Considered Response #4 A Troubling Truth: The Impact of Poverty on Childrens Education Andrew Butterworth Dr.

Catherine Broom Group #1 University of British Columbia Okanagan

Butterworth 1 Introduction Prior to exploring the case, my initial understanding of poverty was that it was strictly related to lowness of income and that the behaviour of the three case subjects was a result of their socio-economic status. While the latter still may be somewhat true, I quickly discovered that not only was lack of financial wealth one of the many causes of poverty, but also that poverty was one part of many larger, ongoing, complex issues within Canadian society. It was important for me then to analyze how we define poverty and to find a theoretical lens through which I can better approach it. For this, I found Sens analysis of poverty as capability deprivation useful as there are multiple factors, such as age, gender, and location (which are often intertwined), that can potentially be contributing to each case subjects poverty and misbehaviour (Sen, 2006, pg. 949). I initially found myself drawn to conflict theory when analyzing the case, looking at how existing class structures prevent marginalized or deprived groups and individuals from advancing themselves in society (Broom, 2013). Each student and their family was impacted not only by their socioeconomic status, but also by factors largely out of their control, such as government policy (Igbod) and market tensions (Jim). However, after further researching the case, I tend to now favour a functionalist perspective. I find that each of Ayla, Igbod, and Jim are not so much fighting class structure as they are fighting to improve upon their deprived capabilities. Their poverty is not so much a result of social conflict, rather a necessary, albeit unfortunate, outcome of society attempting to maintain social stability (Broom 2013). Therefore, for this response I feel it necessary to breakdown the case by each individual student, assessing how they fit within this system and what ultimately caused their poverty, while offering a number of solutions to approach each individual.

Butterworth 2 While there are a number of different solutions to be considered, the foundation of my approach for all students would be to build a relationship of respect with them (Payne, 2008). Once I build this connection, I can better assess each students financial, emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical resources, as well as their support systems, relationships and role models, and their knowledge of unspoken rules in order to better develop my intervention strategy (Payne, 2008, pg. 136-137). I would also need to collaborate with my colleagues at my school, realizing that addressing at-risk children should be a school-wide process (Payne, 2008, pg. 138). With this foundation in place, it will be easier to approach each student, guide my own personal pedagogy, and ultimately make a difference in their lives.

Section 1: Jim Jims misbehaviour in school is largely a result of his socioeconomic status, namely stemming from the value, or lack thereof, that his parents place in his education. His behaviour can be analyzed through the concepts of habitus and cultural reproduction of social inequality. Jims parents, for example, view the education system as promoting middle class values, and that it thereby functions to reproduce the culture of the dominant class (Lehmann, 2009). On a personal level, Jims value for his education is largely a result of his parents educational attainment; his habitus has created dispositions to understand his education, which has consequently led him to behave in inappropriate ways (Lehmann, 2009, pg. 198). For Jim then, my concern is how his habitus is going to continually impact his education. I think he is potentially in conflict between his desire to better himself and his fear of not staying true to his parents values, an idea Lehmann refers to as habitus dislocation (Lehmann, 2009).

Butterworth 3 Out of the three students, I found Jim to be the most relatable for me based on my experiences in public school. My high school was largely made up of students from working to middle class families and did not have much in the way of a diverse student culture. I had many friends from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, with myself coming from a middle class family. Although my friends were all intelligent, I found their values in school to be largely influenced by their habitus and this idea of habitus dislocation. I specifically remember one of my friends who, much like Jim, was not keen on engaging himself in the English classes we took together. Rather, he found himself attracted to shop class and was very skilled in woodwork; coincidently, his father was a highly experienced carpenter. Reflecting on this experience, it helped me to better understand this case, particularly the foundation of Jims behaviour. That said, I think Jim needs an outlet, something he can attract himself to, so that he can better engage himself in his education. My strategy for approaching Jim would be structured primarily at a micro level. I would first seek to establish a relationship with both Jim as well as his parents, built around ideas of respect (Payne, 2008). For example, I could help Jim learn the hidden rules of school, answer any of his questions, or even do a home visit, scheduling a time to meet with Jims parents to discuss their childs education in an environment thats comfortable for them (Payne, 2008, 139). The ideal situation for myself is to become an academic role model for Jim, as he lacks this figure in his family (Lehmann, 207). Once this relationship is formed, I could begin to explore the multiple opportunities available for Jim in his school. The hope here is to steer Jim away from his instrumentalist ideals, showing him that school simply isnt preparing him for a job. For example, as a group we discussed enrolling Jim in clubs, such as sports teams or drama groups,

