Learning in the Midst of Poverty
Post submitted by whole child blogger Paulina Malek, a senior majoring in magazine journalism at Temple University. She hopes to report on poverty, race relations, and animal rights issues in the future.
About 15 percent of Americans are living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This number also includes millions of students who are coping with its stressors daily. In his ASCD Annual Conference session "Highly Effective Teaching with Poverty in Mind," Eric Jensen discussed shifting attitudes about students who experience poverty and techniques educators can use to help them achieve success. Jensen, a staff developer, educator, and author, uses research-based strategies to train educators in brain-based learning.
In his session, Jensen first dispelled a myth regarding the relationship between education and poverty in the classroom. One stereotype suggests that individuals of lower socioeconomic status don't care about education as much as those in middle and upper classes. Jensen explains that some people of lower socioeconomic status actually work longer hours or multiple jobs, and so their schedules conflict with events like parent-teacher conferences. In other words, lack of time is the issue, not lack of interest.
Stress is an important factor for students who are experiencing poverty. Although Jensen said some stress can