A Framework for Understanding Poverty

1
A Framework for Understanding Poverty

• Book Study
• Overview Introduction

2
Key Points to Remember

• Poverty is relative.
• Poverty occurs in all races and in all countries.
• Economic class is a continuous line, not a
  clear-cut distinction.
• Generational poverty and situational poverty are
  different.
• This work is based on patterns. All patterns
  have exceptions.

3
Key Points (continued)

• An individual brings with him/her the hidden
  rules of the class in which he/she was raised.
• Schools and businesses operate from middle-class
  norms and use the hidden rules of the middle
  class.
• For our students to be successful, we must
  understand their hidden rules and teach them the
  rules that will make them successful at school
  and at work.

4
Key Points (continued)

• We can neither excuse students nor scold them for
  not knowing as educators we must teach them and
  provide support, insistence, and expectations.
• 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).
• Two things that help one move out of poverty are
  education and relationships.
• Four reasons one leaves poverty are Its too
  painful to stay, a vision or goal, a key
  relationship, or a special talent or skill.

5
Some Statistics about Poverty

• See page 4-6 in your text.

6
Definition of Poverty

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

7
Eight types of resources

• Financial
• Emotional
• Mental
• Spiritual
• Physical
• Support Systems
• Relationships/Role Models
• Knowledge of Hidden Rules

8
Financial

• Having the money to purchase goods and services

9
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.

10
Mental

• Having the mental abilities and acquired skills
  (reading, writing, computing) to deal with daily
  life.

11
Spiritual

• Believing in divine purpose and guidance.

12
Physical

• Having physical health and mobility.

13
Support Systems

• Having friends, family, and backup resources
  available to access in times of need. These are
  external resources.

14
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.

15
Knowledge of Hidden Rules

• Knowing the unspoken cues and habits of a group.

16
Small group activity

• Scenarios

17
Table discussion

• Which resources can an educator influence greatly?

18
The Role of Language and Story

• Registers of language
• Discourse patterns
• Story structure

19
Registers of Language

• Every language in the world has five registers
• Frozen
• Formal
• Consultative
• Casual
• Intimate

20
Frozen register

• Language that is always the same.
• Examples The Lords Prayer, wedding vows, etc.

21
Formal register

• The standard sentence syntax and word choice of
  work and school.
• Has complete sentences and specific word choice.
• Majority of minority students and poor students
  do not have access to formal register at home.

22
Consultative register

• Formal register when used in conversation.
• Discourse pattern not quite as direct as formal
  register.

23
Casual register

• Language between friends and characterized by a
  400- to 800-word vocabulary.
• Word choice general and not specific.
• Conversation dependent upon non-verbal assists.
• Sentence syntax often incomplete.

24
Intimate register

• Language between lovers or twins.
• Language of sexual harassment.

25
Research about registers

• Every language in the world has five registers.
• One can go down one register in the same
  conversation and that is socially acceptable.
• To drop two registers or more in the same
  conversation is to be socially offensive.
• (Joos, 1967 )

26
Discourse Patterns in Formal and Casual Register

• Formal register
• Pattern is to get straight to the point
• Casual
• Pattern is to go around and around and finally
  get to the point

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Primary Discourse

• The language an individual first acquired.

28
Secondary discourse

• The language of the larger society that the
  individual must be able to use to function in the
  larger society.

29
Story structure

• Formal-register story structure
• Chronological, narrative
• Most important part of the story is the plot
• Casual-register story structure
• Vignettes with audience participation
• Most important part of the story is the
  characterization

30
Demonstration activity

• Cinderella

31
Table discussion

• How does type of story structure affect learning?
• (see page 33)
• What can schools do to address casual register,
  discourse patterns, and story structure?
• (see page 34)

32
Our Book Study

• Copy of A Framework for Understanding Poverty
• Copy of study guide
• Read assignments ahead of time
• Pre-approved by the district for credit
• Study groups October/November
• Led by one teacher (NBCT)
• Faculty meetings

33
Where do we go from here?