Blog Entry #7
In chapter 2 we will discuss the effects of poverty on behavior and academic performance in the classroom.
In chapter 1 Jensen describes four primary risk factors caused by poverty (emotional and social challenges, acute and chronic stressors, cognitive lags, and health and safety issues) that we should understand.
Comment on the following:
In what ways are the emotional lives of low-SES kids different from those of kids who come from middle- or upper-income families? What behavioral manifestations of these differences do you observe in school? How will you (or your colleagues) need to change your own behavior to succeed with these students?
The students from low-SES homes experience many more challenges and day-to-day struggles then the students in school coming from middle and upper level homes. For many of the students in my classroom, parents cannot afford transportation to get them the correct medications or treatments for their diagnosis. When these students come to school without these, it is evident through their behavior.
ReplyDeleteSome of the behavioral manifestations that my students exhibit come from each of the risk factor categories presented in the text; emotional and social challenges, acute and chronic stressors, cognitive lags and health and safety issues.
In order to truly reach these students and understand their backgrounds and needs it is important to build a trusting relationship. These students need to feel safe and loved in your classroom in order to show positive and desirable actions.
In order to establish such rapport with my students I like to focus on their interests. Connecting with them on an interest level allows them to gain trust and comfort with me. Behavior is a big challenge in my classroom do to the extreme variances in where each of my students are cognitively, physically and emotionally. I try to use a lot of cues to help with behavioral challenges. By letting the students know what is coming next and sticking to a routine, it helps to reduce undesired behaviors. Consistency is crucial in this type of learning environment.
The emotional lives of low-SES students are much different from those who come from middle or upper class families. The lower-SES families are prone to more stressors. These stressors could include acute and chronic stressors. Stressors can affect the students’ school behavior in many ways including, impairing attention, reducing cognition, creativity, and memory, diminishing social skills and social judgment and reducing motivation.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there are not many low-SES students in my school, there are visible stressors for the few we have. In my general education classroom, we had one student who was of a lower-SES than the rest. She showed signs of impaired attention and minimal social skills. She also showed signs such as not being bathed daily and not having her hair brushed. I have also seen many behavioral problems throughout the school that stem from low-SES families.
The staff and faculty behavior can affect the students’ ability to succeed. We must show these students they are loved and cared for. The book also discusses eliminating stressors by incorporating kinesthetic activities, using songs for transitions, brain breaks, and using cooperative structures. By making the students feel safe and comfortable they will do much better in school.
Brittany I have also seen behaviors that are caused because of the student stressors. One day it could seem like the world is made up of rainbows and sunshine, but the next day it seems as though the world is ending. Students get frustrated, tune out, act out and sometimes refuse to work. I believe the up and down inconsistency is difficult, but the more flexible we are as teachers, the easier it is.
DeleteI completely agree. Some days are good, some days are bad. As teachers, if we want to create an environment that is comfortable and safe for all, we need to be flexible and responsive. These kids need all the support they can get from us and we need to make them feel safe.
DeleteI completely agree as well. We all have days that are good and some that are bad. Students coming from low SES backgrounds have good days and bad days too. I agree that as teachers we need to be flexible and responsive depending on our students' behaviors. In order to give them support, I also think that having a set structure or routines in the classroom that are the same each day are very helpful. This helps to gives students structure that they may not have at home, and that learn that school or your classroom is a safe and comfortable environment to be in.
DeleteI agree with you girls as well. The inconsistency that is the effect of these stressors is frustrating. Some days I feel like I'm working with totally different students!
DeleteThe emotional lives of low-SES kids are very different than those of kids who come from middle- or upper-income families for many reasons. Low-income neighborhoods have a lower quality of life. Children who live in these low-income neighborhoods are exposed to households that are more crowded, noisy, and physically deteriorated. These children often to do not have books at home and they spend more time watching TV than middle-income children. Their households and experiences are completely different. Common issues in low-income children include depression, chemical dependence, and hectic work schedules- all factors that interfere with healthy attachments.
ReplyDeleteMy students experience a number of stressors at home which determines their behavior in class. Many of my students act out in class and exhibit attention seeking behaviors when they are dealing with emotional and social challenges.
In order to succeed with these students, I get to know my students on a personal basis in order to build a trusting relationship. I encourage my students to open up to me so that I can help them any way I can.
