Blog Entry 6
"Teaching with poverty in mind:
What being poor does to kids brains and what schools can do about it"
We are starting to discuss the book, "Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What being poor does to kid's brains and what schools can do about it" for our Social Justice application in this course. In Chapter1, Understanding the Nature of Poverty, Jensen gives us a definition of poverty. Which of the six types of poverty (situational, generational, absolute, relative, urban, and rural) are most prevalent at your school?
How might the book's definitions of these
types of poverty change the way you think about or approach poverty at your
school?
I definitely think that my school displays relative poverty. The socioeconomic status of my surrounding towns is upper middle class. Since relative refers to the economic status of a family whose income is sufficient to meet its society's average standard of living, I felt that this best related with my school. The poverty that is present at my placement is relative to the families with upper middle class status. After reading about these other types of poverty, I realized that poverty is minimal at this placement, but it is still present. I think that my school is very privileged. They have a lot of resources and I think my students are truly lucky to go there.
ReplyDeleteWhat type of resources do they have at your school? Your students do sound like they are very lucky!
DeleteLauren, my school is very similar. I have been thinking back to our other placements, especially our urban settings, and have realized that the resources here are truly phenomenal. One of my favorite resources is the help. I have had so many parent volunteers come in and help in the classroom. Because the poverty level is so low, the parents are able to take time to assist in the classroom. This has been a great help!
DeleteI want to know more also! What types of things does your school have that makes it privileged? In my last student teaching placement, they were definitely more privileged than my one now.. with iPads and materials and things like that, but I would love to know if there is anything major at your school!
DeleteLauren, being in the same district, I completely agree. There are so many great resources in our school! The technology is very impressive. Do you have apple TV? I think they are trying to put those in every classroom.
DeleteI would say that generational poverty is the type of poverty that is most prevalent at my school. Many of my students' parents and grandparents fall into the low socioeconomic status, and have been born into poverty. A large number of the students come from single-parent households, and have shared information about their financial troubles. During parent/teacher conferences, I learned more about my students and their families than I would have ever thought. It was such an eye-opening experience that I was fortunate enough to sit in on. The Jensen text definitions of the different types of poverty didn't really change the way I think or approach poverty at my school. I personally believe that it is our job as educators to make our students feel safe and welcome at all times when they are in the classroom, regardless of their socioeconomic status/life at home. I realize that I will absolutely work with students who come from a variety of different backgrounds, but believe that it is important to always treat everyone equally, and most importantly, with kindness. However, it was interesting to read about how each of the different types of poverty are labeled. I had no idea that there were so many!
ReplyDeleteLiz, I have sat in on a few parent meetings too and it is amazing what you learn about their financial situations. I have found that the parents want to provide for their children but do not have the financial means to do so. I agree in that we should treat all of our students the same, but I am glad the Jensen book introduced me to the different types of poverty.
DeleteI agree with you Liz. No matter what background the students come from it is our duty to make sure we give them equal opportunities. I have put aside the fact that my students come from impoverished homes and treat them with respect and show them what a caring and loving environment the classroom can be.
DeleteWhich of the six types of poverty (situational, generational, absolute, relative, urban, and rural) are most prevalent at your school?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading chapter one of our text and gaining a broader understanding about each of the types of poverty, I would say that generational poverty is most prevalent in my classroom. However, overall the school experiences some relative poverty.
Most of the families within my district are pretty well to do, although there are some students who come from lower income homes. My classroom greatly varies from the rest of the school. Almost all of my students come from either broken homes or situations where their parents were raised in lower income settings.
Talking with my cooperating teacher, I have learned a lot about each of the students home environments and the struggles they endure. She informed me that these situations are very common to a special education classroom.
I am having the same experience with my special education placement, in that many of the students in my classroom are facing very different home life situations than the rest of the students in my district. It is really eye opening to see how much more common these problems are in special education classrooms. It's really sad to see how much disabilities can really change a family and add these additional expenses and hardships.
DeletePoverty is not very prevalent in my school. Majority of the poverty situations at Hershey Primary School are relative. According to chapter 1, “relative poverty refers to the economic status of a family whose income is insufficient to meet its society’s average standard of living. Hershey is generally a high income area. Many of the families here are very well off and can easily provide for their children. With that being said, single parent households and families with only one income can easily drop below the society’s average.
ReplyDeleteThe book provides six definitions of the word poverty. These definitions have opened my mind, allowing me to see that poverty does not mean that you don’t have a job and cannot afford to care for yourself and your family. Poverty can come in all shapes and sizes. Knowing the different types of poverty will help me approach poverty in a different way. I can now identify the type of poverty and the problem. Having this extra information will help me help the students and do everything I can to make their life better.
