PovertyPoverty2121stst Century (Part Century (Part

3)3)

1

Jessie Myles, M.S.Sandy Fernandez, M.S.

Midwest Equity Assistance Center

(Kansas State University)

December 13, 2010

IntroductionsIntroductions

Jessie MylesJessie Myles

Sandra L. FernandezSandra L. Fernandez

Ronna OlivierRonna Olivier

2

Introduce the Introduce the TechnologyTechnology

Webinar pageWebinar page Left side: Chat boxLeft side: Chat box

Box: questionsBox: questions Questions in the box will be answered during Questions in the box will be answered during

webinarwebinar Poll information for interactive participationPoll information for interactive participation

3

http://www.facebook.com

Midwest Equity Midwest Equity Assistance Center Assistance Center

pp

4

ObjectivesObjectives Review Review

Webinar 1 (Myths/Realities)Webinar 1 (Myths/Realities) Webinar 2 (Deficit / Asset Webinar 2 (Deficit / Asset

Models)Models)

Asset Based StrategiesAsset Based Strategies

5

Myth or RealityMyth or Reality(What We Think We Know)(What We Think We Know)

1.1. Poor people are unmotivated Poor people are unmotivated and have weak work ethics.and have weak work ethics.

1.1. 83% percent of the children 83% percent of the children from low income families have from low income families have at least one employed parent.at least one employed parent.

6

LazinessLaziness

Stereotype: LazinessStereotype: Laziness

ah, but: According to the Economic ah, but: According to the Economic Policy Institute (2002), poor working Policy Institute (2002), poor working adults adults spend more hours workingspend more hours working per per week on average week on average than their wealthier than their wealthier counterparts. counterparts.

Gaining employment is due to the lack of Gaining employment is due to the lack of skills in many situations. (Rural vs. skills in many situations. (Rural vs. Urban)Urban)

7

Myth or RealityMyth or Reality(What We Think We Know)(What We Think We Know)

2. Poor people are uninvolved in 2. Poor people are uninvolved in their childrentheir children’’s learning , s learning , largely because they do not largely because they do not value education.value education.

2. Low-income parent hold the 2. Low-income parent hold the same attitudes about education same attitudes about education that wealthy parents do.that wealthy parents do.

8

DonDon’’t Value Educationt Value Education

Stereotype: Don’t Value EducationStereotype: Don’t Value Education

Ah, but: Low-income parents hold the exact Ah, but: Low-income parents hold the exact same attitudes about education as wealthy same attitudes about education as wealthy parents (Compton-Lilly, 2003; Hale-Benson, parents (Compton-Lilly, 2003; Hale-Benson, 1986; Lareau & Horvat, 1999; Leichter, 1986; Lareau & Horvat, 1999; Leichter, 1978; Varenne & McDermott, 1986). 1978; Varenne & McDermott, 1986).

9

Please post Please post other myths. other myths.

Why is it a Why is it a myth?myth?

10

Current Family Poverty Current Family Poverty RateRate

11

““Fulfill the Promise of Equal Fulfill the Promise of Equal EducationEducation””

U.S. Department of Education (2008-2009), U.S. Department of Education (2008-2009), 44.2% of student in public school were 44.2% of student in public school were

identified as low incomeidentified as low income PISAPISA

Fifth largest achievement gap between low-Fifth largest achievement gap between low-income and their more affluent classmates.income and their more affluent classmates.

High school students performed 24% below High school students performed 24% below those from higher-income schoolsthose from higher-income schools

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2011)Development, 2011)

12

Cultural ProficiencyCultural ProficiencyDeficit Approach to PovertyDeficit Approach to Poverty

Our role is that educators we are Our role is that educators we are to correct the deficiencies in to correct the deficiencies in students and by implication their students and by implication their parents/guardians.parents/guardians.

