Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Chapters 2 & 3 - Teaching with Poverty in Mind
In what ways are the emotional, social, and brain development of low-SES kids different from those of kids who come from middle- or upper-income families? What behavioral manifestations of these differences have you observed in our school? How will we (or could we) change our own behavior (individually and collectively) to succeed with these students?
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I have always wondered if my expectations should be different of students from low SES! I think they need a different variety of opportunities and support to learn. I've seen students struggle because they don't have the same family experiences to draw from to make connections.
ReplyDeleteI believe students that come from lower SES homes often do not have the same level of development as those from higher groups. They often are not exposed to the same levels of enrichment opportunities. I don't believe I need to treat these students any differently, I just want to be cognizant of their home lives and help them develop to the best of their ability in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteIt is evident that many of our students carry chronic and acute stress with them to Southside each day.
ReplyDeleteWe see the symptoms including, absences, inability to concentrate and attend, lack of social skills, impulsivity, and poor motivation.
It's interesting and helpful to note that these stressors can actually change brain chemistry and disrupt one's normal, healthy baseline of homeostasis (p.26).
When interacting and reacting with these stress affected children, it's important to balance understanding and patience with classroom expectations.
It may be necessary to adapt our communication, body language and teaching style to more effectively reach these students and manage these all-too common symptoms.