What are some examples of ways you may approach situations differently now that you read more about poverty? Just curious so I can learn from some of your ideas!
DeleteWhich of the six types of poverty (situational, generational, absolute, relative, urban, and rural) are most prevalent at your school?
ReplyDeleteThe book defines generational poverty as poverty that occurs in families where at least two generations have been born into poverty. Families living in this type of poverty are not equipped with the tools to move out of their situations. At my new school, my co-op has shared information with me about the students families including parents and grandparents. It seems that this type of poverty is the most prevalent because it is occurring generation after generation and that the family cannot get ahead enough to fix the problem of their situation.
How might the book's definitions of these types of poverty change the way you think about or approach poverty at your school?
I agree with Liz in that the books definitions do not change the way I think very much. Yes, it offers explanations and problem solving techniques, but the way I think about poverty did not change. As an educator you can never judge a student based on anything, especially something such as poverty where they have no control over. It does not affect the way I treat them or think about them. It only helps me to understand them better, which may help me in my approach towards their learning.
Sarah, I couldn't agree with you more. I believe that knowing the students' poverty levels is helpful, but it does not change the way we treat them. It will help us understand the students better!
DeleteLove how you talk about not changing the way you treat your students! so trueee! it doesn't matter if a student lives in poverty. All of our students are treated the same. Great view Sarah!
DeleteAfter reading chapter one, I have gained a better understanding of the different types of poverty that are prevalent in the Columbia School District. I would have have to say that the poverty here at Taylor is majority generational poverty and rural poverty. Generational poverty is, "poverty that occurs in families where at least two generations have been born into poverty. Families living in this type of poverty are not equipped with the tools to move out of their situations" and rural poverty is, "nonmetropolitan areas with more single-gaurdian households and families, and families often have less access to services, support for disabilities, and quality education opportunities." The majority of the students present in my classroom are directly effected by poverty at home.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I do not think this has changed my view point of how I will treat the students in the classroom. I have a mindset that I will accommodate to the different students' needs. However, I do believe this may lead to challenging schedules for meetings, signing of paperwork, This is a part of the students' lives and having this knowledge helps us better understand the students.
Kimmy, since we are currently at the same school, I agree with your statement about how the majority of students are directly effected by poverty at home. I find our school to be very unique compared to other schools I have experienced. I will be interested to see how poverty continues to play a role as the placement progresses.
DeleteI agree that scheduling meetings will be difficult. Contacting parents could be even more difficult. As I have talked with my cooperating teacher, I have learned that parent communication is difficult, and that there isn't always someone to call or e-mail when you need them. Regardless, I also agree that knowing the student backgrounds will help us to understand what they've gone through and know who they are. This will help us develop our lessons and culture for learning.
DeleteHow might the book's definitions of these types of poverty change the way you think about or approach poverty at your school?
ReplyDeleteI would categorize my school district as having relative poverty. The majority of the surrounding areas are upper-middle class. About 18% of students qualify for free or reduced lunches in this district. The resources available to classroom teachers are truly impressive. We have access to Apple TV's, document cameras, iPads, Macbooks, SmartBoard projectors and so on. Although the resources give the image that we are in a wealthy area, it is important to remember that not all of my students are from the upper-middle class. It can be easy to assume that all students are coming from affluent homes because of how the district looks. Therefore, it is essential that we still approach teaching in a way that looks at the whole child. Instead of only focusing on instruction, we need to notice things such as a student who did not get breakfast before coming to school. Paying attention to the base levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of needs is imperative if we want to have engaged and motivated students.
Wow! The resources available at you school are really impressive! I truly agree with you on the fact that we need to remember that just because schools have a lot of resources doesn't mean that all the students are free from experiencing poverty. I really like how you said that we still need to focus on the whole child, not just the resources that the school has. We truly do need to ensure that the base levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of needs are meet or they will not be engaged and motivated students.
DeleteThat's awesome that you have access to all those resources in your school. I think that those resources are important in engaging students more in your lessons, but like you and Holly said, we can't help engage students until their basic needs are met. Once the students' basic needs are met, they are better able to properly become motivated in their learning.
DeleteI have found poverty to be very prevalent at my school. After switching schools from my general education placement to my special education placement, and going from Manheim Township with relative poverty to Columbia with generational and rural poverty, the signs of poverty seem very obvious. My cooperating teacher has been very helpful in providing background information about students and this has helped to to understand specific situations.
