Chapter 4

Socio-Economic Influences:Poverty, Class, Social Status and Learning

Introduction to Special

Populations

What is SES?

• Social class or socioeconomic status (SES) is the term used to distinguish a person’s position in society relative to others within that society.

• Parental occupation, education level, political power, and income serve as the basis for a student’s SES.

What are SES effects?

Class distinctions determine:• the location, safety, comfort, and

convenience of homes and neighborhoods in which we live;

• the quality of the healthcare and schooling we receive;

• the worldviews we hold; and • how we relate to others in society.

Living in Poverty in America

• Could you Survive in Poverty? … in Middle Class? … in Wealth?

• http://www.povertyusa.org/the-state-of-poverty/poverty-usa-tour/

Current Conditions• There are enormous differences in the economic status

and conditions of U.S. residents• 46.2 (increase by 2.6 million in last year) million U.S.

residents are poor. (2010 statistics)• One out of every five children live in poverty.• For a family of 4, this means earning $22,300 or less • Families holding the top 1 percent of the country's

wealth doubled their share of wealth in the last 30 years.

• Nearly every Dallas neighborhood high school in 2009, less than 20% of students prepared for college: Adamson, Thomas Jefferson, Kimball, Pinkston, Roosevelt, Samuell, A Maceo Smith, South Oak Cliff, Spruce

School Outcomes and SES

• Fewer resources in low SES neighborhoods• Students less-prepared when entering school• Teachers often less-prepared and lower paid• Few of students plan to attend college – lower

expectations, self-fulfilling prophecy of failure Tracking – different expectations and academic tracks

• Lack of parental support – less reading and more television watching at home

• Lower educational levels of parents

Poverty

• Young, low education parents, single• Unemployment• Substance abuse• Dangerous neighborhoods• Homelessness – mobility, irregular school

attendance

Two Types of Poverty

• Generational– Having been in poverty for at least two

generations– Prevailing attitude – Society owes them a living

• Situational– A lack of resources attributable to a particular

event (death, chronic illness, divorce, etc.)– Prevailing attitude - One of pride and refusal to

accept charity

Ruby Payne & Generational Poverty

• Poverty is relative and occurs among people of all ethnic backgrounds.

• Economic class is a continuous line, not a clear-cut distinction.

• Generational poverty and situation poverty are different.

• Hidden rules of generational poverty cause students to react in ways seen as inappropriate for those with middle-class values.

• Schools and businesses operate from middle-class norms and use the hidden rules of middle class

Resources that influence achievement

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

Hidden Rules: Driving Forces(see handout)

• Poverty– Survival– Relationships– Entertainment

• Middle Class– Work, achievement

• Wealth– Connections – financial, political, social

Hidden Rules: Time

• Poverty– Present most important– Decisions made for the moment/surviving

• Middle Class– Future most important– Decisions made against future remifications

• Wealth– Traditions and history most important– Decisions partially on tradition/decorum

Hidden Rules: Power

• Poverty– Linked to personal respect, ability to fight– Can’t stop bad things from happening

• Middle Class– Power/respect separated– Power in information and institutions

• Wealth– Power in expertise, connections– Influences policy and direction

Are all people in poverty un-employed?

The Working Class

– The social group consisting of people who are employed for wages

– Especially in manual or industrial work– Many do not make a living wage (Dallas - $12.81/hr)

VICIOUS CYCLE OF OPPRESSION

Born into/ fall into/remain in

poverty

HousingNeighborhoods

Basic Needs Not Being Met

School Budgets/Deficient

Classrooms

Deficient Education/Lack of

Opportunities

Programs Helping Families in Poverty• Open Table

– http://theopentable.org/ • McKinney Housing Authority

– http://www.mckinneyha.org/home.html • Ruby Payne Bridges Out of Poverty

– http://www.bridgesoutofpoverty.com/ • When Helping Hurts

– http://www.chalmers.org/involved/global-movement

• Samaritan Inn http://www.thesamaritaninn.org/

For Reflection and Discussion

1. From which rules of class do you typically operate?

• 2. What school practices have a hidden social-class bias (for example, senior proms; class trips to Washington, DC; school assignments about “What I did on my summer vacation;” and so on)?

• 3. How do you feel about this statement? “Students from generational poverty need direct teaching to build cognitive structures necessary for learning. The hidden rules must be taught so they can choose the appropriate responses if they desire to succeed academically.”