A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING

POVERTY

Chapter 1: Definitions and Resources

-Poverty- the extent to which an individual does without resources

-RESOURCES
- Emotional-stamina in difficult situations
*most important!!-prevents old habits and patterns (adaptability)
*come from role models
-Mental-process info
-Spiritual-not hopeless or useless but capable and valuable
-Physical-capable and mobile allow self-sufficiency
-Support Systems-not just meeting financial/emotional needs
*knowledge bases as well
-Relationships/Role Models-learns how to live life emotionally
-Knowledge of Hidden Rules-unspoken understandings that determine belonging;
*non-verbal

Hidden Rules-
Generational poverty has distrust of organized society
Relationships are greater than $
Extra $ is shared
Discipline is about penance not change
Mother is most powerful figure
Food=Love

*LESSON TO TEACHERS: Analyze situations before giving punishments or advice

 Chapter 2: The Role of Language and
Story
THREE ASPECTS OF LANGUAGE

1. Registers of Language
a. Frozen-always the same (Pledge of Allegiance)
b. Formal-standard speech (complete sentences, word choice)
c. Consultative- used in conversation
d. Casual- language between friends
i. 400-800 word vocabulary
ii. rely on non-verbal
e. Intimate-between lovers, twins

2. Discourse Patterns in Formal & Casual Register

a. Organization of information
*Formal: to the point *Casual: circular or disorganized

3. Language Acquisition in Primary & Secondary Discourse

a. Primary: Language an individual first acquires
b. Secondary: Language of larger society

STORY STRUCTURE

Formal- B Plot E
Casual- -------- ^ -------- ^ --------- ^ ---------

* audience participation: ^
* part of episode: --------

--Begins with climax ends with comment about characters values

*LESSON FOR TEACHERS:

Formal register needs to be directly taught.
Casual register is the primary discourse for many students
Both story structures need to be used as a part of classroom instruction

*TIPS:
Write in casual and translate in formal
 Graphic Organizers

Chapter 3: Hidden Rules Among Classes

VALUES
-Poverty- entertainment & relationships
-Middle Class- work & achievement
-Wealth-financial, social, and political connections

*LESSON FOR TEACHERS: Students need to be taught hidden rules of middle class
as ANOTHER set of rules rather than rules to replace current norms

Chapter 4: Characteristics of Generational

Poverty
-Generational Poverty
2 or 3 generations long
society owes one for a living
family pattern: revolves around
mother
-Situational Poverty
lack of resources due to particular
situation
refusal to accept charity due to pride
more resources especially formal
register
family pattern: easily traceable

*LESSON FOR TEACHERS:

Education is key to escape
Poverty is rarely associated with lack of intelligence
Many stay in poverty because they dont know they have a choice; if they do they
have few resources and do not know hidden rules
Schools are only places to get the above info
 Chapter 5: Role Models & Emotional
Resources
-System- a group in which individuals have rules, roles, and relationships

-Dysfunctional- extent to which an individual can not get needs met within a system; the
extent to which an individual must give up meeting his/her needs in order to meet the
needs of another is the extent of dysfunction.

How does one provide emotional resources when one has no access to appropriate role
models?

1. Support systems
2. Appropriate discipline
3. Long-term relationships
4. Teach hidden rules
5. Identify options
6.Increase achievement through instruction
7. Teach goal-setting

*LESSON FOR TEACHERS:

allow students to stay with same teacher for 2+ years
teachers and administrators are more important than thought
greatest resource is role-modeling
 Chapter 6: Support Systems
1. Coping strategies- how one copes with everyday life
2. Options during problem-solving
3. Information and know-how
4. Temporary relief from emotional, mental, financial, and time constraints
5. Connections to other people & resources (where you get info and know-how)
6. Positive self-talk
7. Procedural self-talk

SUPPORT SYSTEMS SCHOOLS USE:

1. School wide HW support

2. Supplemental school wide reading programs
3. Same teacher 2+ years
4. Teaching coping strategies
5. School wide scheduling
6. Parent training & contact through video
7. Direct-teaching of classroom survival skills
a. Study skills
b. Cognitive skills
c. Hidden rules
8. Daily goal-setting and procedural self-talk
9. Team interventions

*LESSON FOR TEACHERS:

Supports systems need to include the teaching of procedural self-talk, positive
self-talk, planning, goal-setting, coping strategies, appropriate relationships,
options during problem-solving, access to information and know-how, and
connections to additional resources.
 Chapter 7: Discipline
*Effective discipline is based on structure and choices

BEHAVIOR RELATED TO POVERTY

Laugh when disciplined

Argue loudly
Angry responses
Inappropriate or vulgar comments
Physically fight
Hands are always on someone
Cannot follow directions (tip: write steps on board & have them write on paper)
Extremely disorganized
Complete only part of tasks
Disrespectful to teacher
Harm others verbally or physically
Cheat or steal
Talk incessantly