Lindsey, Karns, & Myatt, 2010Lindsey, Karns, & Myatt, 2010

13

Deficit Model Deficit Model CharacteristicsCharacteristics

DirtyDirty

Poor VocabularyPoor Vocabulary

Lack of Background KnowledgeLack of Background Knowledge

UnmotivatedUnmotivated

DysfunctionalDysfunctional

UnorganizedUnorganized

Equating SES/ intelligenceEquating SES/ intelligence

14

Tileston & Darling 2009

Cultural ProficiencyCultural ProficiencyAsset-based Approach to Asset-based Approach to

PovertyPoverty Begins with the premise that students from Begins with the premise that students from

low-income and impoverished communities low-income and impoverished communities are educable, and it is our role as educators are educable, and it is our role as educators to find out how best to get the ob done. to find out how best to get the ob done.

That educators know the technical aspects That educators know the technical aspects of their roles, whether that is as a teacher, of their roles, whether that is as a teacher, a counselor, an administrator, or a a counselor, an administrator, or a policymaker.policymaker.

15

Cultural ProficiencyCultural ProficiencyAsset-based Approach to Asset-based Approach to

PovertyPoverty Based on the belief that:Based on the belief that:

Students from low-income and impoverished Students from low-income and impoverished communities have the capacity to learn at high communities have the capacity to learn at high levels.levels.

Schools have the capacity to learn how to educate Schools have the capacity to learn how to educate all students.all students.

The styles of democracy in United States is most The styles of democracy in United States is most effective when ensuring the rights and effective when ensuring the rights and opportunities of historically marginalized groups of opportunities of historically marginalized groups of people.people.

16

Asset ModelAsset Model

Strong Family Unit (Collective vs Individual)Strong Family Unit (Collective vs Individual)

Motivated/relevanceMotivated/relevance

Culturally responsive classrooms and Culturally responsive classrooms and context for learningcontext for learning

Educational resourcesEducational resources

Strong ResiliencyStrong Resiliency

LeadershipLeadership

17

Tileston & Darling 2009

Asset ModelAsset Model

Informational text are patterned vs. literary Informational text are patterned vs. literary text.text.

Developing metacognitive skills. Developing metacognitive skills. ( Highlighting or underlining significant ( Highlighting or underlining significant information)information)

18

What Can We Do?What Can We Do? Educate ourselves about class and poverty.Educate ourselves about class and poverty.

Reject deficit theoryReject deficit theory

Make school involvement accessible to all Make school involvement accessible to all families.families.

Continue reaching out to families.Continue reaching out to families.

Respond when colleagues stereotype poor Respond when colleagues stereotype poor students and families.students and families.

Never assume that all students have Never assume that all students have equitable access.equitable access.

Ensure learning materials do not Ensure learning materials do not stereotypes.stereotypes.

Gorski, 2008

19

What Can We Do?What Can We Do? Advocate to keep low income student from Advocate to keep low income student from

assigned unjustly to special education or assigned unjustly to special education or low academic tracks.low academic tracks.

Validate students experiences and Validate students experiences and intelligences.intelligences.

Make curriculum relevantMake curriculum relevant

Teach about issues related to class and Teach about issues related to class and povertypoverty

Teach about antipoverty workTeach about antipoverty work

Advocate for healthy school meal programsAdvocate for healthy school meal programs

Examine proposed corporate-school Examine proposed corporate-school partnershipspartnerships

Gorski, 2008

20

What can you do What can you do in your school/ in your school/

district/ district/ organization to organization to implement an implement an

asset approach? asset approach?

