1. Cultural Responsiveness: Building an Understanding of Poverty Based on the research of Dr. Ruby Payne and her 15+ years of research on the framework of poverty. Wednesday, August 8, 2012 Presenter: Lana Schymos, LPC, Certified Framework of Poverty Trainer

2. Cultural Responsiveness Objectives for Today O The learner will be able to: O Identify family functioning within the frameworks of poverty. O Gain an understanding of the various Resources an individual/family may or may not possess. O Gain an understanding of the “Hidden Rules” among Classes O Gain an understanding of Register and Voice within Language and Communication O Gain an overview of discipline within the framework of generational poverty

3. Could you survive in poverty? Quiz

4. Overview & Statistics Key Points -- Poverty Relative Cross- Cultural Economics Two Sets of Rules Teach Them Bring Hidden Rules with Them Generational and Situational Poverty - Different All Races Patterns Schools Use Middle Class Norms Reasons to Leave Poverty Moving Out of Poverty Relationships for Achievement

5. Key Points to Remember About Poverty O Poverty is relative. O Poverty occurs in all races and in all countries. O Economic class is a continuous line, not a clear cut distinction. O Generational poverty and situational poverty are different. O Researchers on this topic look at patterns. All patterns have exceptions.

6. Generational vs. Situational Poverty O Generational poverty is defined as having been in poverty for at least two generations; however the characteristics begin to surface much sooner than two generations if the family lives with others who are from generational poverty. O Situational Poverty is defined as a lack of resources due to a particular event (i.e. death, chronic illness, divorce, etc.)

7. Poverty defined : O The extent to which an individual does without resources.

8. Resources FINANCIAL Having the money to purchase goods and services. EMOTIONAL Being able to choose and control emotional responses, particularly to negative situations, without engaging in self- destructive behavior. This is an internal resource and shows itself through stamina, perseverance, and choices. MENTAL Having the mental abilities and acquired skills (reading, writing, computing) to deal with daily life. SPIRITUAL Believing in divine purpose and guidance.

9. Resources PHYSICAL Having physical health and mobility. SUPPORT SYSTEMS Having friends, family, and backup resources available to access in times of need. These are external resources. RELATIONSHIPS/ROLE MODELS Having frequent access to adult(s) who are appropriate, who are nurturing to the child, and who do not engage in self-destructive behavior. KNOWLEDGE OF HIDDEN RULES Knowing the unspoken cues and habits of a group.

10. Key Points to Remember O An individual brings with him/her the hidden rules of the class in which s/he was raised. O Schools and businesses operate from middle-class norms and use the hidden rules of the middle class O For our students to be successful, we must understand their hidden rules and teach them the rules that will make them successful at school. O For us to best engage students and their families, we must meet them where they are and help them build the resources they need to function more successfully.

11. Hidden Rules of Class POVERTYMIDDLE CLASS POSSESSIONS People.Things. MONEY To be used, spent.To be managed. PERSONALITY Is for entertainment. Sense of humor is highly valued. Is for acquisition and stability. Achievement is highly valued. SOCIAL EMPHASIS Social inclusion of the people they like. Emphasis is on self-governance and self- sufficiency. FOOD Key question: Did you have enough? Quantity important. Key question: Did you like it? Quality important. CLOTHING Clothing valued for individual style and expression of personality. Clothing valued for its quality and acceptance into the norms of middle class. Label important. TIME Present most important. Decisions made for moment based on feelings or survival. Future most important. Decisions made against future ramifications.

12. Hidden Rules of Poverty POVERTYMIDDLE CLASS EDUCATION Valued and revered as abstract but not as reality. Education is about facts. Crucial for climbing success ladder and making money. DESTINY Believes in fate. Cannot do much to mitigate chance. Believes in choice. Can change future with good choices now. LANGUAGE Casual register. Language is about survival. Formal register. Language is about negotiation. FAMILY STRUCTURE Tends to be matriarchal.Tends to be patriarchal. WORLD VIEW Sees world in terms of local setting.Sees world in terms of national setting. LOVE Love and acceptance conditional, based on whether individual is liked. Love and acceptance conditional, based largely on achievement. DRIVING FORCES Survival, relationships, entertainment.Work and achievement.

13. Key Points to Remember O We can neither excuse students (and families) nor scold them for not knowing; as educators we must teach them and provide support, insistence, and expectations. O To move from poverty to middle class or middle class to wealth, an individual must give up relationships for achievement (at least for some period of time).

14. Some Statistics About Poverty O Regardless of race, children who grow up in poor families are much more likely to suffer developmental delays, to drop out of high school, and to give birth during the teen years. O Poverty prone children are more likely to be in single-parent families. Median female wages in the U.S. at all educational attainment, are 30 to 50% lower than male wages at the same educational attainment. O Poverty is caused by interrelated factors: parental employment status and earnings, family structure, and parental education.

15. Things to Consider When Working with Parents/Guardians: O Don’t confuse physical presence with involvement. O Research indicates: When a parent provides support, insistence, and expectations to a child, the presence or absence of a child in the physical school building is immaterial. How do we increase parent understanding of this?