Students categorized as low-SES will be much different than those from middle or upper classes. One major point that stands out about low-SES students is that these students will have many more stressors in their lives. The combination of acute and chronic stressors will play a major role in students' academic performance. Students may worry about siblings, money, parent problems and other related scenarios that other students may not be worrying about.
ReplyDeleteThe students in my classroom do not directly say why their performance is distracted, but you can see there are factors other than instruction that effect it. Students appear to be tired, grumpy,distracted, and not completing their homework. I believe home stressors are causing students to react this way because majority of the students are low-SES. I believe that as an educator, we can inform the students on healthy life styles. This way we can help students manage their at home stressors and continue to grow academically and as a person. Educating students on proper ways to handle these stressors will help them succeed and possibly escape the generational poverty that they have come from.
I agree with you Kimmy. We need to make sure that we show our students what a healthy lifestyle is. The school counselor teaches students what are appropriate skills should be used in certain situations. I think that is a great way for students to see what it would look for someone to respond appropriately to a certain situation. The students definitely have learned to use those skills instead of being aggressive.
DeleteThe emotional lives of low-SES kids are influenced by households that are noisy and physically deteriorating, and have fewer cognitive-enrichment opportunities. Kids from the middle or upper-income families have more chances for reading books outside of school and going to the library. In addition, kids from low-SES environments typically have more stressors in their lives than those from middle or upper-income families. These kids could have severe stress from situations like abuse or violence, or high stress over time about parents, friends, or school.
ReplyDeleteCognitive lags are also common among these kids because they and their parents lack resources needed to keep up academically. All of these characteristics of low-SES kids lead to unwanted behaviors in the classroom.
In my school, I observe some students with very low self-esteem due to their belief that they aren’t smart. This idea was probably instilled in their minds by a peer or parent/guardian at an earlier point in time. In addition, I see students who are not on task and very impatient. Sometimes, they even laugh at others’ mistakes, not realizing how the other person feels.
I feel that it is very important to make sure these students are taught in a safe and caring environment, especially if they do not get that support at home. It is also important to recognize the students’ struggles and work with students to gain rapport and respect in the classroom. Kids love knowing that you’re there for them, when their parents or siblings might not be. When students know they can open up and tell you anything, they will be more likely to succeed academically.
Children that come from homes with a low SES have more difficult lives because of certain factors that they are experiencing when they leave school. These factors can range from loud noise levels, to deteriorating homes, to abusive relationships, to over crowded housing. These children may have to go home from school and have to worry about where they are going to get their next meal, if their parents are going to be fighting, etc.. This makes focusing on school even harder for them because they have so many other things to worry about.
ReplyDeleteBecause these students have so many worries at home, they may come into the classroom displaying behaviors that you would not see in typical students. They may be angry, upset, and on edge. It is important as educators to be sensitive to these types of behaviors in your classroom. If you can try to better understand the problems these students face, it makes it easier to understand the students.
These students cannot and should not be blamed for what they cannot control. They already have a hard enough time going home, school should be a place that they feel safe and look forward to every day. It is our job as educators to cater to their needs and make them feel safe. If we cannot, then we are failing these students.
Sarah, I complete agree that students should not be blamed for the aspects of their life that are out of their control. I have seen students display being upset most often and found that the best thing to do is understand their situation and how it may impact their school day. That is why it is so important as teachers to establish respect and rapport with our students. Having a positive relationship with our students will allow us to better understand how their home life may impact their learning style.
DeleteI agree with you Sarah, when you say that we should not blame the students. They cannot control what goes on in their home life, and should not be punished because their life has complications that not everyone may understand. However, I feel that at some point the students should be held responsible for their actions. We cannot write off a students poor decisions because they need to learn the proper way to handle themselves. I think that the concept of creating a respectful and safe learning environment will help to curb the behaviors if they are inappropriate for school. If the child knows that s/he can talk with the teacher and confide in you, they will be able to release some of that anxiety, knowing that you may be able to help them, and understand them more. If a child is upset, they should be allowed to have a break, but if they are throwing things because they are upset, they need to understand that they cannot do that, and we can teach them a different releasing and calming strategy.
DeleteThe emotional lives of students from low socioeconomic statuses is complete different than their peers from higher SES. This links directly back to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. If a student is worried about eviction, lack of food, or lack of medical care, they are not going to be able to focus in class. Their worries are often more extreme than students from higher SES. Most likely, they are not receiving the same level of attention and support at home. If a parent is working two jobs to keep the family afloat, they may not have time to help their child with homework, attend school function, or even ask the child about their day at school. Students from lower SES often have to become independent at an earlier age than average. For example, children might be responsible for staying home alone and watching younger siblings if childcare is too expensive.
