Poverty is an uncomfortable word. I'm often asked, P "What should I expect from kids from low-income households?" Typically, teachers are unsure what to do differently.
Just as the phrase middle class tells us little about a person, the word poverty typically tells us little about the students we serve. We know, for example, that the poor and middle classes have many overlapping values, including valuing education and the importance of hard work (Gorski, 2008). But if poor people were exactly the same cognitively, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally as those from the middle class, then the exact same teaching provided to both middle-class students and students from poverty would bring the exact same results.
But it doesn't work that way. In one study of 81,000 stu- dents across the United States, the students not in Title I pro grams consistently reported higher levels of engagement than students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (Yazzie-Mintz, 2007). Are children from poverty more likely to struggle with engagement in school?
The answer is yrs. Seven differences between middle-class and low-income students show up at school. By under- standing those differences and how to address them, teachers can help mitigate some of the negative effects of poverty,
But first, my most important suggestion is to get to know your students well. Without respect and without taking time to connect with your students-these seven factors will mean little
Just as the phrase middle class tells us little about a person, the word poverty typically tells us little about the students we serve. We know, for example, that the poor and middle classes have many overlapping values, including valuing education and the importance of hard work (Gorski, 2008). But if poor people were exactly the same cognitively, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally as those from the middle class, then the exact same teaching provided to both middle-class students and students from poverty would bring the exact same results.
But it doesn't work that way. In one study of 81,000 stu- dents across the United States, the students not in Title I pro grams consistently reported higher levels of engagement than students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (Yazzie-Mintz, 2007). Are children from poverty more likely to struggle with engagement in school?
The answer is yrs. Seven differences between middle-class and low-income students show up at school. By under- standing those differences and how to address them, teachers can help mitigate some of the negative effects of poverty,
But first, my most important suggestion is to get to know your students well. Without respect and without taking time to connect with your students-these seven factors will mean little
Difference 1: Health and Nutrition
Overall, poor people are less likely to exercise, get proper diagnoses, receive appropriate and prompt medical attention, or be prescribed appropriate medications or interventions. A study by two prominent neuroscientists sug- gested that intelligence is linked to health (Gray & Thompson, 2004).
The poor have more untreated ear infections and hearing loss issues (Menyuk, 1980), greater exposure to lead (Sargent et al., 1995); and a higher incidence of asthma (Gottlieb, E Beiser, &z O'Connor, 1995) than middle-class children. Each of these health-related factors can affect attention, reasoning, leaming, and memory.
Nutrition plays a crucial role as well. Children who grow up in poor families are exposed to food with lower nutri- tional value. This can adversely affect them even in the womb (Antonow-Schlorke et al., 2011). Moreover, poor nutrition at breakfast affects gray matter mass in children's brains (Taki et al., 2010). Skipping breakfast is highly prevalent among urban minority youth, and it negatively affects students' academic achievement by adversely affecting cognition and raising absenteeism (Basch, 2011).
Overall, poor people are less likely to exercise, get proper diagnoses, receive appropriate and prompt medical attention, or be prescribed appropriate medications or interventions. A study by two prominent neuroscientists sug- gested that intelligence is linked to health (Gray & Thompson, 2004).
The poor have more untreated ear infections and hearing loss issues (Menyuk, 1980), greater exposure to lead (Sargent et al., 1995); and a higher incidence of asthma (Gottlieb, E Beiser, &z O'Connor, 1995) than middle-class children. Each of these health-related factors can affect attention, reasoning, leaming, and memory.
Nutrition plays a crucial role as well. Children who grow up in poor families are exposed to food with lower nutri- tional value. This can adversely affect them even in the womb (Antonow-Schlorke et al., 2011). Moreover, poor nutrition at breakfast affects gray matter mass in children's brains (Taki et al., 2010). Skipping breakfast is highly prevalent among urban minority youth, and it negatively affects students' academic achievement by adversely affecting cognition and raising absenteeism (Basch, 2011).
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