Why will an understanding of the culture and values
of poverty lessen the anger and frustration that
educators periodically feel in the classroom setting?
Explain your answer to the above question and
comment on two other posts.
P.S. After reading the three quizzes, did you fall
mostly into the poverty, middle, or wealthy class?
Do you feel that you could survive in Poverty?
Honestly, I don't think I could!
of poverty lessen the anger and frustration that
educators periodically feel in the classroom setting?
Explain your answer to the above question and
comment on two other posts.
P.S. After reading the three quizzes, did you fall
mostly into the poverty, middle, or wealthy class?
Do you feel that you could survive in Poverty?
Honestly, I don't think I could!
35 comments:
An understanding of the culture and values of poverty will lessen the anger and frustration that educators periodically feel in the classroom setting, because it helps one accepts the way the cultures and values of poverty really is, and accept the fact that these hidden rules will not change momentarily. We have to accept the things we cannot change, and the courage and ability to change the things we can by doing our best to reach each and every student in our classrooms with the best possible techniques and teaching strategies so they will have the opportunity to move forward to the "middle class - upper class status.
After reading the three quizzes, I fell mostly into the middle class status. Yes, I feel that I could survive in poverty, because I have experienced it.
Augustine Cann
I agree with you Mrs. Cann, understanding the culture of our students lessons the frustration because of having the understanding we are better able to accept the differences. Understanding the culture of poverty opens up opportunities to reach these students in a better way.
J. Jackson
Understanding the culture and values of poverty lessons frustration felt by educators by opening our eyes to why our students may behave in a particular way. After reading in the text, I realize that poverty does indeed carry a culture in itself. People of poverty think and behave in a way that may be quite different than what is expected in the middle and upper class.
Working with children from this culture, I have had to accept that their behavior is sometimes attributed to their culture and beliefs. We may sometimes blame it on parenting, but at times, it is just their surroundings and how they cope with mishaps. Understanding their culture and values allows us to use different techniques to reach them to become successful citizens in the community. Without an understanding of their culture we can never fully reach them as a whole.
After reading the three quizzes, I fell into the middle class. I honestly don't think I could survive in poverty because I have never had to live in poverty.
J. Jackson
Students from a poverty situation have obstacles they face that are different from other classes. We need to understand these obstacles to know how we can help, thus preventing the anger and frustration often felt by educators. The hidden rules apply to many things ranging from how a class values material things, money or education, to its concept of love. For example, while those in poverty value people as their most important possession, the middle-class values things, and the wealthy value priceless objects or pedigrees. In other words, something to one group may not mean the same thing to another. The classes have different ideals, different ways of thinking, and different value systems. Recognizing and understanding the different classes' values are key to reaching students, personally and educationally. We must understand where our students are coming from, so we can be more sensitive to them and their needs.
A key difference between poor and middle class folks is their view on education and planning for the future. Students from a middle class background believe education is vital for making money and being successful. Those students develop the ability to plan at an early age and make decisions that will affect their future in a positive manner. Students from poverty live for the moment. They value education but often believe their future is already decided for them, so the choices they make now don't really have an effect on their lives.
We must help children from poverty realize that they do play a major role in their futures and help them plan for and make good decisions that will benefit them later on in life. We have an opportunity to think about how we perceive things as teachers, and how our students might perceive us and their education.
Karen Holland
Exactly, Ms. Jackson... If teachers and other professionals don’t look below the surface of class or don’t make an effort to understand the habits and traditions (aka culture, as you stated) that continue in many poor families, they will never be able to recognize the deep problem that poor children often face.
Karen Holland
Mrs. Cann hit the nail on the head. The real struggle of teaching isn’t about keeping up with the latest in the debate on phonics versus whole language. It is about figuring out how to teach, how to help, even how to connect with, students who sometimes seemed as if they weren’t just from a different neighborhood but from a different planet. We must understand where our students are coming from, so we can be more sensitive to them and their needs.
Karen Holland
I love the way Mrs Cann has expressed her values on this section. It really sums up the way all of us should be teaching in the classrooms.
I also agree with J Jackson, not knowing where these children come from and what they are bringing into the classroom can change the way they will learn. By understanding a little of their situation helps us as educators to teach each and every child.
Having an understnding of the culture and values of poverty children will greatly help you teach them in the classroom. I have worked with and seen people that have no idea where these children come from. They do not have the patience or understanding to help these children. Most of the time these educators usually are more harm for the child than what they have at home.
