How Poverty
Affects Education
Objective:
Objective:
- Understand the ways poverty may impact education
Experts agree that poverty can have a negative impact on a student's experience with education.
Experts agree that poverty can have a negative impact on a student's experience with education.
"Research suggests that living in poverty during early childhood is associated with lower-than-average academic performance that begins in kindergarten and extends through high school, leading to lower-than-average rates of school completion" (NCES, 2019, para. 1).
"Research suggests that living in poverty during early childhood is associated with lower-than-average academic performance that begins in kindergarten and extends through high school, leading to lower-than-average rates of school completion" (NCES, 2019, para. 1).
"Chronic exposure to poverty affects the areas of the brain responsible for memory, impulse regulation, visuospatial actions, language, cognitive capacity, and conflict" (Jensen, 2019, p. 7).
"Chronic exposure to poverty affects the areas of the brain responsible for memory, impulse regulation, visuospatial actions, language, cognitive capacity, and conflict" (Jensen, 2019, p. 7).
"Students have a greater chance to achieve in school when they have positive experiences in school. Teachers can change the course of a student's educational pathway when they realize they have the power to do so" (Jensen, 2019, p.61).
"Students have a greater chance to achieve in school when they have positive experiences in school. Teachers can change the course of a student's educational pathway when they realize they have the power to do so" (Jensen, 2019, p.61).
Jensen, 2019, p. 99
Stop, Think, and Journal
Stop, Think, and Journal
In your reflective journal, choose two words from the positive climate and note ways you can promote them in your classroom. Choose two words from the negative climate and determine how you would eliminate them from your classroom.
In your reflective journal, choose two words from the positive climate and note ways you can promote them in your classroom. Choose two words from the negative climate and determine how you would eliminate them from your classroom.
Activity:
Activity:
Look at the video to the right and create a graphic organizer which includes three factors that the teacher can control within the classroom setting. Prioritize the factors starting with the most important factor. Explain your rationale for your prioritization.
Look at the video to the right and create a graphic organizer which includes three factors that the teacher can control within the classroom setting. Prioritize the factors starting with the most important factor. Explain your rationale for your prioritization.
Responsive Education
Responsive Education
Students living with poverty do come to school with significant obstacles. However, there are multiple strategies teachers can implement in their classrooms to help. Read below to discover seven ways educators can help combat the negative impact of poverty on student engagement and achievement.
Students living with poverty do come to school with significant obstacles. However, there are multiple strategies teachers can implement in their classrooms to help. Read below to discover seven ways educators can help combat the negative impact of poverty on student engagement and achievement.
1. Health and nutrition - "...the two primary foods for the brain are oxygen and glucose; oxygen reacts with glucose to produce energy for cell function" (Jensen, 2013, para. 10).
1. Health and nutrition - "...the two primary foods for the brain are oxygen and glucose; oxygen reacts with glucose to produce energy for cell function" (Jensen, 2013, para. 10).
Classroom practice: Move! Integrate opportunities for students to actively participate in lessons. Consider mindfulness practices, guided stretching, and encouraging students to breathe deeply when upset. Also, resist the practice of withholding recess as a means of discipline.
Classroom practice: Move! Integrate opportunities for students to actively participate in lessons. Consider mindfulness practices, guided stretching, and encouraging students to breathe deeply when upset. Also, resist the practice of withholding recess as a means of discipline.
Free-Images.com
Resource article for Movement in the Classroom
Resource article for Movement in the Classroom
Pexels.com
2. Vocabulary - Children from lower socioeconomic homes typically have significantly less vocabulary words in their repertoire which impacts learning, memory, and cognition. (Jensen, 2013)
2. Vocabulary - Children from lower socioeconomic homes typically have significantly less vocabulary words in their repertoire which impacts learning, memory, and cognition. (Jensen, 2013)
Classroom practice: Be intentional. Choose texts with unknown vocabulary words to discuss during lessons and encourage the use of those words in student conversations and writings. Offer additional opportunities through programs such as a word of the week or through print and electronic resource studies such as dictionary and thesaurus use.
Classroom practice: Be intentional. Choose texts with unknown vocabulary words to discuss during lessons and encourage the use of those words in student conversations and writings. Offer additional opportunities through programs such as a word of the week or through print and electronic resource studies such as dictionary and thesaurus use.
Resource for Vocabulary Building Strategies
Resource for Vocabulary Building Strategies
3. Effort - "...the passive 'I give up' posture may actually be learned helplessness shown for decades in the research as a symptom of a stress disorder and depression" (Jensen, 2013, para. 17).
