A Framework for Understanding Poverty - Elk Haven Equestrian ...

A Framework for

Understanding Poverty



By Dr. Ruby Payne

SOME STATISTICS ABOUT POVERTY:



The national poverty rate for children under 18
was 17.6% and 20.4% for children under 5.
(2006)


Children under 5 in single parent families had
poverty rate of 53.7%, more than 5 times the rate
for children in dual
-
parent families.


For all races, poverty rate is 17.6%. For minority
families, the rate increases as high as 33.4%.
(2006)


Poor inner
-
city youth are 7 times more likely to be
victims of child abuse or neglect.


They are more likely to suffer from developmental
delays, drop out of school, or be a teenage parent.

Yakima School District:

•

Free and Reduced Lunch: 80.6%

•

Minority Students: 73.5%

•

Migrant Students: 19.7%

•

2009 County Child Poverty Rate: 32.6%




“
One of the reasons it is
getting more and more
difficult to conduct school
as we have in the past is
that the students who bring
the middle
-
class culture
with them are decreasing in
numbers, and the students
who bring the poverty
culture with them are
increasing in numbers”




Dr. Ruby Payne

Characteristics of Generational
Poverty at School



Very disorganized, lose
papers, forget signatures.


Bring many reasons why
something is missing.


Don’t do homework.


Are physically aggressive.


Like to entertain.


Only see part of what is on
the page.



Can’t seem to get started.


Cannot monitor behavior.


Laugh when disciplined.


Decide to work in class
based on like/dislike


Don’t know or use middle
-
class courtesies.


Dislike authority, talk back
and are participatory

WHAT EDUCATORS CAN DO
:





•

Role Models and Support Systems

•

Discipline

•

Instructional Strategies

•

Creating Relationships

“Two things that help one move out of poverty
are education and relationships.
”

Discipline:

“Teaching the Hidden Rules of School”



In poverty, discipline is about penance and
forgiveness, not necessarily about change.



Students of poverty need to be taught the hidden
rules for success at school.



The two anchors of any effective discipline program
are
STRUCTURE

and
CHOICE
.



Discipline should be seen and used as a form of
instruction.



Discipline ‘Voices’

The Child Voice:

defensive, victimized, emotional, whining


The Parent Voice:

Authoritative, directive, punitive, demanding


The Adult Voice:

Non
-
judgmental, factual, positive, win
-
win

Teaching students to use the adult voice is
important for success in and out of school.

Creating Relationships

“
Locate a resilient kid and you will
also find a caring adult
–

or several
–

who has guided him
.”


(
Invincible Kids,
US News & World Report)

Emotional Bank Account

(Stephen R. Covey)




DEPOSITS

WITHDRAWLS

Seek first to understand

Seek first to be understood

Keeping promises

Breaking promises

Kindness, courtesies

Unkindness, discourtesies

Clarifying expectations

Violating expectations

Loyalty to the absent

Disloyalty, duplicity

Apologies

Pride, conceit, arrogance

Open to feedback

Rejecting feedback

Going Through the Grieving Process


“It’s like dealing with the legendary octopus; each time a
tentacle is removed, another appears…. Yet the role of the
educator…is not to save the individual, but rather to offer a
support system, role models, and opportunities to learn which
will increase the likelihood of…success.

Ultimately the choice
always belongs

to the individual.”

Dr. Ruby Payne