Poverty

Is poverty curable in the classroom?

This is one of the big issues introduced in the book "A Framework for Understanding Poverty" by Ruby Payne. After explaining the social differences between the poor, the wealthy, and the beloved middle class she goes on to explain how teachers (presumably from the middle class) should cope with such issues in the classroom (which I have seen way too many of and will probably hit on in many future blog posts).

Beyond that explanation of social class (which I have problems with), the big point she seems to be getting at is that if we teach our children "middle class values" that they will become middle class. If this is not the case, the only other reasons I can think of for teaching "them" "our" values would be to:

1) We want to make students more controllable
2) We see our lifestyles as the only ones in which success and happiness can occur

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that American poverty is good. I think is disgusting. But at the same time I don't think it is necessarily a world outlook. It is often the result of huge structural factors (racism, economic displacement, et cetera) and it is often not accidental. In a contemporary sense it is not necessarily accidental either.

She does end on a point that I can agree with: all children (and people in general) should be given the option to embrace middle class values. As a teacher I will try to implement some of her suggestions for no other reason than give some of my students that choice. I will be a resource to those who want it. At the same time I'm not fooling myself into believing that these values will save them. The only thing that can get them out of poverty is them, with or without those vales and "hidden rules".