After reading the three quizzes, I fell mostly in the Middle, I could survive in poverty, because I also have been there. ( I hope I never have to go back)
I agree with Mrs. Cann and Mrs. Hernandez (as well as the others), the hidden rule of poverty are not going to simply vanish into thin air just because we may not understand them. We have to find ways to reach our student knowing these rules exist and are very much a part of their lives.
After taking the quiz, I know I could not survive in poverty.
I also agree with Ms. Jackson. Until we gain an understanding of these rules we will never fully reach the children. I also agree with what she said about behavior. It is often easy to blame someone else for bad behavior (ex. parents). I think we must realize, as she pointed out, that many times their behavior is a reflection of how they have learned to deal with daily situations.
How often do we as educators take for granted or assume that students of poverty "should know better than that" or simply "should be aware of that"? Several years ago, I had a student who would come to class with roaches literally jumping out of his clothing and backpack. It was so bad that each day a male cutodian would assist him in shaking out his clothing and backpack before entering class. Later, a home visit revealed that his family has assumed occupancy of a vacant, abandoned, and boarded up house in a local sbdivision. They managed to rig up electricity, but there was no running water. This became home for his sick mother and immediate and extended families. Seeing first hand how this child lived made me tolerable and acceptable. The lesson for me was that this child chose to come to school daily dispite his living situation.
Then, after interacting with the three quizzes, I fell in the middle class. However, I have no doubt that coming up as a child, I lived in and survived poverty. Although my parents were hard semi-skilled workers, they had very little knowledge of the hidden rules.
Evory Johnson
Yes Mrs. Cann, understanding the values and the cultures of our students goes a long way towards us being tolerable, acceptable, and compassionate for our students.
Evory Johnson
Also, Ms. J. Jackson, you are correct. We must understand our students in order to relate to our students.
Evory Johnson
When reading Mrs. Johnson's story, I was amazed. However, as the educator, no matter how we look at the situation when the child comes to us, we have to show them that no matter how they come to us, we are there to help. In this case, the student and his family were doing the best they thought they could do. They may have felt there was no other direction to turn and felt the decision made was the best. There are a lot of people of poverty who do not know of services that are provided that could have made the situation better.
See what our children go through opens our eyes to a new world.
Janitra Jackson
After reading each of your comments, I am so glad I took this class. Yes, Mrs. Johnson, it is assumed that in many instances the students of poverty should know better or behave better. But, we know that these students act out what they live on a daily basis. We have a tough job ahead of us. However, I was once told by a music teacher that she preferred teaching students of poverty as compared to middle class students. Reason been is that students of poverty seemed to be much more appreciative of what was been presented to them than middle class students. She said that the majority of middle class students had already been exposed to whatever she was attempting to teach which made it so much more difficult to prepare effective lessons that was not boring or ineffective.
Augustine Cann
I definitely believe that understanding the mores and norms of the students we teach will enhance one's understanding of their culture and will lessen the frustration tecachers experience. Each child brings a different set of ideals and it is the responsibility of the instructiire to find the best practices that will accenttuate learning while taking into account the baggage a student may bring with them daily.
As most of our colleaugues have stated, I too believe to effectively reach our students and deal with some of the frustrating occurences we have, we should gain insight into the plight of our students. As far as being part of a particular class, I am in the middle class, but that may change as the economy changes.
The more I think about poverty in our schools, the more I realize that we must do more to help our students. Often the only exposure they have to middle class norms are when they are at school. The rules of the middle class are foreign to many of them and at times, many of us do not exhibit characteristics that should be modeled. We have to take into account that it is our inherent responsibility to not only teach students the curriculum as mandated by the state, but also acclimate them to surroundings that may be unfamiliar to them so they may ascend to a higher ground without a "fear of heights" or a fear of being rdidiculed by their peers.
We become frustrated when we don't understand something or someone. If I understand my students and their issues, I can better relate to them without making them angry and defensive. They (students) will not communicate with me if they feel I don't understand them and their situation.
After taking the quiz, I found I fall mostly in th middle class but have some familiarities with both the lower and upper class. Even though I have lived in poverty as a child, I still don't think I would be able to handle it well.
