Readers of this blog know that I”m definitely not a fan of Ruby Payne, the high-priced consultant and speaker to school districts who has a decidely “deficit” view of low-income families.
I’ve recently discovered another good critique of her perspective. It’s called Miseducating Teachers about the Poor: A Critical Analysis of Ruby Payne’s Claims about Poverty.
It’s worth a visit.
August 12, 2011 at 9:50 am
Ruby Payne is described as being “over-priced” here. I have no idea on the cost of having her for a presentation, but even though there are a high number of critics, I think her overall message is invaluable. I do not consider her words to be gospel in any way, but they at least made me stop and think about parts of students’ and families’ lives that I had never considered before. As educators, certainly we are smart enough to realize that her statements are stereotypical and in no way can possibly apply to all people living in poverty. But if they at least help us to help our students in anyway, then they are worth considering.
February 16, 2012 at 1:37 pm
I have just completed reading Ruby Payne’s “A Framework for Understanding Poverty” for a graduate class that I am taking. A lot of what I read made sense if I thought about my own personal experiences with my students. Payne’s critics say that she blames the students and their parents and that the patterns and cultures of the poor are the sole responsibility of the poor. Also, that she is reinforcing and perpetuating harmful stereotypes. It is these personalized stories and scenarios that helped me understand what my students living in poverty are facing daily. Payne advocates that low-income students be taught how to “code switch” so that they can fit in and be successful. Schools and businesses operate from middle-class norms and we use the hidden rules of middle class. I agree with Payne that for our students to be successful, we must understand their hidden rules and teach them the rules that will make them successful at school and at work. However, I do not believe that it is as simple as she tries to make it. As educators, we must take the time to develop relationships with our students and figure out what will work to help them be successful in our class and beyond.
August 14, 2011 at 2:23 pm
After reading A Framework for Understanding Poverty, I am somewhat confused about the controversial debates. Before reading the text, I was completely unaware of the ‘hidden rules’ of poverty, middle class, and wealth. I didn’t realize that each class had their own set of rules which guide their everyday activities and decisions. I was also unaware of the multitude of resources that individuals living in poverty lack.
Ruby Payne’s book has provided me with invaluable insight on how to work with families from different socioeconomic backgrounds and how I can influence some of the non-financial resources that make a difference in students’ lives. I really believe that she has helped provide me with a better understanding of different social behaviors, values, and languages of individuals from different social classes. It’s interesting how we have different perceptions of Ruby Payne’s teachings. I would gladly attend one of her workshops so that I could become more familiar with the strategies that she offers.
August 27, 2011 at 9:57 pm
In this country of free speech, any time someone publishes their ideas, they open themselves up for debate, guaranteed. Ruby Payne is no exception to that. But as an educated person working in the public schools I feel it is my job to gather as much information on a topic from as many sources as I can and then form my own opinion that is relevant to my life. I’ve been in the education field for 16 years. Prior to Ruby Payne I never heard any mention of even trying to understand the challenges faced by people living in poverty. Whether people want to criticize her or embrace her ideas, I feel that she has brought attention to a topic that had been ignored. To raise awareness that every student in our classrooms does not face the same challenges/privileges is important. Remembering to think of each of our students as an individual with their own learning style, no matter what the reason for that style, is the most important thing I take away from all this debate.
October 27, 2011 at 2:04 pm
I believe Ruby Payne has good intentions. She has been able to raise awareness about working with students of poverty. Even if she lacks the research, she should be credited with starting a debate that has people thinking and talking about students from poverty. I did find her “hidden rules” to be stereotypical, but I looked at it as another perspective to have on an issue. I agree with Kay that each student comes with their own challenges and privliges. Some students have more challenges and some have more privleges. It is important to be aware of them both. I think educators have embraced Payne’s ideas because they are clear and do-able. They can be implemented into a school or classroom and start to have an impact on some students. Payne is criticized for not looking at the systemic problems. As an educator Payne provides me strategies and information I can use and implement while working on the systemic problems.
April 9, 2012 at 8:56 pm
I think that through “A Framework for Understanding Poverty”, Ruby Payne is trying to show that people living in poverty do not lack intelligence or are lazy; she is trying to give those who have never experienced any level of discomfort due to lack of resources a glimpse into a life in poverty. The ‘hidden rules’ really opened my eyes to what is important to the specific classes. I don’t think Payne was trying to stereotype anyone; she was simply giving us information to help students who might be not be reached by standard methods. If anything, Ruby Payne’s book gave suggestions that will make us better teachers and offer support and compassion toward children and families living in poverty.
April 17, 2012 at 11:52 pm
I also just finished reading Ruby Payne’s “Framework for Understanding Poverty”. I found it very thought provoking. I grew up in a poor rural area, but very little of Payne’s book about poverty applied to my experiences. I applaud her for drawing attention to a sensitive issue, but I think we should be careful not to accept her views as definitive on the issue of poverty.
April 20, 2012 at 3:49 pm
I understand that Ruby Payne generalizes about the poor community, however, as a former teacher many of the stereotypes can be helpful in understanding where our students are coming from. I realize that it can be damaging to act on the stereotypes or to have preconceived ideas about students. As an educator, Ruby Payne’s information simply helps shine a light on a culture that I myself am not familiar with. As with many available resources, I believe the bigger issue is how we use her information. Are we using it to perpetuate stereotypes and judge the people living in poverty or are we using it to resolve issues within our schools? It is important for educators to gain understanding about the backgrounds of all students and use the information to maximize the learning experience in the short school day. It is impossible to learn every detail about every student which is why I use information like that from Ruby Payne to provide me with a broad base knowledge from which I can individualize.
April 26, 2012 at 10:42 am
As a district facilitator, I work with students from a variety of backgrounds. I agree with some of the other comments in that the information presented by Ruby Payne helps provide a generalized level of understanding. It is up to us as educators then to learn the specifics regarding each individual. I don’t believe that the purpose of the information is to hold it against students or to say that all people living in poverty have identical characteristics. Rather, it is intended to give us insight into behaviors, patterns, etc. The range of ability that I see in students is incredibly wide. I am a better educator if I have a framework as to where the students come from. Undeniably, it is a culture and a lifestyle for these families. Once informed, I can approach each student with the individualized help they need.
May 11, 2012 at 12:52 pm
I just recently finished Payne’s book “Understanding Poverty”. I loved the fact that after I finished reading, I had some practical tools and insight that could help me relate and teach my students TODAY. I don’t have to wait for a reform to come along in order to help the students in my school. Some of the ideas were stereotypical, and as I read the book, students of mine popped up in my head. It was as if she were describing them to a tee. I have a better understanding of their perspective and therefore, I can hopefully be more effective with them. Working closely with post secondary planning, I can change some of my practices in this area. I am going to begin the thinking process as early as possible. Kindergarten would be perfect. We assume students already see the benefits of PS education, but many times students in poverty don’t see the practical value or the benefit to them in their everyday lives. Seeding that message as early as possible could help them look beyond a High School diploma or dropping out at 17 and be able to hang in with their education through the PS process.
I also had an aha moment about how our school presents PT conferences. We need to build relationships BEFOREHAND in order for the parents to feel welcome and willing to attend. We need to be a bit less action driven and more relationship driven. This flies directly in the face of how I operate. I will be able to give myself permission to follow off topic if this allows for relationship building. Although Payne has her critics, I gleaned several tips and insights from her book to use in my daily practices with students.