A Framework for Understanding Poverty, Ruby K. Payne

Resources

Poverty, def.: "the extent to which an individual does without resources," resources being:(1) financial, (2) emotional ("[b]eing able to chose and control emotional responses, particularly to negative situations"); (3) mental ("[h]aving the mental abilities and acquired skills...to deal w/ daily life"); (4) spiritual; (5) physical; (6) support systems ("[h]aving friends, family, and backup resources available to access in times of need"), (7) relationships; (8) knowledge of hidden rules ("the unspoken cues and habits of a group") (7).

Educators might not be able to give poor families money, but they can provide other resources (25)
Role-modeling is key: "The greatest free resource available to schools is the role-modeling provided by teachers, administrators, and staff" (67).

Relationships: When students who have risen out of poverty "are asked how they made the journey, the answer nine times out of 10 has to do with a relationship--a teacher, a counselor, or coach who made a suggestion or took an interest in them as individuals" (110). Using the language of Stephen Covey, "[a] successful relationship occurs when emotional deposits are made to the student, emotional withdrawals are avoided, and students are respected" (111). Deposits to make w/ poor kids: appreciate their humor and entertainment; accept when they cannot adequately explain something; assist with goal-setting, don't tell them their goals; identify "options related to available resources"; understand "the importance of personal freedom, speech, and individual personality" (111).

Jail: A part of life for many in poverty: many view "organized society w/ distrust, even distaste"; jail not always seen as bad, as it's a place of food and shelter (22).

Extra money: Middle class families save; poor families never believe they'll get ahead so extra money is either shared or spent: "There are always emergencies and needs; one might as well enjoy the moment." In poverty you share b/c you soon might need someone's help (23).

Discipline: In generational poverty the mother disciplines; "discipline is about penance and forgiveness, not about change--the typical pattern >> mom will "verbally chastise the child, or physically beat the child, then forgive and feed him/her." Those in poverty often believe in fate; "to expect changed behavior after a parent-teacher conference is, in most cases, a false hope" 23).

Violence: Gangs are "a type of support system. They provide virtually all of the resources needed for survival. Fighting and physical violence are a part of poverty. People living in poverty need to be able to defend themselves physically, or they need someone to be their protector." The middle class use space to deal with conflict--they go to the other room, they buy houses that are spread apart from one another. "But in poverty, separation is not an option. The only want to defend turf is physically." Those in poverty are hesitant to call the police b/c the police might be looking for them and the police are going to be slow to respond (23-24).

Emotional resources: "[C]ome from observing how role models deal w/ adverse situations and social interactions." We use role models to develop our own identities (24).

Divorce: Causes many to slide into situational poverty. Such individuals don't know "the rules of poverty."

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Language and Story

Poor students don't know how to use formal language, proper English. Moreover, they tend to talk in a meandering manner, not getting straight to the point, as one speaks in casual conversation. Relevance: Many poor parents need to beat around the bush a little; "[w]hen teachers cut the conversation and get right to the point, parents view that as being rude and non-caring" (30).

Story telling: Formal--goes from beginning to middle to end; in casual conversation--starts with the end of the story or the most emotionally intense part; moreover: "The story is told in vignettes, with audience participation in between. The story ends w/ a comment about the character and his/her value. The most important part of the story is the characterization" (31).

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Discipline

Effective discipline, the kind that "moves students to self-governance," requires structure and choice: it "clearly delineate[s] the expected behaviors and the probable consequences of not choosing those behaviors." It also emphasizes "that the individual always has a choice--to follow or not to follow the expected behaviors"--and that there will be consequences, either good or bad, for the individual's choice (78).

Touch. In the culture of poverty, one's hands are "always on someone else. Poverty has a heavy reliance on non-verbal data and touch" >> in response, allow students "to draw or doodle. Have them hold their hands behind their back when in line or standing. Given them as much to do w/ their hands as is possible in a constructive way" (79).

