The Kid in Purple Pants

October 22, 2015 Illinois Association of School Social Workers Dr. Patrick Anderson [email protected]

Why is this Guy here? Who is this guy?

Do we really have a poverty problem? Is he going to preach at us about poor kids all day? What makes him so smart? And, WHAT’S UP WITH THE PURPLE PANTS? (Kindergarten-5th Grade)

What we will Accomplish… •

We will all have a better understanding of what life is like in poverty. (Ruby Payne training)

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We will learn how to give our students a little social capital…and devise a plan to do it.

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We will each have a game plan for making improvements in our classrooms/practices/academics.

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We will each have a new mindset that enables us to be successful NO MATTER WHAT.

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We will all implement and monitor a new practice in our teaching/practices.

What life is like in Poverty… To start…at your table…make the following work… Scenario #1 Scenario #2 Work in groups of 8-10 to find the solution….we will share our solutions…I’ll share mine…

At your table… •

Do you think these scenarios could possibly ring true for any of your students? Talk about it.

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How might students living in rural environments be even MORE likely to fall into a scenario like this?

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What can you do to help these kids? CONCRETE!!!!!

What we know about Children Living in Poverty…FACTS…not Opinions… Anger/Resentment (More prone to violence) More apathetic than counterparts (Middle Class/Upper Middle Class Students) Have fewer resources (money, assistance, hope, dignity) Higher Stress Levels A sense of Entitlement (the man keeps me down…I deserve more) Poor relationship with teachers, administrators, authority. (Often not the fault of the student….fault of the teacher)

What we know about Children Living in Poverty…FACTS…not Opinions… 1 in 4 Children Under the Age of 6 Live in Poverty (census report) The Poverty Level for 2015 was set at $22,350 (total yearly income) for a family of four. 65% of Students in Wood River are Low Income (higher???) 85% of Students in Wood River Come From Homes of Low Income or “Working Poor” families. Almost 9 out of 10 Wood River Students are At-Risk of Failure Simply because of Socio-Economic Background!

What I never experienced… •

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/hard-timesgeneration-families-living-in-cars-2

At your table… •

Do you have children like this? Similar? Examples?

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What can you do to better meet the needs of students like these?

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What do your friends say when they find out you live in a truck?…”Don’t worry…I won’t tell anybody”. What does this say about what might be possible for educators to do for students in these situations?

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Scott Anderson vs. Scott Johnson (if time)

What is Social Capital…??? DEFINED: Anything obtained and reserved by students when exposed to a variety of cultures, social norms, economic existences, and any experience that may enhance their understanding of society’s opportunities.

What is Social Capital… My daughter with sorority sisters at McKendree University

What is Social Capital… My daughter and wife in New York City

What is Social Capital… My daughter at a Broadway Musical

What is Social Capital… My wife and daughter at the top of some huge building in New York City

What is Social Capital… My son golfing with current/retired superintendents/principals/teachers

What is Social Capital… my son’s picture in the newspaper from a recent golf outing

What is Social Capital… my son at homecoming

What is Social Capital… my son with fish he caught deep sea fishing

At your table… What are the Advantages of having an abundance of Social Capital? Why are these pictures good examples of social capital?

Is it really that big of a deal? What does it truly do for a student?

Can it really alter a life? In what ways can you give your students more social capital?

Advantages… •

Vocabulary (Students from Affluent Homes are exposed to 4X the vocabulary of a student living in poverty) (COLA)

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Stability…mobility a factor in school success

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Real Life Experiences (Gulf of Mexico)

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Culture (art, music, film, dance, etc.)

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The “Correct” social behaviors (cussing when happy)

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Knowing people in “high places”

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Frame of Mind…I can be whatever I want…

Advantages…

Living Without Social Capital… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo74eOx5u_8& feature=player_embedded My Children earn all A’s and B’s in school…have equal or lower cognitive scores of the last 5 students that failed in my school. YOU MUST KNOW…YOUR UPPER MIDDLE CLASS AND WEALTHY STUDENTS ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL ONLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE RESOURCES…THEY AREN’T SMARTER THAN POOR KIDS…THEY DO NOT HAVE MORE ABILITY… APATHY IS A DISABILITY… BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT IS ASKED OF YOU IS THE NUMBER ONE FACTOR IN DETERMINING SUCCESS IN SCHOOL.

