In a thoughtful article in the March/April 2014 issue of Principal magazine, Arkansas principal Regina Stewman draws a distinction between situational poverty – usually a temporary condition in a family caused by the loss of a job, a divorce, or a death – and generational poverty – the family has been mired in substandard conditions for decades. “Students living in generational poverty often exist in survival mode,” says Stewman. “They endure stressors such as abuse, hunger, and early imposed responsibilities for younger siblings. They lack goal-setting skills that will help them plan ahead.” These conditions have a direct impact on school achievement.
In
Stewman’s school, 77 percent of students qualify for free and reduced-price
meals and many seem trapped in generational poverty. She considers it a calling
and a privilege to serve this population and has developed the following
principles to guide her staff:
•
It’s not personal. “Children do not
sit at home and plan how to make a teacher’s life miserable, or how to
interrupt classroom instruction,” says Stewman. She quotes professor Russell
Barkley: “The kids who need the most love will ask for it in the most unloving
ways.”
•
Seek first to understand. There’s a
reason behind every action students take, says Stewman. It’s up to teachers to
be expert diagnosticians.
•
Rigor, relevance, and relationships!
These are especially important for children living in poverty.
•
Go the extra mile. “Dealing with
children with so many needs not only takes time,” says Stewman, “it also takes
heart… Often, teachers do not see the change or the fruits of their labor for
many years, even if their interventions and time have been extremely beneficial
to a student.”
•
Celebrate successes. Because gains
are sometimes painfully slow, it’s important to share good news. “The success a
second-grade student experiences is a true reflection of the work of the
kindergarten teacher, first-grade teacher, and all the support staff who have
also worked with this child and his or her family,” says Stewman.
•
Have a common purpose. The school’s
vision and mission should be known by all stakeholders, as well as where the
school stands with respect to its goals.
•
Work collaboratively. Stewman says
that grade-level PLC meetings have been an invaluable part of the school’s
work, as have cross-grade conversations.
•
Provide tailored professional development.
She and her staff have found Eric Jensen’s books on teaching children in
poverty especially helpful.
These
beliefs and a lot of hard work have produced solid results: the school is in
its third year since Stewman opened it in 2011, and students are scoring in the
80th percentile in reading and math and making steady progress.
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