1. Understanding Poverty Presented by: Jolee Corey & Leann Svir

2. Teachers don’t need to come from their student’s cultures to be able to teach them, but empathy and cultural knowledge are essential. Eric Jensen

3. Objectives Participants will… Analyze key points of poverty and how it pertains specifically to GFPS Understand generational vs. situational poverty Explain language registers Give examples of student resources and support systems Identify student behaviors and effective discipline strategies Explain why relationships are KEY to student success

4. Growing With Great Falls Public Schools DOMAIN 1 Planning & Preparation

5. Poverty vs. Low Income PovertyPoverty: Income below the federal poverty level (FPL), $24,250 per year for a family of four in 2015. Low-incomeLow-income: Income 200 percent above of the federal poverty level (FPL); $48,500 per year for a family of four in 2015. Issued by US Department of Health and Human Services

6. Key Points about Poverty Poverty is relative. Poverty occurs in all races and in all countries. Generational poverty and situational poverty are different. An individual brings with him/her the hidden rules of the class in which he/she was raised. For success in students, we must understand their hidden rules and teach them the rules that will make them successful. Schools and businesses operate from middle-class norms and use the hidden rules of middle class. We can neither excuse students nor scold them for not knowing; we must teach them. To move from any class, an individual must give up relationships for achievement. Getting an education is key to moving out of poverty.

7. Poverty in Great Falls Public Schools *Based on 2014 - 2015 Free/Reduced Lunch Statistics Elementary Schools Total Poverty Longfellow79 % Whittier74 % ELF68 % Sunnyside63 % Roosevelt62 % Mountain View56 % West 55 % Chief Joseph55 % Valley View55 % Lewis and Clark51 % Morningside47 % Lincoln 46 % Sacajawea 35 % Riverview34 % Loy34 % Meadowlark 12 % *BOLD indicates Title 1

8. Poverty in GFPS cont… Middle Schools Total Poverty EMS53 % NMS36 % High Schools PGEC44 % GFHS41 % CMR23 % Total Poverty in GFPS 44% This percentage has remained stable for several years.

9. Characteristics of Poverty Generational PovertyGenerational Poverty is defined as being in poverty for at least two generations. **Has it’s own hidden rules, culture, and belief system Situational PovertySituational Poverty is defined as lack of resources due to a specific event.

10. Family Patterns in middle class SusanDavidJoy KJES O R M M. 1972Divorced 1985M. 1987 M. 1994 Lineage is traceable and a linear pattern can be found

11. Family Patterns in Generational Poverty Jolyn Husband #1 Husband #2 Wife #2 Willy daughter Husband #3 child son Shea Live-in Female lover Son(13 years old) daughter Wife #1 child Wife #2 Mother is the center of the organization, the family radiates from the center

12. “School Starts at 8:00” Video With Rita F. Pierson

13. Schools can help turn children’s lives around, but only if they show up. Eric Jensen

14. Definitions and Resources Mental Resources: being able to process information and use it in daily living. Spiritual Resources: the belief that help can be obtained from a higher power. Physical Resources: having a body that works, that is capable and mobile. Emotional Resources: being able to choose and control emotional responses, particularly to negative situations. Support System: a resource both financially as well as emotionally. Relationship/Role Models: a resource, it is largely from role models that a person learns how to live life emotionally. Knowledge of Hidden Rules: the unspoken understandings that cue members of the same class in which they live. Financial Resources: having the money to purchase goods and services.

15. Role Models and Emotional Resources Functional System A group in which individuals have rules, roles and relationships. Dysfunctional System The extent to which an individual cannot get his/her needs met within a system.

16. “Tammy’s Story” PBS Video

17. Support Systems The friends, family, and backup resources that can be accessed in times of need. –Coping Strategies –Options during problem solving –Information and know how –Temporary relief from constraints –Connections to other people and resources –Positive self-talk –Procedural self-talk

18. Children living in poverty tend to spend less time finding out about the world around them and more time struggling to survive within it. Eric Jensen

19. The Role of Language and Story Registers of Language RegisterExplanation Frozen Language that is always the same. Formal Standard sentence for work and school. Complete sentences/specific word choice Consultative Formal register when used in conversation. Not as direct as formal. Casual Word choice is general and not specific. Conversation depends on non-verbal cues. Sentences may be incomplete. Intimate Language between lovers and twins. Language of sexual harassment.