21

Deficiency TermsDeficiency TermsWords often used to describe some groups and implied for othersWords often used to describe some groups and implied for others

Underclass Underclass

Middle ClassMiddle ClassUnskilled Unskilled

PrivilegedPrivilegedSubgroupsSubgroupsUnderperformingUnderperformingMinorityMinority

Deprived Deprived

SuperiorSuperiorDisadvantaged Disadvantaged

NormalNormalDeficient Deficient

Upper ClassUpper Class

22

Equity TermsEquity Terms

CultureCulture

Demographic group Demographic group

EquityEquity

National OriginNational Origin

RaceRace

ReflectionReflection

Student of colorStudent of color

UnderservedUnderserved23

Transformation ChartTransformation Chart

Cultural PrecompetenceCultural PrecompetenceTechnical TeachingTechnical Teaching

Cultural CompetenceCultural CompetenceRelational TeachingRelational Teaching

Cultural ProficiencyCultural ProficiencyRelational TeachingRelational Teaching

24

StrategiesStrategies

Possesses skills of technical and relational teachingPossesses skills of technical and relational teaching Technical-Educator organize work from a cognitive Technical-Educator organize work from a cognitive

viewview Transition students from retrieving information to using Transition students from retrieving information to using

informationinformation Results are importantResults are important

Relational Teaching-Relational Teaching- Develop relationships with students as a starting Develop relationships with students as a starting

placeplace Create trust generating climateCreate trust generating climate Students construct meaning from their point of viewStudents construct meaning from their point of view

25

10 Tenets of Asset Base 10 Tenets of Asset Base LearningLearning

Accept and respect differencesAccept and respect differences

Acknowledge choices life.Acknowledge choices life.

Stop DistractionsStop Distractions

Teach and Use Personal ReflectionsTeach and Use Personal Reflections

Care and invest in others ( Me to we)Care and invest in others ( Me to we)

26

10 Tenets of Asset Base 10 Tenets of Asset Base LearningLearning

Act responsibly and consider othersAct responsibly and consider others

Believe and behave knowing that humans Believe and behave knowing that humans are self-rightingare self-righting

Identity what is important, no negotiable, a Identity what is important, no negotiable, a must have to facilitate learning.must have to facilitate learning.

Collaborate and be responsiveCollaborate and be responsive

Commitment to what is right.Commitment to what is right.

27

What teachers can do to build What teachers can do to build relationships?relationships?

Call on everyone in the room equitablyCall on everyone in the room equitably Provide individual helpProvide individual help Give Give ““waitwait”” time time Ask questions to give the student clues Ask questions to give the student clues

about the answerabout the answer Ask questions that require more thoughtAsk questions that require more thought Tell students whether their answers are Tell students whether their answers are

right or wrongright or wrong Give specific praiseGive specific praise

Dolores Grayson, 199828

Behavior/Special Behavior/Special EducationEducation

Poor students are 9 times as likely to be Poor students are 9 times as likely to be place in Special Education.place in Special Education.

Cultural linguistic factorsCultural linguistic factors

Cultural norms and valuesCultural norms and values

Bias are employed to place students in Bias are employed to place students in Special Education.Special Education.

29

Hoover, 2009

Digital QuizDigital Quiz

Do you think students Do you think students should use cell phones in should use cell phones in school?school?

Should cell phones, Should cell phones, facebook, twitter or facebook, twitter or other forms of other forms of technology be used as technology be used as learning options?learning options?

How?How? How can you improve How can you improve

instruction with the instruction with the current technology?current technology?

How many students How many students have access online?have access online?

30

What Does Poverty Mean to You?

Some student voices:

pretending that you forgot your lunch,

being teased for the way you are dressed,

feeling ashamed when my dad can’t get a job,

not getting a hot dog on hot dog day,

knowing that my mother can’t help with homework

31

What Does Poverty What Does Poverty Mean to You?Mean to You?

being afraid to tell your being afraid to tell your mom that you need mom that you need gym shoes,gym shoes,

not getting invitations not getting invitations to birthday parties,to birthday parties,

not buying books at the not buying books at the book fairbook fair

feeling invisible feeling invisible

knowing that my knowing that my mother canmother can’’t read or t read or writewrite

32

33

Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help FamiliesFamilies

School supplies – do they need to have School supplies – do they need to have everything the first day of school? Could everything the first day of school? Could things be spaced out as needed?things be spaced out as needed?

