Framework for Understanding Poverty

Four reasons one leaves poverty are:

One can leave poverty because they are either suffering, they have a dream of something greater, someone helps them out of poverty, or they are able to use their talents to make money.

Poverty is relative

People that grow up surrounded by poverty or wealth will not understand what it means to be on the opposite end of the spectrum

Economic class is a continuous line, not a clear cut distinction

There are a wide variety of incomes and there is no specific amount of money that defines one as being wealthy or poor

An individual brings with him/her the hidden rules of class in which he/she is raised

Despite the fact that one's income might change, they will still keep their values and attitude

Generational poverty and situational poverty are different

Generational poverty can be passed on between generations for many years; situational poverty is more often easier to fix

Two things that help you move out of poverty are ...

Having a good education will allow someone to earn a better paying job; Having the right connections and relationships may help someone to eventually make it out of poverty.

For our students to be successful....

In order for students to truly be successful they must learn what really to expect in the world instead of teaching them unrealistic expectations

To move from poverty to middle class or middle class to wealth an individual...

In order to move out of a lower class, you must work at something for an extended period of time and give up trying to achieve other things.

This work (of understanding poverty) is based on patterns

Many people base their understanding of poverty on statistics and how it increases and decreases

Poverty occurs in all races in all countries

Poverty can happen everywhere, not just in third world countries

School and businesses operate from middle class norms and use hidden rules of middle class

Schools and businesses operate under the assumption that everyone is of the middle class- they don't account for people in poverty and use rules that impoverished people may not be aware of

We can neither excuse students....

We cannot blame students for having unrealistic expectations because it is something that they must be taught