ReplyDeleteOne main behavior that will manifest in students from low SES is inconsistency when completing homework or studying. If a fourth grader is required to be responsible for their homework without any home support, it is less likely to be completed. Sensitivity could be another behavior as most children would not want their peers to know details such as that their family is living in a hotel because they were evicted. Bullying behaviors, aggression, and decreased self-esteem are also associated with poverty. Currently, I am not observing many behaviors related to poverty. In my general education student teaching, I saw the sensitivity of poverty with a particular student who was defensive to the point of aggressive at any comment on her clothing or home life.
As an educator, I need to make sure that I do not let the behaviors of the students impact my relationship with them. The student cannot control the circumstances they are in. In the end, they are children and should not be expected to have to cope with such difficult aspects of life. Therefore, I need to make sure that my classroom is welcoming and encouraging. It is vital that my students feel safe and secure in my room, understanding that this is a place where they can be successful if they work hard.
Rachel, I have seen the inconsistent homework as one of the main behaviors in my classroom from the students who are living in lower SES homes. To hep with the situation, I instituted a program with this students where he would receive a punch on a card each time he brought back a homework assignment. Once he brings back 10, he receives a small prize. I also adapted his homework since he is learning below grade level. This way he would not get too frustrated and not complete his assignments. It seems to be working so far and the student is very proud when he brings back his homework.
DeleteThe students of low-SES are likely to experience additional stress in comparison to kids of middle- or upper-income families. As teachers, it is important to understand the background of our students and consider how it may impact their day at school. We may not always be fully aware of the challenges our students face at home. In this situation it is important to build a classroom environment where everyone shows respect, social skills are strengthened, and everyone is included. Through doing so, we can provide our students with what they need if they are not receiving it at home.
ReplyDeleteI have seen my students react to the additional stressors in their life through behavior in the classroom. If I have a student who seems distracted from a lesson then I know it is important to check in with that student and figure out what is on their mind. Typically, the student is open to express worried thoughts about something at home. For example, I had a third grade student start crying because he wasn’t sure who was picking him up after school or which house he would be be spending the night at. After my cooperating teacher and I were able to provide reassurance and allow him a brain break activity, he was then able to continue his work. I think in this situation the most important thing was allowing him the time to share his thoughts, reassuring him, and allowing him to relax in the safe environment of our classroom.
Anna,
DeleteI agree with everything you said about creating a classroom environment of respect and explicit teaching of social skills. Have you seen this happen? I know I have seen social skills program like Sean Covey's Seven Habits in younger elementary schools. I feel like it is really difficult though to find time to teach social skills outside of teachable moments. I am just wondering if in your experience, you have seen something work.
I agree! I wish that there was more time built into the curriculum to teach these important skills that will help our students throughout their entire lives. I personally find that whenever we as teachers are able to spend time with students outside of the classroom, such as at recess, we are able to make those connections more easily.
DeleteOne way in which I believe the emotional lives of low SES kids are different is that they have more important things to focus on such as where their next meal is coming from. As I have mentioned before, many students in my class receive free breakfast as well as free lunch. While this is nice, many are not getting food at home in the evening. When they come to school in the morning often they are too hungry to focus on their work. This would not happen for students who live in a higher SES home. Another way in which students living in a low SES homes emotional lives might differ is that they may not have the support at home that they need to help them grow both academically and socially. This has a great impact on their behavior in that many students will start to act out because the material that they are learning is too difficult for them. In my experience, students who come from low SES homes do not go home to parents/guardians and have free reign to do whatever they want. When they get to school where there is a strict structure, some students may act out because they are not use to authority.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that I will have to completely change my behavior, but I do believe that creating a structured environment will be helpful so that there is some consistency in their lives. I also believe that it is important to be consistent with my expectations so that they know what is expected of them. It is also important to establish rapport so that the students know that they have someone who is supporting them in their lives.
I agree. I think a lot of students, no matter their background, have a lot on their minds besides school. One of my students has a lot of anxiety because his parents are divorced but talk bad about each other to the child. Even the new step mom talks bad about this boy's mom. I think by letting the student know I am available to talk whenever he wants will release some anxiety, at least during the day.
