Understanding Poverty

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Understanding Poverty

• Dr. Ruby Payne

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Paynes Key Points

• Poverty is relative.
• Poverty occurs in all races and in all countries.
• Economic class is a continuous line, not a
  clear-cut distinction.
• Generational poverty and situational poverty are
  different.
• Paynes work is based on patterns. All patterns
  have exceptions.

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Paynes Key Points

• An individual brings with him/her the hidden
  rules of the class in which she/he was raised.
• Schools and businesses operate from middle-class
  norms and use the hidden rules of middle class.
• For our students to be successful, we must
  understand their hidden rules and teach them the
  rules that will make them successful at school
  and at work.

4
Paynes Key Points

• We can neither excuse students nor scold them for
  not knowing as educators we must teach them and
  provide support, insistence, and expectations.
• To move from poverty to middle class or middle
  class to wealth, an individual must give up
  relationships for achievement.

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Paynes Key Points

• Two things that help one move out of poverty are
  education and relationships.
• Four reasons one leaves poverty are
• - Too painful to stay
• - A vision or goal
• - A key relationship
• - A special talent or skill

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Registers of Language

• Frozen Language is always the same.
• Formal Standard syntax word choice of work
  school. Complete sentences.
• Consultative Formal register used in
  conversation.
• Casual Language between friends. Syntax
  incomplete. Non-verbal assists.
• Intimate Language between lovers.

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Impact of Language Register

• Formal register used at school work.
• Majority of minority students and poor students
  do not have access to formal register at home.
• Standardized tests-MAP, ACT, SAT- are in formal
  register.
• To get a well paying job, one is expected to use
  formal registerInterviews

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Discourse Patterns

• Formal-Register Discourse Pattern
• -Speaker/writer gets straight to the point.
• Casual-Register Discourse Pattern
• -Speaker/writer goes around the issue before
  finally coming to the point.

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Impact of Discourse Pattern

• Parent-teacher conferences
• -Teachers want to get straight to point
  parents, particularly from poverty, need to beat
  around the bush first. When teachers cut the
  conversation and get right to the point, parents
  view that as being rude and non-caring.

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Impact of Discourse Pattern

• Student writing
• -Writing becomes particularly difficult for
  students from poverty because they tend to circle
  the mulberry bush and not meet the standard
  organizational pattern of getting to the point.

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CINDERELLA
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What can schools do?

• Have students write in causal register, then
  translate into formal register.
• Establish in the discipline plan that students
  express their displeasure in formal register and
  therefore not be reprimanded.
• Use graphic organizers to show patterns of
  discourse.

13
Hidden Rules Among Classes

• Hidden rules are unspoken cues and habits of a
  group.
• Middle Class
• Poverty
• Wealth

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Implications for Schools

• Assumptions about individuals intelligence and
  approaches to school may relate to their
  understanding of hidden rules.
• Students need to be taught the hidden rules of
  middle class.
• Middle class solutions to problems should not
  necessarily be imposed.

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Implications for Schools

• Understanding of hidden rules may lessen the
  anger and frustration educators may feel when
  dealing with students parents.
• Most students from poverty do not believe they
  are poor most wealthy adults do not believe they
  are wealthy, they usually cite someone who has
  more than they do.