ReplyDeleteEarlier today my co-op was showing me testing data for our students. We were discussing how sometimes the students simply do not test will and she mentioned how she sometimes tries to justify why this is. One of the possible reasons mentioned was stress from home. For example, if it is the end of a month and a child has heard his/her parents discussing money then this would worry the child too and may impact their performance at school. Although my teaching will not change, these are the types of things I need to keep in mind while teaching students in this type of poverty.
I agree that looking at what could be going on at home that affects school is very important. Sometimes we can be quick to judge and think parents do not care or that the student does not care but there can be may stressful things going on at home. If the family does not have a lot of money, the student might not get breakfast or even dinner and that can hinder their learning. If parents are stressed and fighting that might get in the way of the student getting a good night's sleep. There are many things that can be going on that teachers need to take into consideration before judging. Once teachers understand what is going on at home, they can gather the right resources and make a plan to best support that family and student.
DeleteI have found that poverty is extremely prevalent at my school. I have remained in the same school district for both of my placements, but my two schools could not be any more opposite. My first placement at West Hanover was suburban, middle class. My second placement at South Side, is urban.
ReplyDeleteI would classify the poverty in my school as urban poverty. Located in Harrisburg, the school is located in a closer proximity of the city. It is labeled as a title I school, and did not meet the AYP for the 2011-2012 year. Many of the students come from single-parent homes where one of their parents may have been in jail at some time, or they live in low-income housing. My co-op even mentioned that a van comes to pick some students up and brings them to the homeless shelters. I believe that their low socio-economic status effects their learning, and that the students will not always be worried about what 2+2 is because they are worried if they'll have enough food, or if they have a good place to sleep at night.
My attitude towards teaching the children has not changed based on their status but it has taught me that if I were to teach in an urban setting with high rates of poverty, I need to ensure that I am firm and provide the structure that they might not get otherwise. The students will need to know that school is a safe place and that I can help them.
Aly,
DeleteI think you have a great way of approaching poverty in your classroom. I agree that your attitude towards the children should not change due to their poverty status, but it can certainly help you with different strategies to use when teaching them. I believe structure is exactly what those students need; also having a routine and a safe place to be would be beneficial. Gaining your students trust is always important, but I think it is especially important in situations like these. They need to know that you will be there for them and that they can come to you with anything.
After reading about the different types of poverty, I have encountered relative poverty, some generational poverty and some urban poverty. One of the things that I know about my school is that we are a Title I school, meaning we receive government money because of the location of the school. I have found that this is helpful because the school has been able to provide technology that can enhance the learning that takes place on a daily basis. Many of my students come from low-income families and receive free breakfast each morning. Most also come from broken homes, with some of my students not living with their parents but rather a legal guardian. One of the things that I have found challenging in dealing with the poverty situation is that my students may miss the free breakfast and therefore be too hungry to focus. My general education teacher always had small boxes of cereals or granola bars to give to those students who may not have had breakfast so that they are able to focus during the day. Another way that I see poverty is that I have one student who has bad vision and cannot afford to get new glasses. He often has a hard time seeing his homework because of how old the prescription is. I also have noticed that there are some parents who are not as involved in their child’s life as what I have been used to.
ReplyDeleteMy attitude has not changed the way I approach teaching, just that there might be other things I need to make sure happen so that my students can focus on the instruction such as providing snacks. I will also need to make sure I try to include the parents as much as possible but know that there will be situations where no matter what I try the parents will not want to be involved.
I really like the idea of having breakfast items available in case students miss the free breakfast that the school provides. I have had students miss the bell and then they cannot get breakfast, I can definitely see a difference in their focus and learning for that morning when they do not get breakfast. We also have snack time too for our students, and sometimes I had students who would not bring in a snack and they would say how hungry they were, which would then impact their focus, attention, and learning.
DeleteI think when I have my own classroom I will definitely have a stash of breakfast items and snacks, if my school allows it, for any students who may not have the chance to eat breakfast or forget to bring in a snack that day.
After reading about the different types of poverty, I would say that generational and rural poverty are both most prevalent at my school. Generational poverty is described as "occurs in families where at least two generations have been born into poverty". Rural poverty is described as " more single-guardian households, and families often have less access to services". I have been in the same school for both placements and have learned about a lot of different children within our school. I have learned that a good majority of my students come from single parent households, as a result of divorce, a parent being in jail, etc. and some do not live with their parents but with legal guardians, like grandparents. My school also provides free breakfast for students that qualify for it. In my general education placement I had quite a few students who qualified for the free breakfast.