20. Language registers RULE You can go one register down in the same conversation, and that is socially accepted. However, to drop two registers or more in the same conversation is to be socially offensive. When we ask students to move from casual to formal register, we need to model and teach it.

21. Children raised in poverty rarely choose to behave differently, but they are faced daily with overwhelming challenges that affluent children never have to confront, and their brains have adapted to suboptimal conditions in ways that undermine good school performance. Eric Jensen

22. Growing With Great Falls Public Schools DOMAIN 2 The Classroom Enviornment

23. Behavior related to Poverty Laughs when disciplined Argues loudly with the teacher Angry responses Inappropriate or vulgar comments Physically fights Hands always on someone else Cannot follow directions Extremely disorganized Completes only part of a task Disrespectful to teachers or other adults Harms other students, verbally or physically Cheats or steals Talks incessantly

24. Emotional Responses Joy Anger Surprise Disgust Sadness Fear These are the hardwired responses that do not need to be taught.

25. To shift your own responses to inappropriate behavior, reframe your thinking: expect students to be impulsive, to blurt inappropriate language, and to act “disrespectful” until you teach them stronger social and emotional skills and until the social conditions at your school make it attractive not to do those things. Eric Jensen

26. School Culture Change the school’s culture from pity to empathy. Every proper response that you do not see at your school is one that you need to be teaching. Demonstrate appropriate emotional responses.

27. All other responses must be taught. They can include: Cooperation Patience Embarrassment Empathy Gratitude Forgiveness

28. Discipline

29. Structure and Choice: the two anchors of any effective discipline program that moves students to self- governance. STRUCTURE: the program has to clearly identify expected behaviors and the probable consequences of not choosing those behaviors. CHOICE: to follow or not to follow the expected behaviors. With each choice comes a consequence Desirable or not desirable

30. The Language of Negotiation The voice you start with determines the outcome. The child voiceThe adult voiceThe parent voice

31. The Child Voice Defensive, victimized, emotional, whining, losing attitude, strongly negative, non-verbal Quit picking on me. You don’t love me. You want me to leave. Nobody likes (loves) me. I hate you. You’re ugly. You make me sick. She/he….did it.

32. The Parent Voice Authoritative, directive, judgmental, evaluative, win- lose mentality, demanding, punitive, sometimes threatening You shouldn’t (should) do that. It’s wrong (right) to do… That’s stupid, immature, out of line, ridiculous… Life’s not fair…get busy. You do as I say. If you weren’t so…. this wouldn’t happen to you. Why can’t you be like….

33. The Adult Voice Non-judgmental, free of negative, non-verbal, factual, often in question format, attitude of win- win In what ways could this be resolved? I would like to recommend… What are choices in this situation? I am comfortable (uncomfortable) with… Options that could be considered are… We agree to disagree. These are the consequences of that choice/action…

34. Tips for Dealing with Parents Use the Adult Voice. Serve snacks, coffee, soft drinks. In generational poverty, weakness is not respected. Do not show fear. Use stories whenever possible. Say: “I know you love and care for your child. What can we do so that you know we do as well?” Remember that often a conference is reported back to the neighborhood!

35. Instruction and Improving Achievement Low achievement is closely correlated with lack of resources, and numerous studies have documented the correlation between low socioeconomic status and low achievement.

36. Why an education? You need to learn this or do this so you can… Be in control Be smarter Win more often Not be cheated Be safe

37. “If life experiences can change poor kids for the worse, can’t life experiences also change them for the better?” Eric Jensen

38. Growing With Great Falls Public Schools DOMAIN 4 Professional Responsibilities

39. Creating Relationships The key to achievement for students from poverty is in creating relationships with them. When students who have been in poverty are asked how they made the journey, the answer nine times out of 10, has to do with a relationship. A teacher, counselor, or coach who took interest in them as an individual.

40. Steps to Creating relationships 1.Make the deposits that are the basis of relationships. 2.Understand that deposits are valued by students from poverty and the relationship becomes stronger. 3.The school helps by promoting student achievement, being role models, insisting on successful behavior. **Creating healthy relationships will not work on all students, but 5% of the students is better than none. When we look back, we will remember the relationships in school, not the great lesson that was taught in geometry class.

41. “No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship” Dr. James Comer