What are some things that you will implement (or have already implemented) and/or do differently regarding your interactions with children and/or adults resulting from your understandings of Payne's framework?
First and foremost, the cultural understanding of students in poverty is key in my position. In most middle class households, individuals are taught to address the male family member first. However, in certain households in which poverty is prevalent, addressing the eldest female first is appropriate. By addressing the wrong individual first, we do not make a good first impression and often times begin building walls of resistance.
Secondly, it is critical to understand the generational poverty and the manner in which it effects the students in the classroom/school. By having a clear understanding, teachers and administrators address concerns in a different way and often will look for additional interventions to help the child while he/she is in school in lieu of putting more pressure to complete tasks at home.
Thirdly, I try very hard to address students using the adult voice instead of the parent voice. The parent voice is associated with disappointment and sometimes frustration. Additionally, the students need adults that believe in them and their capabilities. By using the adult voice when talking with students will build a relationship of trust and a positive rapport that will directly and positively impact the student's achievement.
Jaime,
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about talking to students in an adult voice as opposed to a parent voice. Often times, it is hard to distinguish between the two. I like your point about having adults believe in the child. You are right, by using a voice of respect you can build that rapport and a strong relationship with that student as well as trust. Good points...
I'm not sure whose blog this is, but I wanted to say that I agree about the parent vs. adult voice. It's easy to slip into the parent voice when disciplining students (for me, anyway), but I think we need to make concerted efforts, as educators, to use the adult voice instead. This can help students trust us, and learn about choices and consequences better. I found this true in one of my earlier years in education. I had a little boy who did not respond well to those who used the parent voice.
ReplyDeleteI tried to always use a teacher voice, and talk to him once he had calmed down. I had a better rapport with him (even though I only saw him 30 mins. per day) than most others. It was no shock to me that when he moved away, his mother eventually called me for help with his new school (they wanted to remove him from his IEP, and he was determined to be Cognitively Disabled on his IEP in our district). She remembered me, and called the school asking for my help.
I helped her as much as I could, and set her up with a resource to get an advocate to help her more. I remember when I called back, and it had been 2 years since I'd seen the child, but he wanted to talk to me on the phone. He was so excited about that. I've often wondered whatever came of "Lil C" (as he preferred to be called). Another thing that comes to mind... he didn't even *know* his full first name when he first came to school. All he knew himself by was his "street" name, Lil C. This highlights the formal vs. casual register Payne talks about. We talked about how he could use Lil C at home, and after school, but at school we would use his full name. He was ok with that.
Jaime,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your points, increasing our awareness of poverty conditions definitely has altered my perspective when conducting conferencing. Also, being aware of generational poverty makes me more conscious of what I ask my students/parents to complete at school. If I require students to complete additional review at home, I often send them all the needed supplies up front. I also understand that most interventions need to be completed at school since other issues are likely more pressing at home. I also agree regarding the adult voice vs. parental. It is something that I try to be conscious of, and provide encouragement and support without the judgment. I've even tried to incorporate that with my own children since I feel the adult voice is more constructive than the parental one!
I agree that the adult voice is more constructive than the parental one; but it is so difficult sometimes to do that completely. I find myself teetering between the two more often than not :-)
ReplyDelete