Living Without Social Capital… Me...(Saw myself poor) School is a Burden...Costs, Stress...(College guilt, brother/dad, summer school story...) Contributing Feels Good...When your family needs you, and you can provide, there is no greater feeling in the world. Hard to observe and is very difficult to battle this. How do we tell young adults it’s better to stay in school than to help their families? What you see is often what you end up being...I saw myself...a roofer…”Sons of doctors become doctors…Sons of lawyers become lawyers…”

Resentment Is Real...Taylor and Scott and Me!

Don’t be a Victim of your mindset… If you knew the answer to changing the mindset breed by generational poverty….you wouldn’t need me!!!! (Conversation with a person with a generational poverty mind-set…)

Don’t Judge…It’s not your JOB to JUDGE OTHERS…Your job is to educate!!!!! Don’t allow your political, moral, or ethical beliefs to keep you from loving every single child and PARENT who walks through your classroom door!!!!

Don’t be a Victim of your mindset… Your Mindset concerning what each of your students SHOULD BE DOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR CLASS MIGHT BE THE CAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE! No late assignments or take off a huge amount of points if late? No excuses for not being prepared…no PE clothes, Reading Log not signed… I treat all my students the same way…it’s only fair that way… If a student WANTS to fail…I can’t keep them from it…

Don’t be a Victim of your mindset…

Don’t be a Victim of your mindset…

Academics… Equality vs. Equity •

Equality is giving every student homework. Equity is giving everyone the same opportunity at learning from homework. •

Let’s do some homework!!!

It’s time to grade our homework…

At your table… •

What can you do to better assess the true knowledge of your students?

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If you are 100% honest with yourself…for some of your students…what percentage of credit should go to mom and dad for an A on a report card?

Academics… •

More mandates…more rigor!! living/teaching in a very weird time in education…less money…BUT

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The Common Core….A COMPLETE SHIFT FROM CRITERIAN BASED TESTING…NORM BASED…

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CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS NEED TO BE TAUGHT…

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STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO KNOW WHAT Pi is…

How do I do it…? If you don’t teach it...How will they know? (Marijon Stites….) Character Ed. Some students have NEVER had to live up to an expectation…never had to be quiet in a movie…never had to wait in a line…demand accountability in ACADEMIA…NOT RESPONSIBILITY…ZAP, PARENT COMMUNICATION, NETWORKING YOUR COLLEGUES… EQ is More Important Than IQ...Coping Skills, Anger Management... (Ryan....Social and Emotional Education)

Everyone is smart, brilliant, creative, artistic, a genius….positive reinforcement never stops. Do it (15 minutes)

How do I do it…? Don’t allow students to fail...”Well, if you don’t want to do your homework, I can’t make you...” (Script) What about responsibility? ZAP…Students who did homework, Still did! Didn’t do homework, still didn’t! Summer School Tutoring... Parent Communication/Outreach!

How do I do it…? •

Don’t expect anything from anyone but yourself and your colleagues.

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Don’t expect parents to do their fair share!

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Find yourself a reminder of a time you made a difference…and never forget it. It’s our biggest fault…we don’t pat ourselves on the back enough!

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KNOW YOU HAVE THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS JOB!

So..what happens when I leave nothing to chance as an educator??? What happens when I truly know what it is to live in poverty?

What happens when I don’t allow anything to keep me from being open minded. What happens when I give all my students an equal chance at success? What happens when I assess my students correctly? What happens when I never give up on a student? What happens when I make certain that I make all myself and all my students accountable for learning?

DeAudra… Why I know that a conscious effort at changing the fundamental way we have taught since the Industrial Revolution is necessary if we are to meet the needs of ALL our students!!!!