Everyone encounters people of different socioeconomic levels. What am I talking about? To be direct: people from poverty, wealth, and middle class, all based on financial means.
A Framework For Understanding Poverty by Ruby Payne is a nonfiction guide to
understanding these differences in socioeconomic levels and learning how these differences shape people’s lives.
While the book is geared mainly towards teachers of low income students and has the main goal of making sure that all students are successful in school, gaining an understanding of class levels and characteristics of them is something that would be helpful to anyone.
Some interesting facts from the book:
- “An education is the key to getting out of, and staying out of, generational poverty” – p. 61
- There are hidden rules of each class that make it obvious to “insiders” if you belong or not. For instance (an example, not meaning that this is how it is in EVERY household): In poverty, the valued possessions are people. In middle class, valued possessions are things. In wealth, valued possessions are one-of-a-kind objects, legacies, and pedigrees. (pp. 42-43)
- Hidden rules need to be taught and can be done so with a fabulous analogy: You need to learn the rules in order to play the game. To move from poverty to middle class, you need to learn the hidden rules. That way, you can move up to middle class if you would like to, but if you don’t know the rules (like the middle class hidden rules) then you can’t play the game (p. 86).
This book is more textbook-like, although it is easy to understand. It’s a great guide for teachers, parents, childcare workers, especially anyone who works with children from poverty because of all the great tips included for improving education.
Thanks for reading,
That second point you’ve included makes it sound fascinating. And the first is so true yet so often neglected. Despite the textbook aspect this sounds quite an important book!
I think it is. And it’s textbook-like, but still easy to read.
This sounds like an intriguing and fascinating book to read. Thank you for sharing it. Perhaps I’ll hunt this book down in my university library. Take care!
Best,
Jhobell Kristyl
http://bookmavenpicks.wordpress.com/
I think it’s valuable for everyone because we always end up working with people of different socioeconomic backgrounds!
I absolutely agree with you. It is indeed valuable for every people to understand the effects of the difference of our socioeconomic backgrounds.
Even if you’re not working with kids, or people from poverty in general, you probably are going to places where you’re interacting with people from different backgrounds, financially and otherwise.
Exactly! Especially in this age where overseas distance is not really a hindrance anymore. I’m currently looking for this book in my university’s library system. Hope I can find it. It sounds really intriguing.
I’m so interested in this topic. I’m forever going on to my kids about poverty and how it is the cause of nearly every problem we have in this country..blah blah blah. This sounds very informative!
I think you’d like it, then! If you want to read it and can’t get ahold of it, I can mail it to you to borrow! Let me know!
I might have to wait until I have kids to read this. Or at least a job that requires working with people who are near me and not online
Yup! Good point!
This is such a great recommendation!
Thanks! I was in the training as well, and it is invaluable!
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