The most important thing I have learned while teaching at Robinson is the hidden values of poverty. I know when I first started teaching there I would question why the kids were certain ways. I often heard myself saying things like, "Why won't they respect my stuff?" and "Why do I have to perform for them to listen?". I went to a math workshop my second year and one of the classes was on this book. When I left the class I felt like I understood more where the kids were coming from and some of my "why" questions were answered. Now I hear other teachers say why and I can answer those pesky questions for them.
H. Gasper
I agree with Mrs. Cann. It is important to not only understand the culture and values, but also to know that they won't be changed overnight. It is important, however, to expose them to the middle class values so they have the option and opportunity to leave poverty if they choose.
H. Gasper
I agree with Mrs. Jackson. Poverty definitely has its own culture and values. It is very important that we reach the students where they are. However, it is also very important to hold them accountable for their actions and not allow them to use their culture as an excuse or "scapegoat" for their actions.
H. Gasper
Everyone has had really great comments on this, so I will just add the old saying, "knowledge is power". I am guilty of not fully realizing the dire circumstances of my students when I first began teaching (which was at Robinson). I had an incredible mentor (Evory Johnson) who did an excellent job of keying-me-in to some of the circumstances around our students. It was a real eye-opener to know some of the heartaches my students have faced.
As far as the quiz-- I was mostly in the middle, but I am FORTUNATE enough to have experienced life as both poverty and wealthy class. I am first generation college- but my parents were smart and strong-willed, so I was raised with little possessions, but always with the belief that we could always be something more. When my parents started their own company, and we came into money, I was in junior high, so much of our poorer past had shaped me (in contrast, my younger brother was still very young,and the spoiled wealthy lifestyle he was given caused issues that took him through several public and private schools, before finally ending up in a military academy out-of-state). I did my stint with the junior league, and served on committees, and wore a suit with designer pumps, and dolled with jewelry to my glass office in the finance arena for my many years. Being around all the classes has definitely provided such a unique reference for me. I know that I am a better teacher because of it.
Mr.Watson, I agree with you when you said that often the only exposure many of our students have to middle class norms are when they are at school. Some of our teachers have taken their classes to places like Red Lobster and Applebees just to get a glimpse as to how to conduct themselves in public, proper table etiquettes, and how to calculate tips and much more. Suprisingly, our students seem to do well in these types of public settings.
Augustine
Mr.Watson, I agree with you when you said that often the only exposure many of our students have to middle class norms are when they are at school. Some of our teachers have taken their classes to public eating places just to get a glimpse as to how to conduct themselves in public, proper table etiquettes, and how to calculate tips and much more. Suprisingly, our students seem to do well in these types of public settings.
Augustine
I agree with Mrs. Cann,
I have lived in poverty also and I could survive, but thank God I don't have to.
Cleoria Dunn
Again I agree with Mrs. Cann,understanding poverty will lessen the anger and frustration that educators periodically feel in the classroom setting,knowledge is powerful, we suffer from a lack of it.
Cleoria Dunn
Understanding poverty will lessen the anger and frustration that educators periodically feel in the classroom setting, because the educator understand why the child responds in the matter he/she responds in, because it is a characteristic of a person in poverty. Her/His mother responded in that way so did the grandmother sadly the child does not know any other way to respond.
Cleoria Dunn
I fell into middle class.
Cleoria Dunn
An understanding of the culture and values of poverty will lessen the anger and frustration that educators feel by allowing us to see what these children of poverty may be dealing with. It will help us understand why some children may be afraid, act out or do certain things that confuses those not understanding. I fell into the middle class after doing the quiz.
DeWanna Granger
Yes Mrs. Cann understanding the poverty in our children will go along way with how we can change our reactions towards them.
DeWanna Granger
I also agree with Mrs. Jackson. By understanding where these children come from can affect the way we teach them and the way they learn.
DeWanna Granger
I feel that every educator or person who works with children of poverty should be aware of the hidden rules that exist among classes. I looked over these rules, and I saw several things that made me realize that growing up, I was poor. I didn't really think much about it, I just knew that I didn't have as much as the other kids I went to school with. They often made fun of my brother, my sister, and I. Children need to be taught that just because you are born in poverty doesn't mean that you have to die in it. You have a choices available to you. They must be shown other alternatives to their situations. Educators have the power to do that. That is why this book is so important. I feel that the faculty and staff of schools that educate children of poverty should have book studies discussing this book. If you can learn about poverty and how it affects the children you come in contact with, only then can you appreciate the struggle these children go through daily just to survive.
Glenn Antonio Kline
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