DeleteI also agree that expectations should be consistent for all children. It might be harder for this student to get used to the structure but I think that eventually the student will enjoy having the structure and may relieve any troubles in his/her mind for a little while.
I agree with what you said about creating a structured routine for your students. This is very important because they might not be getting this needed structure at home, which could be causing all kinds of issues. It is normal for a human being to need that structure and predictability in their lives. predictability in their lives. This also helps reduce their anxiety while at school and they might not always focus on issues at home and think more about how they will try their best to succeed in the classroom.
DeleteLike you said, being consistent with your expectations is also extremely important because children like knowing what it expected of them so they can try to achieve that goal. Without expectations, children would have no idea what is needed from them in order to succeed, and they need to know! For children living in poverty, this may be an issue because their parents may not have any expectations if they are solely focused on where or how they are going to eat and sleep that night.
Students from low- SES have to go through many difficulties as they grow up. Unfortunately, a lot of the hardships that these children go through stem from the life that their parents/guardians can provide for them. If they do not have a lot of money, they will not be living in a good house or neighborhood and will not have the right resources to support the child's social, emotional, and cognitive development.
ReplyDeleteChildren growing up in a middle-upper class environment are able to grow up in a better neighborhood with the right support to help them develop and become successful citizen. Besides getting the right resources for support, students in a middle-upper class family have less stressors in their lives. This then affects their behavior inside and outside of school.
One of the biggest stressors in low-SES children's lives is money. Money affects everything. It affects what kind of house and neighborhood the child lives in. It affects how much food the child has. It affects what they wear, if they have books to read and resources to enrich their development. Money also causes problems with parents and guardians. If the parents are arguing and stressed out, the child will feel those effects. If the child comes from a broken home, which is common for low-SES families, that can be difficult for the child as well. Their parents may not get along and their fighting can impact the child and cause anxiety. The child might be a single parent home where the parent works two jobs and is rarely home. The parents may even be abusing different substances. All of these different stressors impact the child emotionally.
The child can feel a lot of anxiety, exhaustion, anger, jealousy, embarrassment, and depression. These emotions impact their behavior in school. Children coming from a middle-upper class family may have some of the same problems but the overall atmosphere and structure of the household is more supportive and I do not think any similar emotions would be to the same degree.
After dealing with all of these emotions, the child then has to come to school and is expected to behave just like very other student. These students may display a lack of interest or tiredness. They may be disrespectful because there is not a lot of discipline in their household and they are not used to this amount of structure. They may feel anxious and be quiet because they are worrying about their family and if they will have dinner tonight. They may be embarrassed because their clothes are not the same as everyone else's or they do not get to bring in special lunches. They could also be jealous and this jealousy may bring out bully behavior.
One thing that I noticed most about students from low-SES is that they do not always have their work completed. Their parents are usually busy and cannot help their children with their homework. As a teacher it it important not to be quick to judge. A child displaying a bunch of different behaviors and not completing work should not immediately make the teacher think the student and parents do not care. Teachers need to take the time to get tot he bottom of the problem and find the right supports to help this child.
I think that creating a comfortable learning environment for the children will help support students of any background. Helping them feel comfortable sharing their background and developing a sense of community will make the student feel like everyone else. The more information the student shares, the more I can do to help. I need to remember not to be quick to judge and to be accepting of students from every background. I know what good support and resources can do for students and having that available to every student will help promote success.
Alex I completely agree! Students must have a comfortable learning environment. We need to make sure they feel comfortable and safe in our classroom. This will help eliminate the environmental stressors in the classroom. One thing I would like to incorporate into my classroom is the students interests. By incorporating their interests the students will have something familiar and comfortable to enjoy in the classroom.
DeleteStudents who come from low SES families often know the stress that their families go through. For example, sometimes parents may talk about their financial issues in front of their children so the children may become stressed and be overwhelmed at school. They definitely carry more stress than those children who come from the middle or upper class. Their behavior may be more difficult and aggressive than other students. Depending on how their parents or guardians act with one another may be the model the way the children act out in school. I have had a couple of students misbehave by hitting and fighting with other students. Many students who are aggressive do come from the low-income families. Students who are in a higher class do not find that behavior as often as those in the low SES families. I have actually have seen a lot of students who I knew for a fact came from low SES families who have had misconduct during the school day and the student has told me that they acted that way because they saw it on television. When my co-op and I know that they come from low SES families we tend to ignore the fact and worry about giving them the best education we can. It is important to have a lot of patience with these students because they may know the answer one day and the next day they may forget it because of something that happened at home.
