Understanding Poverty:

as it relates to keeping students

connected to their school

As presented for:
Teaching and Working in a Diverse World: The Impact of Poverty
October 22, 2009
University of Maine
Farmington

Debrajean Scheibel, Educational Consultant, Maine Department of Education

 Using the studies and related works of
Dr. Ruby Payne’s
Understanding the Framework of Poverty
and
Building Bridges Out of Poverty
 Classcism
• MPM
 Workshop Objective
• Develop a personal and professional
awareness of poverty through Dr. Ruby
Payne’s “Framework for Understanding
Poverty”

• Add R Rules: A guide for teens to identify

and build resources that promote
leadership and school completion
 Poverty: Key Points
Poverty is relative: similar
circumstances; poverty or wealth
exists in relationship to known
quantities or expectations
Poverty occurs in all races and
countries: the % of the population
that is poor is subject to definition
and circumstance
 Poverty is the extent to which an
individual does without internal and
external resources
• Financial: External - no $ for goods and
services
• Mental: Internal and external – mental
abilities and acquired skills (the R Rules)
to deal with daily life
• Emotional: Internal – unable to choose or
control emotional responses that engage
in self-destructive behaviors
 Poverty is the extent to which an
individual does without internal and
external resources
• Spiritual: Internal – believing in a divine
purpose and guidance
• Physical: Internal and External – physical
health and guidance
• Support Systems: External – Friends,
family and backup resources for times of
need
 Poverty is the extent to which an
individual does without internal and
external resources
• Relationships/Role Models: External –
Frequent access to appropriate adults who
nurture the child and do not engage in
self-destructive behavior
• Knowledge of Hidden Rules: Internal –
Knows the unspoken cues and habits of a
group
 Key Point

Poverty is
relative.
 Poverty: Key Points

Generational poverty (poverty for two

generations or longer)

Situational poverty (shorter and is caused

by circumstance, i.e., death, illness,
divorce, etc.)
 Key Point

Generational
poverty and
situational poverty
are different.
 Poverty: Key Points
• Hidden rules: the unspoken cues and habits of a
group Even though income of the individual may
rise significantly, many of the patterns of
thought, social interaction, cognitive strategies,
etc., remain

• Schools and businesses operate from middle-

class norms and use the hidden rules of middle-
class which are not taught in schools or
businesses
 Poverty: Key Points

We must understand the hidden rules of

our students and teach them the rules that
will make them successful at school and at
work
 Hidden Rules

Among “classes” how the “ the world” is

defined is the biggest difference

Possessions Food
Clothing People
Time Money
POSSESSIONS

POVERTY
People

MIDDLE CLASS
Things

WEALTH
One-of-a-kind objects, legacies, pedigrees
 CLOTHING
POVERTY
Clothing valued for individual style and
expression of personality
MIDDLE CLASS
Clothing values for its quality and acceptance into
norm of middle class
Label important
WEALTH
Clothing valued for its artistic sense and
expression
Designer important
 TIME
POVERTY
Present most important
Decisions made for the moment based on
feelings or survival
MIDDLE CLASS
Future most important
Decisions made against future
ramifications
WEALTH
Traditions and history most important
Decisions made partially on basis of
tradition/decorum
 FOOD
POVERTY
Key question:
Did you have enough?
Quantity important
MIDDLE CLASS
Key question:
Did you like it?
Quality important
WEALTH
Key question:
Was it presented well?
Presentation important
 FAMILY
STRUCTURE

POVERTY
Tends to be matriarchal

MIDDLE CLASS
Tends to be patriarchal

WEALTH
Depends on who has the money
 Language Register

Understand how language register,

story structure, and language
experience influence cognitive
development.
 LANGUAGE

POVERTY
Casual register: Language is about survival

MIDDLE CLASS
Formal register: Language is about negotiation

WEALTH
Formal register: Language is about networking
REGISTERS OF LANGUAGE

FROZEN
FORMAL
CONSULTATIVE
CASUAL
INTIMATE
 Registers: FROZEN
FORMAL
CONSULTATIVE
CASUAL
INTIMATE

Discourse Patterns:
FORMAL CASUAL

Let’s get down to Let’s visit.

business.
23
©2008 by aha! Process, Inc. www.ahaprocess.com
 Gender Roles

Male: Lover Provider

Fighter Flight

Female: Caretaker Disciplinarian

Keeper of the soul Martyr
“… Human
relationship is a
sledgehammer that
obliterates every
societal difference.”

–Robert Sapolsky
Life is like a card game …
Everyone gets a set of cards …
While you can’t control the cards you get …
You can decide how to play them …

Patterns, Realities, Rules,

Resources, and Relationships
©2008 by aha! Process, Inc. www.ahaprocess.com 26
Generate a list of strategies that you believe
connected you to your school and learning

Resource Considerations:

• Mental
• Financial
• Spiritual
• Relationships
• Physical
• Emotional
• Language
 Effective Strategies for Dropout
Prevention
Basic Core Strategies:

• Mentoring/Tutoring
• Service Learning
• Alternative Schooling
• After School Opportunities
 Effective Strategies for Dropout
Prevention
Early Interventions:

• Early Childhood Education

• Family Engagement
• Early Literacy Development
 Effective Strategies for Dropout
Prevention
Making the Most of Instruction

• Professional Development
• Active Learning
• Educational Technology
• Individualized Instruction
 Effective Strategies for Dropout
Prevention
Making the Most of the Wider Community

• Systemic Renewal
• School-Community Collaboration
• Career and Technical Education
• Safe Schools
A Guide for Identifying & Building
Resources

R–R=R+R

Rules – Relationships =
Resentment + Rebellion
 A Guide for Identifying & Building
Resources

R+R+R=R+R+R

Rules + Rigor + Relationships =

Resources + Results + Respect
 Creating Relationships
(Payne)

The role of the educator is not to save the

student, but rather to offer a support
system, role models, and opportunities to
learn, which will increase the likelihood of
the student’s success.
“No significant learning occurs
without a significant
relationship” - Dr. James Comer
 Contact Information

Debrajean Scheibel
Educational Consulatant, MDOE
debrajean.scheibel@maine.gov
EL-DEB, INC.
debrajean.scheibel@gmail.com