Generational Poverty

Def: Two or more generations. Situational poverty: people too proud to accept help. Generational poverty: belief is that the world owes me a living. Characteristics of generational poverty (copied verbatim, pp. 51-53):

• Background “noise”: Almost always the TV is on, no matter what the circumstance. Conversation is participatory, often with more than one person talking at a time.
• Importance of personality: Individual personality is what one brings to the setting – because money is not brought.  The ability to entertain, tell stories, and have a sense of humor is highly valued.
• Significance of entertainment: When one can merely survive, then the respite from the survival is important.  In fact, entertainment brings respite.  
• Importance of relationships: One only has people upon whom to rely, and those relationships are important to survival.  One often has favorites.  
• Oral-language tradition: Casual register is used for everything.
• Matriarchal structure: The mother has the most powerful position in the society if she functions as a caretaker.
• Survival orientation: Discussion of academic topics is generally not prized.  There is little room for the abstract.  Discussions center around people and relationships.  A job is about making enough money to survive.  A job is not about a career.  
• Identity tied to rescuer/martyr role for women: A “good” woman is expected to take care of and rescue her man and her children as needed.
• Importance of non-verbal/kinesthetic communication: Touch is used to communicate, as are space and non-verbal emotional communication.
• Ownership of people: People are possessions.  There is a great deal of fear and comment about leaving the culture and “getting above your raisings.”
• Negative orientation: Failure at anything is the source of stories and numerous belittling comments.
• Discipline: Punishment is about penance and forgiveness, not change.
• Belief in fate: Choice is seldom considered
• Polarized thinking: Options are hardly ever examined.  Everything is polarized; it is one way or the other.  (“I quit” and “I can’t do it”)
• Mating dance: The mating dance is about using the body in a sexual way and verbally and subverbally complimenting body parts.  If you have few financial resources, the way you sexually attract someone is with your body.
• Time: Time occurs only in the present.  The future does not exist except as a word.  Time is flexible and not measured.  Time is often assigned on the basis of the emotional significance and not the actual measured time.  
• Sense of humor: A sense of humor is highly valued, as entertainment is one of the key aspects of poverty.  Humor is almost always about people – either situations that people encounter or things people do to other people.  
• Lack of order/organization: Many of the homes/apartments of people in poverty are unkempt and cluttered.  Devices for organization (files, planners, etc.) don’t exist. 
• Lives in the moment: Does not consider future ramifications:  Being proactive, setting goals and planning ahead are not a part of generational poverty.  Most of what occurs is reactive and in the moment.  Future implications of present actions are seldom considered.  

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Hidden Rules among Classes

	POVERTY	MIDDLE CLASS	WEALTH
POSSESSIONS	People.	Things.	One-of -a-kind objects, legacies, pedigrees.
MONEY	To be used, spent.	To be managed.	To be conserved, invested.
PERSONALITY	Is for entertainment. Sense of humor is highly valued.	Is for acquisition and stability. Achievement is highly valued.	Is for connections. Financial, political, social connections are highly valued.
SOCIAL EMPHASIS	Social inclusion of people he/she likes.	Emphasis is on self-governance and self-sufficiency.	Emphasis is on social exclusion.
FOOD	Key question: Did you have enough? Quantity important.	Key question: Did you like it? Quality Important.	Key question: Was it presented well? Presentation important.
CLOTHING	Clothing valued for individual style and expression of personality.	Clothing valued for its quality and acceptance into norm of middle class. Label important.	Clothing valued for its artistic sense and expression. Designer important.
TIME	Present most important. Decisions made for moment based on feelings or survival.	Future most important. Decisions made against future ramifications;	Traditions and history, most important. Decisions mode partially on basis of tradition and decorum.
EDUCATION	Valued and revered as abstract but not as reality.	Crucial for climbing success ladder and making money.	Necessary tradition for making and maintaining connections.
DESTINY	Believes in fate. Cannot do much to mitigate chance.	Believes in choice. Can change future with good choices now.	Noblesse oblige.
LANGUAGE	Casual register. Language is about survival.	Formal register. Language is about negotiation.	Formal register. Language is about networking.
FAMILY STRUCTURE	Tends to be matriarchal.	Tends to be patriarchal.	Depends on who has money.
WORLD VIEW	Sees world in terms of local setting	Sees world in terms of notional setting.	Sees world in terms of international view.
LOVE	Love and acceptance conditional based upon whether individual is liked.	Love and acceptance conditional and based largely upon achievement.	Love and acceptance conditional and related to social standing and connections.
DRIVING FORCES	Survival, relationships, entertainment.	Work, achievement.	Financial, political, social connections.
HUMOR	About people and sex.	About situations.	About social faux pas.