The first two chapters from Ruby Payne’s Framework for Understanding Poverty amazed me. Every time I’ve heard someone say something like “they need to get a job” or something along the lines of “pulling themselves up by the bootstraps”… I was angered and offended. These first two chapters illustrate the inappropriateness of trying to prescribe solutions from a middle class mindset to someone entrenched in profound poverty. As future teachers, this awareness will help us look for cause and effect in our students’ struggles. With an understanding of differing resources, we can help students and parents find workable solutions. In some cases, the best we can do is to provide the student with a positive role model and emotional/intellectual support.
The language portion was especially interesting for me. I have noticed this phenomenon, but I never had a term to accurately describe it. I never realized that many students come to school or the workplace without an understanding of the formal register. It’s another important factor in social mobility; without it, a person is stuck.
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