Courageous Conversation about Race and Poverty

Four Agreements Stay Engaged Experience Discomfort Speak Your Truth Expect/ Accept Non-Closure

What do you think of when you hear the word “race”? Race is socially constructed meaning to a variety of physical attributes including but not limited to skin, eye color, hair texture, and bone structures of people Have a table conversation about this word. Also talk about why is this conversation very difficult to talk about?

Racism is beliefs and enactment of beliefs that one set of characteristics is superior to another set ( e.g. white skin, blonde hair and blue eyes are more beautiful than brown skin , brown eyes, and brown hair). Why do you believe racism exist?

Racist is anyone who has a hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. Can people of color be racist? In order to be a racist you must have the three P. Power, Privilege a Prejudice. Many people of color are bigots but not racist because many do not have the power or privilege to chance policies or procedures.

Why must there be Passion, Practice and Persistence when discussing differences? Passion is defined as the level of connectedness educators bring to anti-racism work and to district, school or classroom equity transformation. We talk about Passion, Practice and Persistence at our last face to face class. Have a conversation with your table group and discuss your level of passion when it comes to anti-racism work.

Practice refers to the essential individual and institutional actions taken to effectively educate every student to his or her full potential. Persistence involves time and energy. Persistence at the institutional level is the willingness of a school system to “stick with it” despite slow results. Share with your table again some of the practices you use to effectively educate every student. While you are discussing your practices, talk about your level of persistence. What do you do to have that stick with it mentality?

Reflection What can you recall about the events and conversations related to race, race relations, and/or racism that may have impacted your current perspective and or experiences? This reflection is posted on the discussion page. Answer this reflection on the discussion page and respond to two other participants. This should be posted by Friday, June 10, 2011.

To what extent does being white impact your personal life? Reflection To what extent does being white impact your personal life? Let’s have an open dialog about this question. How does being in the dominate culture impacts your personal life?

Reflection Consider your own affiliations, such as your workplace, religious institution, social club and recreational places that you frequent. What is the racial composition? If racial diversity exists, are tensions present due to race or racial differences? In what ways has this been addressed or not addressed? If little racial diversity exist, why is this the case? Here is another piece for the discussion tab. Respond to this reflection. Then respond to other participants. This should be completed by June 10, 2011.

Equity Terms Institutionalized Racism- Racism becomes institutionalized when organization remain unconscious of issues related to race. Here are some equity terms that we want you to become familiar with. While we are lecturing on the these terms, think of some incidents that you observed in your life as a women or teachers that matches these definitions.

Equity Terms Anti-racism can be defined as conscious and deliberate efforts to challenge the impact and perpetuation of institutional White racial power.

Equity Terms Educational Equity is raising the achievement of all students while narrowing the gaps and elimination the racial predictability and disproportionality of student groups.

Multi-racial in America Multiracial in America - U.S. news - Gut Check - msnbc.com Using the Four A Protocol, view the video and complete the protocol. We will discuss it after.

Break

Key Point Poverty occurs in all races. Poverty occurs in all races. Poverty is increasing; the disparity between the wealthy and the poor is growing. This is the fourth time in the history of the United States that the disparity has been this great. The level of educational attainment and family structure correlates with the level of poverty: These two impact children the most. The second point is that poverty occurs in all races. All races have poor, wealthy, and middle class. What we know right now in the United States is that about the greatest number and the greatest percentage of people in poverty are children. A child is defined as anybody under the age of 18. Poverty in 2001 was established at $17,600 for a family of four. The greatest number of children in poverty are white, but the greatest percentage is by minority group. The minority group with the highest percentage of child poverty seems to be Native American, followed by African American, followed by Hispanic, followed by Asian, followed by Caucasian. About one of five of children in the U.S. is living in poverty. Child poverty is growing fastest in rural areas and first-ring suburbs. There are two reasons: education of parents and family structure. There are five main reasons for poverty in the United States. The first reason is the educational attainment level of the adult. The second reason: family structure. The third one is immigration. The fourth is language issues. And the fifth reason is the addiction issues of the adult or adults in the home.