3. Effort - "...the passive 'I give up' posture may actually be learned helplessness shown for decades in the research as a symptom of a stress disorder and depression" (Jensen, 2013, para. 17).
Classroom practice: Focus on effort. Though it is tempting to tell students they are smart, such praise can be easily dismissed in the student's mind. Instead, use phrases such as, "I saw how focused you were during your reading," or "You mentioned this was a difficult assignment, but you never gave up!" Also, maintain high expectations and help students set and strive toward those goals.
Classroom practice: Focus on effort. Though it is tempting to tell students they are smart, such praise can be easily dismissed in the student's mind. Instead, use phrases such as, "I saw how focused you were during your reading," or "You mentioned this was a difficult assignment, but you never gave up!" Also, maintain high expectations and help students set and strive toward those goals.
Unsplash.com
Angela Duckworth TED Talk on Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Angela Duckworth TED Talk on Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Unsplash.com
4. Hope and growth mindset - "Taken together, hope-or the lack of hope-and mindset-whether you believe that you're simply born smart or that you can grow in intelligence along the way-can be either significant assets or serious liabilities" (Jensen, 2013, para. 27).
4. Hope and growth mindset - "Taken together, hope-or the lack of hope-and mindset-whether you believe that you're simply born smart or that you can grow in intelligence along the way-can be either significant assets or serious liabilities" (Jensen, 2013, para. 27).
Classroom practice: Tap into the power of "yet." Help students understand that brains grow and change. Model and encourage mindsets that resist the notion of permanent conditions. Finally, provide high-quality feedback which addresses current levels of performance paired with actionable suggestions for improvement.
Classroom practice: Tap into the power of "yet." Help students understand that brains grow and change. Model and encourage mindsets that resist the notion of permanent conditions. Finally, provide high-quality feedback which addresses current levels of performance paired with actionable suggestions for improvement.
Carol Dweck Video on Growth Mindset
Carol Dweck Video on Growth Mindset
5. Cognition - Some students from lower socioeconomic demonstrate difficulties including shorter attention spans, higher distractibility, struggles self-monitoring work quality, and problem-solving. (Jensen, 2013)
5. Cognition - Some students from lower socioeconomic demonstrate difficulties including shorter attention spans, higher distractibility, struggles self-monitoring work quality, and problem-solving. (Jensen, 2013)
Classroom practice: Teach mental methods. Help students build metacognitive skills academically through thinking aloud when modeling tasks. Also, consider dedicating a few minutes each day to guiding students through mindfulness practices.
Classroom practice: Teach mental methods. Help students build metacognitive skills academically through thinking aloud when modeling tasks. Also, consider dedicating a few minutes each day to guiding students through mindfulness practices.
Pexels.com
Resources for Metacognitive Strategies
Resources for Metacognitive Strategies
Free-Images.com
6. Relationships - "Children with unstable home lives are particularly in need of strong, positive, caring adults. The more you care, the better the foundation for interventions" (Jensen, 2013, para. 41).
6. Relationships - "Children with unstable home lives are particularly in need of strong, positive, caring adults. The more you care, the better the foundation for interventions" (Jensen, 2013, para. 41).
Classroom practice: Build positive relationships. Learn names and use them kindly. Communicate interest in student's lives outside the classroom, and share your own life.
Classroom practice: Build positive relationships. Learn names and use them kindly. Communicate interest in student's lives outside the classroom, and share your own life.
Resource Article for Building Relationships
Resource Article for Building Relationships
7. Distress - Children living in poverty tend to experience greater amounts of toxic stress (distress) which impacts immune systems, brain development, academic performance, social competence, attention control, impulsivity regulation, and working memory. (Jensen, 2013)
7. Distress - Children living in poverty tend to experience greater amounts of toxic stress (distress) which impacts immune systems, brain development, academic performance, social competence, attention control, impulsivity regulation, and working memory. (Jensen, 2013)
Classroom practice: Implement trauma-informed strategies, integrate physical activity into lessons, help students understand and intentionally assert control over their choices, and teach and model personal and academic problem-solving. (Jensen, 2013)
Classroom practice: Implement trauma-informed strategies, integrate physical activity into lessons, help students understand and intentionally assert control over their choices, and teach and model personal and academic problem-solving. (Jensen, 2013)
Pexels.com
Stop, Think, and Journal
Stop, Think, and Journal
Which classroom practice most resonates with you and why? Choose two responsive educational practices described above and explain how you can implement in your current teaching role.
Which classroom practice most resonates with you and why? Choose two responsive educational practices described above and explain how you can implement in your current teaching role.
Please click link below for a printable version of Responsive Education practices discussed throughout this section.
Please click link below for a printable version of Responsive Education practices discussed throughout this section.