ReplyDeleteReading Chapter 1 has opened my eyes and given me a better understanding of the different types of poverty. However, like other people have mentioned my attitude toward how to approach instruction for these students has not really changed. I truly believe that we need to look at each individual student and teach them the best way that they can learn, looking at their home and socioeconomic status is part of getting to know our students so we can help them learn the best way that they can. We need to provide structure in our classrooms for all students, but especially for students who may not necessarily have that structure at home. We also need to make our classroom be a safe and nurturing environment where all of our students feel safe, protected, and respected, regardless of socioeconomic status or home life situations.
At my placement it seems like most families are pretty well off. If I had to choose which type of poverty is most represented at my placement it would be the Situational Poverty. I have noticed that many families are either divorced or going through a divorce and not a lot of them are on good terms. With these circumstances, parents become single parents and that can put a stress on financials as well as living situations. I know some students in my classroom who are very anxious because of the stress that comes from the divorce.
ReplyDeleteAs I said before, my area seems pretty well off and many go through Situational Poverty. I also see some Generational Poverty and Relative Poverty but not as much.
Before beginning reading this book I had a pretty good perspective on the different types of poverty but getting actual definitions helps with my understanding. Knowing that people go through different types of poverty will allow schools and teachers to provide specific support to these families. We can offer a variety of resources depending on the situation and not just give general information. We can also help and find ways to support the student and the different stresses that he or she may be going through. A student who has anxiety because parents are arguing and separated and financially stressed will need different support than a student who shares a bed with three siblings in a one bedroom house. The more specific help we can give the better for the child and the family.
The most prevalent type of poverty at my school is rural poverty. A majority of the students at my school only have one parent/guardian. Since my school is a Title I school about half of the student population qualify for free/reduced breakfast and lunch. It has changed my way of thinking in the sense that I want to provide the best environment in the classroom for my students because they may not have that great environment at home. There are some students whose parents are not supportive of some of the ways the teachers do things at the school, but the teachers are always defending their beliefs and their lessons. The teachers know that they are doing the best they can to provide students with the best education they can. For me, I put the poverty component in the back of my head and just provide my students with the best education I can. Sometimes my students are emotional and aggressive, but I remind them of appropriate behavior to have in school. I put the aspect of a child being in poverty in the back of my mind and do the best I can for them. Even though they may not always do well academically, I know that I am trying my best to get them to the place they need to be.
ReplyDeleteI like your thoughts here, Rebecca! Students may come from all different types of homes or poverty, but we should all treat them the same when it comes to academics, and think of all students as the same but still celebrate some of their differences.
DeleteAs many others have said, my school district is in a really nice area and there really does not seem to be much poverty. Although the school has a multitude of resources and many families appear to be very well off, that certainly does not mean that poverty does not happen in Derry Township. In fact, it very well might happen just as much with some families as in some other schools, but go unnoticed because of how nice the district is. From my understanding of the book, I would say most likely, the poverty is relative or situational. Some parents may not be able to provide for their family as much. In addition, in the autism support classroom which I have just joined, poverty seems to be more prevalent. For example, one family of one of our students lives in poverty because his father was involved in a financial crisis and some sort of scam, and his family is now struggling to make ends meet, as he is now in jail. This refers to situational poverty, which is poverty caused by a sudden crisis or some sort of loss.
ReplyDeleteBefore reading this text, I viewed poverty as a very concrete concept. However, now I can see that poverty does not just have one definition. The book really opened my eyes on the many ways to view poverty, the different kinds, and its complexity and direct effect on students in the future. I feel as though it helped broaden my perspective and I feel I am more prepared for identifying the students who fit these different definitions for the future.
My placement is in inner city Lancaster and I would say the most prevalent type of poverty at my school is urban poverty. However, I also believe there to be generational poverty as well as relative poverty. I have really been thinking differently about poverty after reading and learning about the six types of poverty. I want to learn more about the issue of poverty because my school is directly affected by it.
ReplyDelete“Children living in poverty tend to spend less time finding out about the world around them and more time struggling to survive within it.” In elementary school, children are directly impacted and influenced by everything around them. These children tend to grow up faster and poverty is damaging to the physical, socioemotional, and cognitive well-being of children and their families.
Although I cannot change my student’s socio-economic status, I will do everything I can to support and teach my students in the classroom. The school offers groceries to families in need every Thursday. Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch is offered breakfast as well. My coop always brings in food for some of her students because they are unable to eat at home. She gets to know the students and their situation and then helps them based on their need.
After reading about the different types of poverty it makes me more aware and sensitive to poverty at my school. I am already making accommodations for all of my students so I do not think knowing these definitions will change how I teach my students.
