Poverty Class 2

 

Takeaway from Chapter 3

What stuck with me from Chapter 3 is a very simple statement:  “Brains can and do change.  Brains are designed to change.”  So why do low-SES kids stay in their same environment and don’t change?  We know that poverty is not a sentence for a standard life, but why does the pattern continue.  Even stretching that idea to non SES kids, why do some students stay average-enough to get by- and don’t push to the next level?

Jensen states, “The reason things stay the same is because we’ve been the same.  For things to change, we must change!”  Brains are designed to reflect the environment they’re in, not rise above them.  Wow!  So as a parent and teacher I need to make a change.  Boy is it too late?  Jensen reassures me later in the book that it is never too late to change, just easier at a young age.  That statement made me feel a little better, but what a big task to make the change.

Jensen talks about the change in the brain using the terms Neuroplasticity and Gene Expression. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s structure that allows region-specific changes to occur in the brain as a result of experience.  This brain study is a topic that really is of interest to me.  Research shows that our parietal, frontal, and temporal lobes are all receptive to specific stimuli that cause measurable neural changes.  These changes are: Video games, language training, and learning skills like playing music.  The brain is pushed to increase its processing speed and size for growth.  Jensen further states that students’ brains will be changing every single day.  When this happens, their level of attention, learning, and cognition change too.  “Whether they are changing for better or for worse depends heavily on the quality of the staff at your school.”  Another WOW!  The pressure keeps building.  It does make sense, we are in a constant movement of learning and change it is how we use that change for better or worse.  Like a marriage vow!  As teachers we take our job and try to make the worse better and keep the better going. 

We still have the old debate of gene versus environmental for brain development or IQ.  This factor of gene expression is another interesting topic discussed in chapter 3.  One statistic that sticks with me is that all humans share 99% of the same genes,  yet they may not be expressed in each human.  We as teachers need to remember that students can make changes regardless of their genetic makeup.  Studies show that students are not academically stuck, yes IQ is highly inheritable but not 100% genetically determined.  So with that study how do we make those changes so SES students change the pattern to rise above their environment? 

Poverty 1

 Jensen’s “Teaching With Poverty In Mind”, is a very worthwhile read.  Immediately I could relate to school situations and students, community atmosphere and personal experiences.  The theories and research used in the book are shocking yet make sense when you put them all together.  I am very interested in the brain study and how the brain is wired.  I feel being aware of poverty situations helps you grow as a teacher and person.

Jensen states the risk factors of poverty are “EACH” Emotional and Social Challenges, Acute and Chronic Stressors, Cognitive Lags, Health and Safety Issues are the most significant.  30 – 50 percent of our behavior is DNA accounts for, so an estimated 50 – 70 percent explained by environment.  Wow!  What we are born with and into is our behavior, so how do we use that statistic to help our students?  So when I look at that student and interpret his behavior and few it as a lack of respect or manners, I need to step back an analyze the situation more and ask myself “How is this student wired?”  Is their environment affecting their behavior or lack of support or strong secure relationships causing this situation? 

“The Emotional Keyboard” was an eye opener for me.  Children from poverty use fewer keys than  well-off children.  Visualizing the piano keyboard, there are six keys we are hardwired in our DNA:  Sadness, joy, disgust, anger, surprise and fear.  Emotions taught are: humility, forgiveness, empathy, optimism, compassion, sympathy, patience, shame, cooperation, gratitude.  If my students environment does not allow him to be taught these emotions, then school and myself are responsible to provide him with some guidance. 

As I look back at my experiences in the class room with students and their behavior.  I know most of my problems or outbursts with students was because they were not taught how to work with that emotion.  Did I recognize that, not always.  As I became more experienced in my teaching I can recognize these deficiencies and work with these students in poverty and try to help them through.  I feel I need to expect  those disruptive behaviors and model how the behavior should be and help add to those emotions not taught.

Jensen’s statistics and theories are continuous throughout the book.  Most of the situations we have realized before but looking at how they affect the students brain to trigger their emotional reactions is truly amazing to me.  It just makes sense and opens my eyes to take in account the environment question when I’m put into a disciplinary situation.  I look forward to continuing the read and learn more of how the brain is wired and what environmental affects contribute to our Emotional Keyboard.