As a case study, Ruby Payne’s “A Framework for Understanding Poverty, is well-researched and topically comprehensive. As a sociological handbook with ‘practical yet compassionate strategies for addressing impact on people’s lives’ it is more prescriptive than any such resource should claim to be.
While the observation-based generalizations in which Payne made regarding the characteristics of generational vs. situational poverty seem to be accurate or at least representative of my own observations many generalizations are misappropriated as facts. Specifically, the ‘Deposits, Withdrawals’ chart on pg.111 can be easily reciprocated from lower to middle class. While I agree that mannerisms for living (such as importance of matriarchal structure, identity tied to lover/fighter role for men) can be positively influenced through mentoring from someone who has made the transition to the higher economic class- the references that intend to define specific mannerisms (‘mating dance,’ ‘negative orientation’) were more theoretical than factual.
While “A Framework for Understanding Poverty” does not in and of itself equip me with the understanding I need to both emphasize and educate my students it does provide a register to interpret the results from the anonymous student survey and a language to articulate the responses that they so candidly put forth.
Perhaps, the greatest shortcoming of Ruby Payne’s book is that she juxtaposes credible researches with sources that are commercial rather than academic.
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Student-Centered vs. Teacher Centered
Now that I’ve had two full weeks to observe the personality dynamic of my classrooms, I’ve been able to strategically pick students helpers that will both self-regulate their individual sense ownership for the classroom and their learning as well as provoke other student’s sense of self.
- This implementation alone has helped to:
- Maximize the organizational structure of my classroom
- Channel the influence (both positive and negative) into necessarily positive, leadership roles.
Other management practices that prove to be timelessly true and effective:
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Parent Phone Calls
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Documentation
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Calm Discipline
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CONSISTENCY!
Still, however, I have a long way to go before I may consider myself even proficiently effective:
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Organization (Personal & Student)
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Higher Expectations (More Homework Every Night)
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Grading / Giving Back Papers Immediately
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Consistency!
It has been said time and time again that the second year of teaching is infinitely better. For whatever reason, I never did believe that this generalization would apply to me. Three weeks into teaching at the same alternative middle school, I may personally affirm this to be true.
Although, I cannot yet, pinpoint exactly why it is better-the most initial factor that comes to mind is a newfound mental calmness that allows me to more effectively address rather than react to situations. Specifically, I have learned to exhibit a type of 'calm discipline' that allows me to give consequences, address behavior, and follow through with this- all while maintaing an expression that I couldn't care less.
As far as what I need to improve-most immediately, I need to improve my classroom organization which will help create a more preventive rather than punitive classroom management system.