Butterworth 4 and to also give him a positive educational role model through a teacher or peer counseling program. On a macro level, we have to make sure that school policies and practices as a whole are open to allow for parent involvement in their childrens education (Nelson et al., 2010). Some of the approaches of the No Child Left Behind Act could prove beneficial here. For example, it allowed federal funds to be used to improve communications with parents (Nelson et al., 2010, pg. 259). With the assistance of less restrictive government initiatives, such as those employed by NCLB, I could better form a relationship with Jim and his parents.

Section 2: Ayla Out of the three students, I found Aylas circumstances to be most related to her lack of cultural capital, specifically her low income, which Sen refers to as a principal reason for a persons capability deprivation (2006, pg. 949). Aylas mother, who is engaged in drug use, struggles to afford her daughters education, pay for new clothes for her, and to give her the proper school supplies. Stromquist argues that, for many low-income parents, education means a trade-off, usually between obtaining food and going to school, and it potentially also means losing an income-earner (2006, pg. 970). Ayla could also be the victim of unequal distribution of wealth within her family, as her mother may have a bias or preference towards a possible son (Sen, 2006). Likewise, Ayla could also be facing racial discrimination, on top of the potential sexism she faces within her own family. Canadian society, similar to Stromquists anaylsis of Latin American society, has a variety of subjugated populations, namely Canadian First Nations. The mixture of various social groups in Canada is not conducive to the establishment of fair relations of social and economic change and poverty is therefore inherent in the social and

Butterworth 5 economic structure, resulting from asymmetrical power relations (Stromquist, 2006, pg. 966, 967). This also makes me wonder about the quality of the school itself that Ayla and the other students are attending. Based on Aylas socioeconomic status, there is the potential that her school is funded less than other schools, based on the governments restricted budget (Stromquist, 968). There is also the possibility that, because she is often sleeping in class, Ayla is overworked and coming to school tired, a potential result of her need to assume extra domestic duties at home that she is relied upon for by her mother (Stromquist, 2006). I personally had a difficult time relating to Ayla after first reading the case as I dont remember knowing many students like her during my years in public school. I initially started to make assumptions, much like the staff at the cases school, about her background and character. However, I soon learned that making assumptions isnt necessarily the best approach and that I should rather use the resources that I know I have (Sato and Lensmire, 2008). Certainly, the field trip to the Boys and Girls Club helped me to better understand the background of many of these students (through the stories of the staff) as well as the numerous programs available to help atrisk youth. It was a truly powerful experience that made me aware of what children that dont have access to many of the resources that I take for granted have to endure. I also found quite moving the relationship the staff had with their kids, which really came through once learning about the unfortunate circumstance of the young girls passing. It made me realize the amount of effort and commitment the staff of the club put into their work and how difficult it can be at times. Reflecting on the case, this experience emphasizes the importance of building a relationship with these students in order to better help them succeed in life. My solution to approaching Ayla would work through micro, as well as macro and even global structures. For example, I would begin by forming a relationship with Ayla and with her

Butterworth 6 mother (Payne, 2006). I could also try to adjust my lesson plan, or create an individual learning project for Ayla, that would help keep her engaged in class while creating goals for herself. At a macro level, I would definitely seek extra intervention from the school counsellor or out of school organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, as collaborating with these resources may better meet Aylas greater needs. I would also support greater government funding to legislation similar to the United States 1965 Title I initiative, which helped to reduce the academic achievement gap in the 1970s and 1980s (Nelson et al., 2010, pg. 250). Through this program the federal government provided financial assistance to school districts with large numbers of low-income families and increased resources for the education of Native Americans (Nelson et al., 2010, pg. 250). On a global scale, I feel there is also a need for international agencies to endorse initiatives that aim to ensure access to, and improve the quality of, education of girls and women around the world (Stromquist, 2006, pg. 977).