After reading chapter one of our text I was very surprised because I had no idea there were so many different types of poverty. I have now gained a broader understanding about each of the types of poverty and therefore, I would say that relative poverty is most common in my classroom, as well as the rest of the school. Since relative refers to the economic status of a family whose income is sufficient to meet its society's average standard of living, I felt that my school fits in best with this category. Most of the families that are at my school are in the middle or upper level class, although there are a few who come from lower income homes and broken families. I have taken the opportunity to talk with my co-op about the various students in my class and their home environment, this way I have a better understanding of each one of them and where they come from.
ReplyDeleteThe Jensen text definitions of the various types of poverty didn’t change the way I would approach poverty at my school. I have always felt that my role in the classroom is to help students reach their full potential, and provide them with the means to do so. I want to make sure that my students feel save and welcomed every time they enter the classroom, regardless of their socioeconomic status/life at home. I know that without a doubt I will be working with students from all kinds of backgrounds, but I will always do my best to approach this with an open mind and treat everyone equally.
I see signs of poverty at my school. First, there are some students receive free breakfasts and lunches. There is also one family that travels to a homeless shelter because they were recently kicked out of their house due to a foreclosure. I would say that my school has both generational poverty and rural poverty. My co-op tells me about different student's families. Three of the students that are in my class are in foster homes. There are some families that are living with a single parent.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter has really broadened my mind about the types of poverty. If one defines poverty, they may just say that it is when a family does not have the proper necessities to live to the fullest. By reading this chapter, I feel like every school district has at least one type of poverty, although it may not seem evident. Poverty is something that can be embarrassing for some families. They may not want to talk about it in front of their children or other families in the community. Since it is not mentioned, it sometimes may be swept under the rug, something not to ever mention. But it is important for the school to know what type of socioeconomic status that some of their students are in to get to know their home life.
At Canadochly Elementary School, generational poverty is the most prevalent. This means that “at least two generations have been born into poverty.” Many of the families lack the proper tools to move out of their current living situations and don't live in good socio-economic situations. I also think that rural poverty is present at Canadochly because there are a lot of students who live in single-guardian households and have parents who are divorced. About 15-20% of the students in the school receive free/reduced breakfast or lunch. In addition, I feel that my school does not have very many resources for its students. The only types of technology we have are Mimio boards and one teacher computer in each classroom. This does not mean that students are not able to learn, but I just think that the students would be more engaged in what they are doing with more access to technology. The lack of resources calls for the teachers to be more creative with their lessons and make them engaging in other ways.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that there were so many different types of poverty in the world, and I feel like I have a better understanding about them after reading the chapter. The book’s definitions don’t change the way I think about poverty at my school, though. I knew that it was prevalent but didn’t give it much thought. My goal is to educate and support my students, no matter their background.
At Washington Elementary School, most students are dealing with urban and generational poverty. There are tons of students who are living with their extended families in crowded situations. Most families also have several generations that were born into poverty. The School District of Lancaster serves a racially and economically diverse population of approximately 11,760 students: 55.5% Hispanic, 22.7% African American, 19.5% Caucasian, 2.3% Asian/other.Depending on the specific school, between 79-99% of students qualify for free and reduced lunches. So SDoL tends to give free breakfast and lunch to all of the students.
ReplyDeleteI have always been very familiar with poverty and knowing about the different kinds really doesn't affect much though. I just try to educate and support all of my students and meet their needs to the best of my abilities and encourage them not to continue in the cycle of poverty.
Last year, I attended the poverty simulation here at Elizabethtown College. After this experience, my view on poverty in education has changed dramatically. It’s hard to really understand what students living in poverty go through, but this simulation did a great time expresses the challenges and struggles they face on a daily bases. Through this simulation, I learned that every day easy task can become a challenge to those living in poverty. I also learned that keeping an open mind is important for teachers. If your parents aren’t volunteering to participate in school or donate to the class, it’s important to remember that there might be other reasons to why they are acting this way. Being very fortunate in life makes it hard for me to understand and really know the challenges, but after experiencing this simulation I feel like I have a better understanding. I am thankful for that experience, because now I can help understand and relate to my students.
ReplyDeleteMy school that I’m currently placed in is more of a suburban, middle class area. Family involvement is extremely important to this school. You can tell that the school has a lot of resources for their students and money. One of the parents in my class volunteers weekly to donate things that are needed. This parent works for Microsoft and is extremely fortunate. Although most families have money, that doesn’t apply to every student in the school. It is important to remember that not all students come from that middle class family. Those are the students that are going to need the extra resources. After attending the poverty simulation, I learned that they are many resources for families that are struggling financially. I feel that it is the teacher’s responsibility to contact the social worker or whoever it might be to help that student of need.