ReplyDeleteIn what ways are the emotional lives of low-SES kids different from those of kids who come from middle- or upper-income families?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the differences in emotional lives all depend on the specific situation. Students in lower income families experience many different stressors that are dependent on many factors. For example, many families living in poverty are very nurturing and do their best to make sure their children's social, emotional, and educational needs are met. However, not all families are like that. Sometimes households are absolute chaos. In these cases, the children might not sleep well, they may be underfed, and be more worried about survival than about their education. The middle and upper class students however, tend not to face the same challenges, but they still do face their own challenges.
What behavioral manifestations of these differences do you observe in school?
I can't really speak for the upper and middle class because they really aren't represented in the school that I am in. However common manifestations of students living in poverty include: falling asleep in school, not doing their homework, not looking at school as a priority, inappropriate relationships with their family members (such as lack of affection/attachment), low self-esteem, and many others. Again I would like to emphasize that many behavioral characteristics are very specific to the student and their particular situation. Even siblings coming from the same background can act completely different and respond differently to stress.
How will you (or your colleagues) need to change your own behavior to succeed with these students?
Honestly, I was raised in poverty so I am very empathetic to students going through it now and I think the biggest thing a teacher can do is empower and inspire students to break out of the cycle. It is important to instill confidence in these students and their abilities and encourage them to go to college and do something wonderful with their lives. Doing this and establishing really great rapport with students will make a world of difference to those students. That is how to get them to enjoy coming to school and want to learn, because otherwise they see school as just another one of the million things they have to do.
I really appreciated hearing your insight about things you will do, Ricki, as someone who was raised in poverty. I think that many times we forget to speak to people who may come from different backgrounds and jump to our own conclusions of how to handle things, instead of hearing from people who may have experienced them themselves.
DeleteStudents from all socio-economic backgrounds experience things in life that can effect their emotional lives. Students of low-SES usually experience more frequent stressors which greatly impact their emotional lives. For example, there may be talks of money troubles in the family, there may abuse going on in the home like physical, emotional, mental, etc., there may be substance abuse going in the home, there may not be as many educational resources in the home , such as books. All of these types of experiences can take a toll on anyone's emotional life, but especially on the emotional lives of children.
ReplyDeleteLike others have said it is important to realize that all children are different, and students who are from low-SES are very different from one another. They may be experiencing the same kinds of things at home but they may be manifested very differently for each child. Some examples include frequent incompletion of homework, coming to school hungry, anxiety, depression, anger, bullying, aggression, violence, etc. Personally, I have seen students from low-SES backgrounds come to school hungry because they do not have enough food in the home. Thankfully the schools where I have seen this the children have been given both breakfast and lunch at school through a free or reduced lunch program. I have also seen students who are distracted in school because they are thinking about what their next meal is going to be, where they are going to be sleeping that night, if their parents are going to be fighting when they get home, etc.
I believe that as teachers we need to create a classroom environment of respect and rapport. As well as a classroom environment where students feel safe and comfortable. I like to get to know my students and this helps me to know what is going on at home and it makes my students feel more comfortable opening up to me about things or coming to me with concerns. I also believe we need to have structure and routine in our classrooms as much as possible to provide students with the structure that they may not get at home. Most importantly as a teacher my main goal is for my students to feel that they can be successful. In order for this to happen, I like to instill that belief in all students by giving them work that is challenging but that they are still able to be successful with. I also like to make sure that all of my students know that I care about them and their success and that I am there to help them become the best that they can be.
In what ways are the emotional lives of low-SES kids different from those of kids who come from middle- or upper-income families? What behavioral manifestations of these differences do you observe in school? How will you (or your colleagues) need to change your own behavior to succeed with these students?
ReplyDeleteI think one of the main differences between students with lower SES and students with higher SES is the idea of parent involvement. Early childhood students need to exposed to books and literacy as much as possible in their younger years. In lower SES families, I feel like this does not happen as much due to parents working or being focused on other things. These parents also do not have as much time to devote to homework or helping their child with school work. Without this factor, students must have their own type of intrinsic motivation to wish to do well in school. I think with parents that are more involved relay the message that school is a priority to their children much better.
