Cultural norms among differing economic classes and the challenges they present to educators was the subject of a two-day conference led by Dr. Ruby K. Payne.
“One environment is not necessarily better than another,” Payne emphasized in her teaching; “it”s how you survive your environment.”
The conference took place Wednesday, Aug. 23, and Thursday, Aug. 24, hosted by the Konocti Unified School District. Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa provided the conference”s venue.
The first day”s “community track” drew educational and medical professionals among other members of the community; governing boards were represented at both the district level and the Lake County Office of Education. Invitations were also extended among city and county government as well as local law enforcement.
Payne”s research suggests that there are “hidden rules” among each of the economic classes, poverty, middle-class and wealth. She invited conference participants to test their abilities against skill sets she had drafted for each social class.
Business and education environments operate with middle-class expectations, Payne told attendees; these rules are different from the rules that are learned by children of poverty.
“Individuals bring with them the hidden rules of the class in which they were raised,” Payne said, adding that the challenge to educators is to teach a new skill set to children of poverty without denigrating their current model. Payne also talked about some of the barriers to moving from one social class, such as the temporary loss of relationships. “No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship,” she said, stressing the importance of support systems.
The second day”s focus was upon an “educational track,” which addressed models of teaching a student to translate the “concrete” to the “abstract.” Payne also stressed the importance of speaking in an “adult” voice when disciplining a child.
“Ninty percent of your referrals are 10 percent of your students,” Payne said to local educators, “but 80 percent of your referrals come from 11 percent of your staff.”
An “adult” voice, as defined by Payne, is factual and non-judgemental; it contrasts with the voice of a “parent,” which can be authoritative and even threatening; and the voice of a defensive and victimized “child.”
“The voice you start out with almost always determines the outcome,” said Payne; an amusing role-play exchange between Payne and a volunteer illustrated the relative effectiveness of each of these communication strategies.
Konocti”s two-day conference drew upon district resources, such as the organizational skills of its staff. District Superintendent Dr. Louise Nan cited contributions by many people as making the conference possible.
Baseball-style jerseys identified the district”s organizational team, who could be observed continually at work to ensure that things ran smoothly. Konocti also received support from local sponsors including the Lake County Office of Education, First 5 Lake County and Adventist Health Redbud Community Hospital.
Information presented at the conference can be referenced in Payne”s book, “A Framework for Understanding Poverty” (Fourth edition, aha! Process, Inc., 2005). A supplemental workbook contributed to a hands-on experience for participating educators.
For more information about Payne and her work, visit www.ahaprocess.com.
Contact Cynthia Parkhill at cparkhill@clearlakeobserver.com.