Sports apparel – help teams, cheerleaders, Sports apparel – help teams, cheerleaders, dance teams, etc. to make economical dance teams, etc. to make economical choices about matching shoes, sweats, choices about matching shoes, sweats, socks, etc.socks, etc.

34

Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help FamiliesFamilies

Pay attention to sleep needs – if a student Pay attention to sleep needs – if a student seems to need sleep, be sensitive to the seems to need sleep, be sensitive to the possibility that maybe things were crazy at possibility that maybe things were crazy at home and sleep wasnhome and sleep wasn’’t the top priority.t the top priority.

Graduation Graduation ““stuffstuff”” – start early with the – start early with the information, advertisements, needs for the information, advertisements, needs for the graduate so the family can have time to graduate so the family can have time to decide what is needed and how to pay for it.decide what is needed and how to pay for it.

35

Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help FamiliesFamilies

School pictures – offer a class picture on the School pictures – offer a class picture on the digital camera; some parents may be happy digital camera; some parents may be happy with that if they canwith that if they can’’t afford the regular t afford the regular class picture; give parents a long notice class picture; give parents a long notice about picture day and the cost; let parents about picture day and the cost; let parents pay in stages pay in stages

36

Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help FamiliesFamilies

Deadlines for homework – give adequate time Deadlines for homework – give adequate time to get things done at home especially if there to get things done at home especially if there are things parents need to purchase; also keep are things parents need to purchase; also keep in mind that many parents work in the evening in mind that many parents work in the evening and arenand aren’’t able to help with assignments that t able to help with assignments that are due the next day. They need time to plan.are due the next day. They need time to plan.

Keep extra clothes on hand for those students Keep extra clothes on hand for those students who may have dirty clothing because a who may have dirty clothing because a caregiver just didncaregiver just didn’’t have time to get the t have time to get the laundry done or didnlaundry done or didn’’t see what they walked t see what they walked out of the house wearing.out of the house wearing.

37

Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help FamiliesFamilies

Offer to help parents with the paperwork for Offer to help parents with the paperwork for reduced/free lunch, insurance, especially if reduced/free lunch, insurance, especially if they have little or no English speaking they have little or no English speaking ability. ability.

Make home visits – students feel special and Make home visits – students feel special and it also give some insight to the familyit also give some insight to the family’’s s situation and makes visiting with the situation and makes visiting with the parents in the future much easier.parents in the future much easier.

Have inexpensive supplies that students Have inexpensive supplies that students often run out of on hand in the school office.often run out of on hand in the school office.

38

Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help Ideas of Ways Schools Can Help FamiliesFamilies

Computer time and homework help time before Computer time and homework help time before and after school – some students have no and after school – some students have no access to a computer and often an adult may access to a computer and often an adult may be at work so they canbe at work so they can’’t get to the library or t get to the library or get that extra homework help they need.get that extra homework help they need.

Be understanding of family situations that may Be understanding of family situations that may keep students from meeting a deadline (part-keep students from meeting a deadline (part-time job that is necessary, no ride due to time job that is necessary, no ride due to parents being at work, fees for something that parents being at work, fees for something that are late).are late).

Limit or skip reward parties that involve Limit or skip reward parties that involve students bringing food/drink from home.students bringing food/drink from home.

Questions/ Thank YouQuestions/ Thank You

Jesse MylesJesse Myles Kansas State University Kansas State University

(Midwest Equity Assistance Center(Midwest Equity Assistance Center)) jmyles1234@yahoo.com 785-532-6408785-532-6408

Sandra Fernandez, Sandra Fernandez, MS. MS.

Kansas State Kansas State University University

(Midwest Equity Assistance (Midwest Equity Assistance Center)Center)

sfdz@ksu.edu 785-532-6408785-532-6408

39