In my general education placement, I had a student diagnosed with ODD. He was extremely defiant towards female teachers. His behavior was also affected because his father was in jail. During my placement, his father was being released from jail and we observed significant changes in his behavior. He was very upset and much more defiant than he typically was. We did our best to accommodate him and provide him with support in the classroom. This is just a specific example of how behavior can manifest due to a child's home life.
I think the most important thing when dealing with these students is providing them with a consistent and stable learning environment that they lack at home. If they can come to school with clear expectations, they will have a better chance of succeeding, regardless of their home life.
The emotional lives of low-SES kids are so different and more challenging than those of kids who come from middle- or upper-income families because there are so many crucial needs that they need to ensure are met before they can focus on their academics. They have a great deal of stress because they can’t just worry about if their homework is finished and then go to bed. Instead, they have to handle not having food to eat, a place to sleep, living in an unsafe neighborhood with violence, and the overall stress they may see their family experiencing. Students living in poverty face an incredibly number of hardships that are all very interconnected, making it very difficult for them to keep academics as a top priority.
ReplyDeleteThese behaviors can be seen in a number of ways. Some students may come to school tired, hungry, and unable to focus or even care about school. They also may perform lower because of this. These behaviors may also affect social behaviors, in that students may shy away, or show outward inappropriate behaviors, such as aggression and noncompliance.
To succeed with these students, the most important thing is to remove as many barriers as you can. While teachers are unable to fix many of the socio-economic problems, they can refer the family to different resources that may be helpful. In addition, they also must focus on ensuring that they have gained as much knowledge as they can about the child to directly see how their home situations will affect them in the classroom. Something that I can do is to create a safe and warm classroom environment, to help the child see the school as a “safe zone”, as an escape from the pressures of home. I can create a structured environment, which sets clear expectations to ensure consistency and continuity, but I can use these to foster a positive learning situation.
The ways in which the emotional lives of low-SES kids are different from those who come from middle- or upper-income families is consistency and security. Kids from low-income families must often worry about if they will be living in their house for an extended period of time and if they will have enough food to eat. They also may not have the constant attention of a parent or guardian because they could be working multiple jobs. All of this takes a toll on the student’s emotions. They are at a constant state of worry and could have high anxiety. In addition to that, behavioral management may not be consistent in the household, and the model that some students have to follow is inappropriate and undesirable.
ReplyDeleteThe behavioral manifestations of these differences that I have observed in school are students “acting out” behaviors, impulsivity, impatience, gaps in politeness, and inappropriate emotional responses. There are many behavioral problems at my current school which contains a population of mostly low-SES students as compared to my previous placement which contained mostly middle- to upper-class students. My colleagues and I would need to change our behavior by not becoming immediately upset about behaviors and going straight to punishing the students because “they should know better.” Most of the time, the students don’t know better because they have not seen appropriate actions or modeling. Also, they have many other things on their minds beside how they should sit in their chair, or completing an assignment to the best of their ability, because they are worried about going home, if they have one, and eating enough food, or something of that nature. I need to be mindful of that and not just write the student off as disrespectful. I will model what they should do and explain appropriate actions. However, I will not always allow them to get away with their bad behaviors, and inappropriate responses, because they need to understand that what they are doing is not OK, and that there will be consequences if it continues.
In what ways are the emotional lives of low-SES kids different from those of kids who come from middle- or upper-income families? What behavioral manifestations of these differences do you observe in school? How will you (or your colleagues) need to change your own behavior to succeed with these students?
ReplyDeleteThe emotional lives of low socioeconomic status kids differs from those of kids who come from middle- or upper-income families in that their emotional lives are so much more unstable. These students may not always be guaranteed a meal, a warm/safe place to sleep, peace and quiet to do their homework, etc. That is not to say that this never happens for these students, but it is not as likely that it will happen on a consistent basis. In my experience in working with students who come from low socioeconomic status homes, I have witnessed much more fatigue and restlessness amongst those students. While they may truly want to learn, it appeared as if sometimes their bodies were simply telling them that they needed a break. In order to succeed with these type of students, I think that it is very important to give frequent brain breaks throughout the day. For example, getting them up and moving to do a zumba on the smart-board is a quick and easy way to wake students up, and make school more fun. I think that it is also key to get to know each student as an individual. Not all students who come from more impoverished homes are going to be the same by any means, and that is something that us teachers need to always remember.