Section 3: Igbod For myself, I found Igbods situation to be the most difficult to connect with. I personally believe much of his behavior is a result of his language barrier, in combination with the racism he endures from the other students. Igbods experiences in poverty largely stem from factors that are out of his, as well as his familys, control. For example, his fathers degree in dentistry wasnt recognized by the Canadian government, resulting in him taking on a low paying job as a janitor. Furthermore, Igbod also faces the challenge of adopting to Canadian culture and learning the English language, making it difficult for him to engage in his school work as he does not understand much of the vocabulary. One possible explanation for Igbods behavior, and a potential reason behind his experiencing of racism, lies in Willis discussion of Dominant

Butterworth 7 Populars in schools (2006). Igbod could be struggling to fit into his working-class schools official culture while trying to separate himself from the subterranean one, through which he could be experiencing racism (Willis, 2006, pg. 519). Willis remarks that popular boys are likely to be tough and to oppose the school (2006, pg. 519). Igbods expression of negative views of the school and his disruptive behavior in class could reflect his desire to fit in to this popular group and to improve his social standing within the school. A personal connection of mine to Igbod would be from my travels to Europe in 2008. I remember visiting Germany with my family, each of us barely able to speak the German language. I recall it being difficult to communicate with the locals and hard for us to not stand out as tourists at times based on our actions. Reflecting on this experience helped me to better understand the struggles that Igbod must be experiencing at school on a daily basis. It also helped me realize the importance of language and literacy when trying to navigate ones education. If you dont understand what is being taught or told to you, it is tough trying to explore large German cities, let alone learn in a Canadian public school. My solution to Igbod then would come both at the micro and macro levels. Of the most importance would be to give him the necessary English language teaching required for him to engage in school; for this I could even seek the help of English language tutors. I would also help Igbod learn to speak in formal register so that he can both communicate in class and understand material on tests and other evaluations (Payne, 2008). I could also help by teaching him to use mental models in order to make connections in his learning and to teach him to ask questions so that he can gain access to information (Payne, 2008). On a larger scale, I believe that schools building connections with parents, namely through policies like that of NCLB to provide literacy instruction to family members (Nelson et al., 2010, 259), would be beneficial in this

Butterworth 8 situation. I also feel that students and teachers must take affirmative action to eliminate racism and discrimination in schools across Canada. Not only are we a multicultural country, which should be reflected in our schools, but also having diverse schools increases the numbers of interactions among members of racial and ethnic groups typically isolated from one another, indirectly leading to students greater understanding of people whose backgrounds are different from [their] own (Nelson et al., 2010, 252).

Conclusion In the end, my original hypothesis that the behavioral issues occurring for each student in the school were related to poverty was correct, based on Sens definition that poverty is a matter of capability deprivation. For example, Ayla lacks the basic necessities and supplies to supplement her education, Igbod is isolated based on his language and ethnic background, while Jims education is limited by his habitus. However, poverty should be considered one part of a larger issue concerning the childrens behavior, as many of the disturbances can also be linked to the key concepts of our other cases. For example, Ayla lacks a positive attachment to a parent figure, Igbod lacks the proper literacy skills to succeed in school, while Jims values prevent him from becoming engaged in his education. For myself, this case has truly been a source of informal education. The activities, readings, and field trips I engaged in further opened my eyes to a reality that we dont often consider in our everyday lives. A major consideration I took away from this case was that, as a teacher, these situations will be very much a reality in my classroom and that I have to be aware of the many backgrounds of my students.

Butterworth 9 References Broom, C. (2013). Exploring Poverty: sociological and Other Perspectives (PowerPoint slides). Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online: http://blogs.ubc.ca/educ405447/inquiry-four/ Does a Deficit Model Serve Poor Children Well? Issue 9 in Taking Sides Clashing. Views on Educational Issues. 16th Edition. McGraw Hill. Lehmann, W. Class Encounters: Working-Class Students at University. In Canadian Perspectives on the Sociology of Education. 2009. Nelson, J. et al. The Academic Achievement Gap: Old Remedies or New. Chapter 10 in Critical Issues in Education Dialogues and Dialectics. Boston: McGraw. 2010 Sen, A. Poverty as Capability Deprivation. In Education, Globalization, and Social Change. Oxford: OUP. 2006. Stromquist, N. What Poverty Does to Girls Education: The Intersection of Class, Gender, and Policy in Latin America. Chapter 67 In Education, Globalization, and Social Change. Oxford: OUP. 2006. Willis, P. Foot Soldiers of Modernity: The Dialectics of Cultural Consumption and the TwentyFirst Century School. Chapter 35 In Education, Globalization, and Social Change. Oxford: OUP. 2006.