor children are much more likely than non-poor children to suffer from developmental delay and damage, to drop out of high school and to give birth during the teen years. • Poor inner city youths are 7 times more likely to be victims of child abuse or neglect than are children of high social and economic status.

17. Causes • Poverty is caused by interrelated factors: • Parental employment • Parental status and earnings • Family structure • Parental Education

18. Marriage Matters • Children under 6 living in families with a female householder and no husband present experienced a poverty rate of 53.7%, more than 5 times the rate for children in married couples (9.7%).

19. Worldly Comparisons • The United States poverty rate is substantially higher, sometimes more than 2 or 3 times higher, than that of most other major Western industrialized nations.

20. Resources • Poverty is directly related resources including the accessibility and knowledge of these resources.

21. Financial Emotional Mental Spiritual Physical Support Systems Relationships/Role Models Knowledge of Hidden Rules Types of Resources

22. Resources • Finances – having the money to purchase goods and services • While finances are extremely important, financial resources do not mark the reason persons stay in or leave poverty.

23. Resources • Emotional- being able to choose and control emotional responses, particularly to negative situations, without engaging in self destructive behavior. This is an internal resource and shows itself through stamina, perseverance and choices

24. Emotional Resources • Emotional resources provide the stamina to withstand difficult and uncomfortable emotional situations and feelings. • Emotional resources are the most important of all resources because when present they allow an individual not to return to old habits.

25. Emotional Sources • In order to move from poverty to middle class or middle class to wealth, an individual must suspend his/her emotional memory bank because the situations and hidden rules are so unlike what he/she ahs experienced previously. • Emotional resources come, at least in part, from role models.

26. Resources • Mental – Having the mental abilities and acquired skills to deal with daily life. • Acquired skills include reading, writing, and computing. • This is being able to process information and use it in daily living. • If an individual can read, write and compute, he/she has an advantage.

27. Accessibility • If an individual has mental resources, that person can access information from many different free sources, as well as be somewhat self-sufficient.

28. Resources • Spiritual – believing in divine purpose and guidance • This is the belief that help can be obtained from a higher power. • There is also a purpose for living. Love and worth are gifts from God. • This is a powerful resource because the individual does not see him/herself as hopeless and useless, but rather as capable and having worth and value.

29. Resources • Physical – having physical health and mobility • Physical resources refers to having a body that works, that is capable and mobile. • This individual is capable of being self-sufficient.

30. Resources • Support systems – having friends, family and backup resources available to access in times of need. These are external resources. • This is where one goes when help is needed. • Support systems are knowledge bases as well.

31. Resources • Relationships/Role Models – having frequent access to adult(s) who are appropriate, who are nurturing to the child, and who do not engage in self-destructive behavior • All individuals have role models. However, all role models are not appropriate. • It is largely from role models that the person learns how to live with life emotionally.

32. Resources • Knowledge of Hidden Rules – knowing the unspoken cues and habits of a group. • Hidden rules are critical to whatever class the individual wishes to live. • Hidden rules exist in all classes, ethnic groups and other subgroups of people.

33. Hidden Rules • Hidden rules are about the salient, unspoken understandings that cue members of the group that this individual does or does not fit in.

34. Hidden Rules – An example • Three Hidden Rules of Poverty: • The noise level is high (the TV is on, and everyone talks at once) • The most important information is nonverbal • One main value is the ability to entertain

35. Other Hidden Rules • There are hidden rules about food, dress, decorum, and all aspects of life. • In order to successfully move from one class to the next, it is important to have a spouse or mentor from the class the individual wishes to live. That person can model and teach hidden rules.

36. Hidden Rules Among Classes • Hidden Rules are the unspoken cues and habits of a group. • Distinct cuing systems exist between and among groups and economic classes.

37. Could You Survive Quiz • The following slides contain statements about the various lifestyles and expectations among the classes. • Place a mark in the box of the things you know how to do.

38. Could You Survive in Poverty? • I know which churches and sections of town have the best rummage sales. • I know which rummage sales have “bag sales” and when. • I know which grocery stores’ garbage bins can be accessed for thrown away food. • I know how to get someone out of jail. • I know how to physically fight and defend myself physically • I know how to get a gun, even if I have a police record. • I know how to keep my clothes from being stolen at the Laundromat. • I know what problems to look for in a used car. • I know how to live without a checking account.

39. Poverty Quiz Continued • I know hot live without electricity and a phone. • I know how to use a knife as scissors. • I can entertain a group of friends with my personality and my stories. • I know what to do when I don’t have money to pay the bills. • I know how to move in half a day. • I know how to get and use food stamps or an electronic card for benefits. • I know where the free medical clinics are. • I am very good at trading and bartering. • I can get by without a car.

40. Could You Survive in Middle Class? • I know how to get my children into Little League, piano lessons, soccer, etc. • I know how to properly set a table. • I know which stores are most likely to carry the clothing brands my family wears. • My children know the best name brands in clothing. • I know how to order in a nice restaurant. • I talk to my children about going to college. • I know how to help my children with their homework and do not hesitate to call the school if I need additional information.

41. Middle Class Continued • I know how to use a credit card, checking account, and savings account – and I understand an annuity. I understand term life insurance, disability insurance, and 20/80 medical insurance policy, as well as house, flood and replacement insurance. • I know how to get one of the best interest rates on my new-car loan. • I understand the difference among the principal, interest and escrow statements on my house payments. • I know how to get a library card. • I know how to use most of the tools in the garage. • I repair items in my house almost immediately when they break- or know a repair service and call it.

42. Could You Survive in Wealth? • I can read a menu in French, English, and another language. • I have several favorite restaurants in different countries of the world. • During the holidays, I know how to hire a decorator to identify the appropriate themes and items with which to decorate the house. • I know who my preferred financial advisor, legal service, designer, domestic employment services and hairdresser are.

43. Wealth Continued • I have at least 2 or 3 “screens” that keep people whom I do not wish to see me away from me. • I have at least two residences that are staffed and maintained. • I fly in my own plane or the company plane. • I know how to enroll my children in the preferred private schools. • I know how to host the parties “key” people attend. • I am on the boards of at least 2 charities. • I know the hidden rules of the Junior League. • I support or buy the work of a particular artist. • I know how t read a corporate financial statement and analyze my own financial statements.

44. Exercise Evaluations • If you fall mostly in the middle class, you may think that the items in the middle class category would be common knowledge. • However, this exercise points out that there are hidden rules among the classes, that members of that class take for granted. • It is assumed that all people know those particular items.

45. Importance • Each class has a set of values. Those the following chart will outline that which is important to the various persons in each class. This is relative to a person being generational in his/her class.

46. Hidden Rules Among Classes

47. Hidden Rules Among Classes

48. Managment • One of the greatest difficutlies in moving out of poverty is the ability to manage money and the general information base around money. • Money is seen in poverty as an expression of personality and is used for entertainmnet. • The idea of using money for secruity is grounded in the middle and wealth classes.

49. An Exammple • In wealth, to be introduced or accetped, one must have an indivudal already approved by that group make the introductions. • In middle class, one is expected to introudced oneself. • In poverty it is not unutusal to have a comment made about the individual beofre he/she is ever introeduced.

50. Hidden Rules Relative to the School/Work Setting: • Assumpitions made about individuals intelligence and apporaches to the school and or work setting my relate more ot their understanding of hidden rules. • Students need to be taught the hidden rules of middle class – not in denigration of their own, but rather as another set of ruels that can be used if they so choose. • Many of the attitudes that students and parents bring with them are an integral part of hteir cutlure and belif systesm. • Middel class solutions should not necessarily be imposed with other more workable, solutins might be found.