16. Things to Consider: O Uncertainty about how to act/behave in a school setting; discomfort stemming from their own unpleasant experiences in school O View the parent population as being in sub- groups that have specific goals, demands, and needs rather than as one mass group with the same goals, demands, needs across the board.

17. Parental Sub-Groups (7) O 1) Career-oriented/too busy to attend school activities O 2) Very involved in school activities O 3) Single parents working two jobs/too busy to attend O 4) Immigrant parents with language issues O 5) parents with overwhelming personal issues, such as addition, illness, incarceration, evading the law O 6) Surrogate parents: foster parents, grandparents, et al. O 7) Children who, in effect, are their own parents; they no longer have involved parents or guardians

19. General Rule of Thumb Among affluent parents: O Safety O Expertise O Legalities O Coping strategies Among parents from poverty: Caring Winning, Being smarter Not getting cheated

20. Working with Parents from Poverty – What to Consider O 1 ) Mutual Respect O 2 ) Casual Register (and Voice) O 3) How Discipline Is Used in the Household O 4) How Time is Viewed O 5) The Role of School and Education in Their Lives

21. REGISTEREXPLANATION FROZEN Language that is always the same. For example: Lord’s Prayer, wedding vows, etc. FORMAL The standard sentence syntax and word choice of work and school. Has complete sentences and specific word choices. CONSULTATIVE Formal register when used in conversation. Discourse pattern not quite as direct as formal register. CASUAL Language between friends and is characterized by a 400 to 800 word vocabulary. Word choice general and not specific. Conversation dependent upon non-verbal assists. Sentence syntax often incomplete. INTIMATE Language between lovers or twins. Language of sexual harassment.

22. Story Structures FORMAL Middle BeginningEnd PLOT CASUAL _______ _______ ________ ^ ^ ^ Characterization

23. Casual Register O Heavy reliance on “win” or “lose”. O “Learning this will help your child win more often.” O “The mind is a mental weapon that no one can take from you.” O “If you do this, your child will be smarter and won’t get cheated or tricked.” O “This info will keep your child safer.” O “I know you love and care about your child very much or you wouldn’t be here….” (sincere) O “Learning this will help make your child more money.”

24. VOICE (Eric Berne – Transactional Analysis) (Critical) - PARENT - (Nurturing) ADULT CHILD

25. How Discipline Is Used O Parents often have just two voices – to move a child to self-governance, adult voice is needed O Vacillates from permissive to punitive – mood, gender, etc. O Harsh punishment = greater forgiveness and a stronger younger person

26. 10 Essential Strategies for Teaching and Building Relationships with At-Risk Students 1) Know yourself (especially your limitations, strengths and biases). 2) Build positive and structured relationships with students 3) Present clear expectations and boundaries from the beginning. 4) Separate the student from his or her choices and behavior. 5) Give students a way out or the ability to have a clean slate (Decist).

27. 10 Strategies continued 6 ) Recognize that negative behaviors are serving a purpose. 7) Always, always believe in the best in them. 8) Let your students feel successful and join in the celebration. 9) Develop an emotionally and physically safe place for learning. 10) Build yourself a positive support system.

28. Copyright © 2005 aha! Process, Inc. www.ahaprocess.com OHT 28 DEPOSITS MADE TO INDIVIDUAL IN POVERTY WITHDRAWALS MADE FROM INDIVIDUAL IN POVERTY Appreciation for humor and entertainment provided by the individual Put-downs or sarcasm about the humor or individual Acceptance of what the individual cannot say about a person or situation Insistence and demands for full explanation about a person or situation Respect for the demands and priorities of relationships Insistence on the middle-class view of relationships Using the adult voice Using the parent voice Assisting with goal-setting Telling the individual his/her goals Identifying options related to available resources Making judgments on the value and availability of resources Understanding the importance of personal freedom, speech, and individual personality Assigning pejorative character traits to the individual DEPOSITS WITHDRAWALS Seeking first to understand Seeking first to be understood Keeping promises Breaking promises Kindnesses, courtesies Unkindnesses, discourtesies Clarifying expectations Violating expectations Loyalty to the absent Disloyalty, duplicity Apologies Pride, conceit, arrogance Open to feedback Rejecting feedback Creating Relationships

29. O Use Specific Praise, not General Praise O Be Genuine O Help Develop Capable (Young) People: 1) Perception of Capability 2) Perception of Significance 3) Perception of Having Influence Over One’s Life 4) Interpersonal Skills 5) Intrapersonal Skills 6) Systemic Skills 7) Judgment Skills

30. Professional Resources O Ruby Payne’s website ahaprocess.com O Book: A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Dr. Ruby Payne O Book: Working with Families by Ruby Payne O Book: Bridges Out of Poverty - ahaprocess.com O Developing Capable Young People (DCYP) by H. Stephen Glenn O Book: Positive Discipline by Jane Nelsen O Book: Raising a Self-Reliant Child in a Self- Indulgent World