REFORM SYMPOSIUM 2011 SESSION21:00 EST

JULY 30 T H , 2011STEVE JOHNSON

Let’s Talk About Kids That Come To Us From Poverty

Before we begin, please click the link below and take a short survey that will help us drive this

conversation:

Who am I?

Steve JohnsonTwitter: @edtechsteveWebsite: edtechsteve.comEmail: edtechsteve@gmail.comBlog: edtechsteve.blogspot.com

North Carolina, USA

Writer/Author

My Girls!

Teach

er

Session Outline

Purpose: Talk about how we can best serve students that come to us from

povertyTake-away: Specific actions we can take in our schools to have a larger and

longer lasting impactConversation Points (be thinking about these!):

•Take a look at survey results, think about obstacles kids in poverty face.•Question: What do kids from poverty experience in school? Why do they experience this?•Question: How do we build teacher empathy? How do we move from pity to empathy?•Question: What do these students need from us to be successful, long-term? What actions do we take to address these needs?•Extra Credit Question : Is poverty an “excuse”?

Question: What do kids from poverty experience in school? Why do they experience this?

Effects of Poverty on Students

Family income level most consistent predictor of school success

Primary Risk Factors: Emotional and social challenges Acute and chronic stressors Cognitive lags Health and safety issues

“Children raised in poverty rarely choose to behave differently, but they are faced daily with overwhelming challenges that affluent children never have to confront.” (Jensen, P. 14)

Question: How do we build teacher empathy? How do we move from pity to empathy?

Question: How do we build teacher empathy? How do we move from pity to empathy?

Hope

Empathy is NOT

ENOUGH

Question: What do these students need from us to be successful, long-term? What actions do we take to address

these needs?

Question: Is Poverty an “excuse”?

Where to go from here?

Implement ways in your school to build empathy

Have this same conversation about how to convert empathy to action. Be action oriented

Follow through….all the way through.Continue to bring issue up at ed conferences

of all shapes and sizes (I’ll be submitting to Educon…).

Other ideas to keep this conversation going? #povertychat?

Thanks!!!!!