Persons in Family or Household What are the poverty guidelines? Persons in Family or Household 2008 2007 1 $10,400 $10,210 2 $14,000 $13,690 3 $17,600 $17,170 4 $21,200 $20,650 5 $24,800 $24,130 6 $28,400 $27,610 7 $32,000 $31,090 8 $35,600 $34,570 Sue and Pat Passed out random grouping cards. Assign each group a house hold number. Have the group create a budget that includes: Budget for a year Rent Food Utilities Transportation Childcare Clothing Education Entertainment What aha did you come away with? Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2008). The 2008 HHS Poverty Guidelines. http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtml

Does the percentage of children in low-income families vary by where the children live? Type of Area 48% of children in urban areas—9.4 million—live in low-income families. 31% of children in suburban areas—9.9 million—live in low-income families. 47% of children in rural areas—5.2 million—live in low-income families. © National Center for Children in Poverty. Basic Facts About Low-Income Children: Birth to Age 18. Source: National Center for Children in Poverty. www.nccp.org/publications/pub_762.html 18

Understanding Differences It is essential to separate cultural issues of poverty from issues of race or ethnicity. People of poverty-irrespective of race- have their own unique set of behaviors, beliefs and ways of living that is transmitted from generation to generation. Educators must be willing to accept differences in learning readiness and preparation as well as behavioral and communication styles that students bring to school. Educators must not assume that all students should come with the types of behaviors values, social and material resources, and world views that may be the norm in middle class. Take a moment to read each statement. On the back of your Four A Protocol, divide your paper in half. Label one agree and the other side disagree. Under agree, write why you agree with any of the statements and under disagree write you disagree with any of the statements.

Acceptance of the Difference that Students Bring True acceptance recognizes that the behavior of some may be quite different from what is normally expected. Recognize Middle Class Values It is helpful for educators who come from the middle class to recognize middle class values. Most teachers are females who are ethnically and socio-economically different from the students they teach in poor communities. Educators may be similar in ethnicity and may have come from the culture of poverty but adopted middle class values and sometimes have difficulty relating to students from poverty. How can we as educators truly accept our students who behaviors are quite different from what is normally expected? What do we mean by middle class values?

Reflection How does your school ensure that all students have equitable opportunities to learn and achieve at the highest level possible? This reflection is posted on the wiki on the discussion tab. Answer this question and respond to two to other participants.

Discussion Questions What are your beliefs regarding children and families from the culture of poverty? How do your beliefs impact your empathy for these children and your acceptance for the differences that may be frustrating? Random grouping. Once you are grouped have a discussion about these two questions

Take a look at this clip when the teacher meets the parent and his reaction. Did his expression tell on him?

Visualize the world from which your most difficult students come. Select a student that you have now or in the past. Draw a visual representation of that student’s world. Think about his home, his family structure, resources and support systems. Lesson 4 Give out drawing paper and markers

Accommodating Differences in the Approach to Instruction The culture of poverty fosters a dependence on family and community To respond… The wise teacher will nurture a family relationship in the classroom that encourages interdependence and collaboration among students. Educators foster positive relationships with the families of all students Accommodation involves going to families if they are reluctant to come to the school. Teachers provide meaningful activities that students can do at home. Lesson 3

Are you willing to go to the home?

All Children Can Learn Teachers will succeed when they believe and know that all children can learn, no matter where they come from. There must be a match between how students of poverty function in the classroom with how they function in their world. Learning activities must build on the strengths of individual students. Lesson 3

Why is it important to affirm the strengths of students from poverty? Consider this…. Why is it important to affirm the strengths of students from poverty? Affirming Differences Affirming differences and recognizing strengths within children from poverty will bridge the gap to help boost them to higher levels of achievement in school Do not place students at a disadvantage Schools cannot close economic disparities, but they must ensure that differential preparation does not place some students at a disadvantage.

Discussion Questions How is it that schools are designed to benefit the HAVES and how they continue to make it difficult for the HAVE-NOTS? How can schools make accommodations that affirm students who come from the culture of poverty? Answer these two questions on the discussion tab. Then respond to two other participants on this topic.