3 VOICES

1. Child Voice- defensive, victimized, negative, emotional

2. Parent Voice- authoritative, directive, judgmental, win-lose mentality
3. Adult Voice- non-judgmental, free of negative non-verbal, often in question
format

-Children from poverty have child and parent voices

-When spoken to in parent voice it becomes insulting; the outcome is anger
-When spoken to in parent the options are to respond w/ child or most likely parent voice

*LESSON FOR TEACHERS:

Needs 2 sets of behaviors for the students
Discipline should promote good behaviors at school
Teach students to use adult voice
Discipline should be seen & used as form of instruction
 Chapter 8: Instructions & Improving
Achievement
*Research on learning must be addressed if we are to work successfully with students
from poverty
*Poverty students lack concepts & especially cognitive strategies

COGNITIVE STRATEGIES:

Identification of stimulus- Dont cross the street.

Mediation Assessment of meaning- You could get hit by a car.
Identification of a strategy- Look both ways.

*Building cognitive strategies gives individual the ability to plan & go through data

*Cannot develop plan > cannot predict > cannot identify cause and effect > cannot
identify consequences > cannot control impulsivity > inclined criminal

COGNITIVE DEFICIENCIES:

No cognitive methodology for doing or finishing tasks

Impaired verbal tools (casual register)
Impaired spatial orientation
Impaired temporal orientation (time neither measured nor heeded)
Impaired observations of constancies
Lack of precision and accuracy in data gathering
Compare and contrasts in head

WHAT ARE THE COGNITIVE STRATEGIES WE MUST BUILD?

Input- quantity and quality of data gathered (gather, organize, identify)

Elaboration- use of data (compare, identify, build, test, project)
o Schools begin teaching at this stage
Output- communication of data (communicate, visually transport, use of
language)
 INPUT STRATEGIES

Planning Behaviors- goal-setting identify procedures, identify parts of talks

assign time, identify quality of work
Focus Perception on Specific Stimulus-seeing every detail on page or
environment, identify everything noticed by 5 senses
Control Impulsivity- stopping action until one has thought about task
Explore Data Systematically- procedurally go through data. Numbering.
Use Accurate Labels- use precise words. Student must do more than complete
the talks. Must be able to label procedures, talks and processes so talks can be
repeated. Metacognition.
Organize Space with Stable Systems of Reference- (Math)
Orient Data in Time- assign abstract values to time and the measurement of
time. Crucial for cause and effect, sequence, and prediction consequences.
Identify Constancies Across Variations- what remains the same and what
changes. Compare and contrast
Gather Precise Data- use of accurate labels, identifying the orientation in time
and space, knowing constancies, and exploring data systematically
Consider Two Sources of Information at Once- Visually transporting data
accurately, constancies, and variations, exploring data systematically, then precise
and accurate labels must be assigned
Organize Data- explore data, organize space, constancies and variations, and
labeling parts and the whole
Visually Transport Data- when the eye picks up data it carries it accurately to
brain, examines if for constancies and variations, labels parts and the whole

*Elaboration and output strategies are fairly well understood in school because that is
where teaching occurs

WHAT WOULD LESSON DESIGN LOOK LIKE WHEN

THESE STRATEGIES ARE TAUGHT?

Students would:
*Regardless of Use Planning Behaviors
content this would Control Impulsivity
improve cognitive Use Evaluative Behaviors
strategies and Explore Data Systematically
discipline Use Specific Language
 ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL INTERVENTIONS THAT BUILD
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS & COGNITIVE STRATEGIES

Graphic Organizers:

Vocabulary Tool:

Ingredients

Opposite of Same as

Reminds me of

Identify Methods of Having a Systematic Approach to Data/Text

o Self Questioning Strategies (pg. 134)

Establish Goal-Setting and Procedural Self-Talk

o Self-talk should be written down

Teaching Conceptual Framework as Part of the Content

o Graphic organizers
o Write in casual and translate in formal language

Use Kinesthetic Approach

Use Rubrics
o Cognitive strategy of future planning

Teaching Structure of Language

Teaching Student to Make Questions

o Significant relationship between ability to ask a question syntactically &
comprehension of text.
Example:
1) Why was ______________________?
2) Why did _______________________?
3) Alternative ending?
4) What caused ____________ to ____________?
 Sorting Relevant From Irrelevant Cues
o Cartooning: Draw main points of story

Cartooning

Teaching Mental Models

o Two-Dimensional drawing, story, metaphors, analogies.

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY?

-INSISTENCE
-EXPECTATIONS
-SUPPORT (cognitive strategies)

*LESSON FOR TEACHERS

Focus on learning
Instruction on cognitive strategies should be in curriculum
Insistences, expectations, support should be guiding light

Chapter 9: Creating Relationships

-Key to poverty is relationships
-Since 1980s the focus for education was achievement and effective teaching
strategies. Add relationships and research on learning.

Deposits and withdrawals from students in poverty (pg.143)