Teaching Students from Poverty K-12

Sonequa Reeves, M.Ed

sreeves@classroom.ndc.edu

216-359-1044

 

Course Description:

Poverty can create chronic, devastating changes in the brain.  It would be easy to look at the statistics and want to give up.  The good news is that there are powerful solutions to boost attendance, lessen behavior issues and turn your classroom into a high performance success, But you need the engagement strategies to help you do your job well.  High performing students need high performing teachers.  Every student deserves a caring, engaging teacher.  Attitudes and the strategies of yesterday are not enough.

 

Learning Outcomes:

1.     Understood why engagement is a vital factor in achievement.

2.     Discovered factors crucial for engagement that are tied to socio-economic status.

3.     Discovered purposeful engagement strategies that allow you to upgrade your skill set.

4.     Discovered how you can create a high-energy, engaging, positive class.

5.     Focused on how to build cognitive capacity through engagement, greeted student motivation and effort.

 

Learning Experiences:

Teachers will complete all specified assignments required for issuance of credit.

 

Materials Needed:

●      Computer with access to the internet

●      Gmail Account required

 

List of Recommended Text:

●      Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind:  Practical Strategies for Raising Achievement by Jensen, Eric ISBN#: 1416615725 ASCD  ( Amazon)

Module 1:

●      Assignment #1:  Introduction 1-2 pages describing your background, professional situation, and the challenges you’ve had that led you to register for this course.   What do you hope to achieve once you’ve completed the course work?

●      Assignment #2:  Positive Brain Based Models.  Read Chapter 1 The Seven Engagement Factors. Respond to the statistics  about brains from poverty and discuss the unique difficulties teachers have working with and graduating students of poverty?  Explain your new learning about why teaching matters more than any other factor in a student’s school experience.  Discuss where the reading of the Seven (7) Engagement Factors either affirmed or changed your thinking.

 

 

Module 2:

●      Assignment #3:  180 Days: Hartsville Part 1 & 2 Documentary. 

 Experience a year of a southern town's efforts to address the urgent demand for reform in American Public Schools and watch what happens when the systems that can either fuel or diffuse that reform –bureaucracy, economic opportunity and fixed mindsets-interact and intersect. Answer questions:

 

●      Assignment #4: 180 Days: A Year Inside an American High School Part 1 & 2 :  This documentary gives space and breadth to our nation’s education reform debate by giving the audience a first hand view of what happens in school that meets the needs of most challenged students in new and sometimes non-traditional ways.

                        a. Choose one of the featured students, as you view the film, follow the students

     story and answer questions.  

Module 3:

●      Assignment #5: Skyrocket Engagement in Five Easy Steps.  Skyrocket Engagement in Five Easy Steps 1-2 page paper.  In the text Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind, read and summarize the Five (5) Core Rules for Engagement Chapter 2.  Discuss how the Five (5) Core Rules can create high achievement and a foundation for success.  What solutions seem the most practical for your teaching/professional situation? Discuss where the reading either affirmed or changed your thinking.

●      Assignment #6: Class Climate.  In the text , Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind, read and summarize the Five (5) Actions to Create a Positive Class Climate Chapter 3.  What changes can you make to create academic optimism in your classroom? Discuss what has been most problematic in your teaching and which of the 5 actions best addresses your needs.  What was new learning for you and how can this help you upgrade your skills in creating a positive climate with positive energy and caring for students? Discuss where the reading either affirmed or changed your thinking.

Module 4:

●      Assignment #7: Linking Motivation and Effort.  Linking Motivation and Effort, Respond with a 1-2 page paper.  In the text, Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind, read and summarize Five (5) Actions to Increase Motivation and Effort Chapter 5.  Discuss the myth of unmotivated students and mind-body states?  Summarize your learning from the reading and your understanding  of what is needed to drive students  to work hard.  What solutions are most  applicable for your professional situation?  Discuss where the reading either affirmed or changed your thinking.

●      Assignment #8: Answer the question,”What are the most pressing needs in my classroom?” Using the ideas presented on pages 160-161 in the text, Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind, design a folder/graphic for each domain and list strategies that you can use for each domain.  The point of this assignment is to create clarity about what you need to address, which direction to take, and to develop a master plan to help with implementation.  You will develop a graphic/mind map that organizes strategies from your learning domain and subcategory.

 

Assignments: Daily Check Ins (10%), Chapter Assignments (20%) & Documentaries (70%)

 

ht reform — bureaucracy, economic opportunity and fixed mindsets — interact and intersect.Experience a year of a Southern town’s efforts to address the urgent demand for reform in American public schools, and watch what happens when the systems that can either fuel or diffuse that reform — bureaucracy, economic opportunity and fixed mindsets — interact and intersect.Experience a year of a Southern town’s efforts to address the urgent demand for reform in American public schools, and watch what happens when the systems that can either fuel or diffuse that reform — bureaucracy, economic opportunity and fixed mindsets — interact and inter