Class & SES (Chap. 3)What is class?

–What do you already know about class?

–How has this chapter helped you understand issues of class & SES?

–What questions do you have pertaining to the assigned readings?

–How has this work about class &SES enabled you to become a better educator?

Class •A socially constructed (hence, changeable) system that determines access to power/privilege-

–Economic–Political–Cultural–Social resources

•Class determines:–Schools to attend (CD Chap. 3 on Smart kid, Tough School..MIT.. Identify the issues Cedric is managing to get to MIT–Stores to shop–Restaurant to eat–Community to live–Jobs to access

Types of Class

• Limited class consciousness due to improved standard of living but:– Working- from 14,000-35k

– Middle- From 30,000-80k

– Upper middle- Over 75,000

– Upper class- Inherited wealth & Top level administrators & professionals

• What causes class? Why poverty?

Determining factors:• Income: annual wages & salary-

– Hard work= higher wages (meritocracy, p.88)• What’s your reaction?

• Wealth: net worth (salaries, investments, inheritance etc.); guarantees future income

• Occupation: Determines income & wealth

• Education- Best predicator of income, hence.. (p. 92)…give the a “Boot”

• Power- Family among others

Research on class

• Cultural values of White & upper-middle class are the norm/standard

– It costs $1.50 each way to ride the bus between home and work. The weekly pass is $16.00. Which is the better deal, paying the daily fare or buying the weekly pass? (Rasool, p. 145)

Research on class

• Class mobility is largely considered possible due to educational success & hard work- meritocracy

• Hence inability to move to upper class is considered a choice or deficiency- blaming the victim (Rasool p. 39; Chideya pg. 3 & 63

Research on Class • No one wants to be poor… (Rassol, p.43; Michie, p.53).

– Poverty is a factor of unjust systems, internalized oppression, powerlessness & ignorance

• Money can’t make you happy.. What’s your reaction?

• Ruby Payne’s Work

On Ruby Payne’s article

• Who is R. Payne (p. 13)• Who is her target (p. 15)• What’s your position on her cultural hidden

rules (p. 14)• Reflect on her claim that poor people are

not able to think abstractly• What’s your reaction to:

– Dangerous message & what we need to know (p. 15)

On Ruby’s article

• The truth:– Poverty is a product of systemic barriers that make class mobility

a daunting task (What does this mean?)

Systemic Barriers

• Prejudice, discrimination, resistance, rejection & isolation- Poor and homeless (p. 95)– Poverty is a construct that serves a critical role in

societal order (handout)

• Race/Gender/ethnicity (p.103)

• Age- Both young & old

• Education- considered the solution to class – Has barriers too.

Educational Barriers

• Teacher expectation- Based on class membership (low/high)- p. 111

• Tracking- Curriculum that favors children from middle/upper class. P.113– Detracking …p. 115

• Financial support- Schools in high income neighborhoods (p.116)

Other Barriers

• Family support- all families care about education (Rassol, p. 254)

– Affluent families have more positive involvement

– Single parents, parents employed outside the home, parents living far from school and fathers are less involved

• At all levels of class and schooling, children want their families involved

Family involvement

• Lack of family involvement is a factor of:

– Fear of school culture– Prior negative school experiences– Language barriers– Time – Helplessness

• Identify steps you’ll take to increase family involvement.

Family Involvement (Fawcett, 1995)

• Recruit a parent volunteer • Let parents determine their children’s goals• Give specific options (time) for volunteers• Use technology to get parents excited• Share a meal• Plan special sessions for parents • Explain school routines • Make your routines & instructions clear• Stick with a good thing• Team up with a parent at work• Make a special effort to say thank you • Become culturally responsive (pg. 360)

Gender (Chap. 4)

What is gender?–What do you know now about gender that you did not know before?–How has this chapter helped you become a better person? – How will the knowledge gained about gender help you promote social justice in your classroom or community? –What’s the “big picture?”.. your opinion, reflection, connection, etc. on gender?