Prompt 1: Key Understandings
As a teacher leader, what are three key understandings you learned from the Payne text that you would deem appropriate for sharing with a colleague, administrator, and/or parent? Describe why these understandings were selected.

After reading the Payne text, I have learned many things and have found new insights on things I thought I already knew about. First, I really learned a lot from the section that discusses the role of language. I find that I am at a constant struggle with getting my students to talk and write without using slang or improper forms of grammar and sentence structure. I speak with a formal register in my professional life, both with my students and co-workers. I find it important to use complete sentences and specific word choices in order to display my intelligence and be a model for how I want my students to speak. However, I find that the majority of my students (who come from a low income town and attend a low income school) use a casual register when they speak, even with myself and other teachers during class when the formal or consultative register is expected and needed. Then, when I attend parent teacher conferences and talk to the students guardians I find that more often than not their language is of the same caliber. What I found most interesting from chapter 2 in the Payne text is that, “When teachers cut the conversation and get right to the point, parents view that as being rude and non-caring” (Payne, 2005, pg.30). Students and parents use a type of dialogue that causes them to “beat around the bush” before getting to the point, whereas teachers like to get straight to the point and discuss what is of importance and concern right away. This realization has changed my whole thought process on the way to carry out discussions with people such as parents who use a register that is lower than mine. I can now understand some of the dispositions I have encountered with parents. Even though I am carrying myself in a manner that is professional and appropriate it can be offense to those who do not understand it, therefore I will be more sensitive to those situations through this new awareness. I think that this is a great concept to be shared with colleagues and administrators because it creates a consciousness of the person with the higher register therefore making them aware of a possible issue and better able to deal with it if the situation arises. It is our job to effectively communicate with the parents so that together as a team we can educate the child.
Another key understanding that was gained from this book comes from the additive model. “The additive model offers insight into how hidden rules of economic class work, along with a framework for building resources which is a way to make a person glass go from half full to full” (Payne, 2005, pg. 173). Basically this model states that the people of poverty are already fully equipped with the knowledge, information and skills that they need in order to survive in poverty. Essentially they are equipped with reactive, sensory and nonverbal skills which are the strengths and assets that are needed to survive. When the people of poverty encounter those of the middle or upper class, they no longer have all of the characteristics that are needed to survive. This is necessary to share with colleagues and administrators because it is important to show students that they are capable of acquiring the assets that are necessary to not be of poverty for their entire lives. It is our job to teach them proactive, abstract and verbal skills. In knowing this as the teacher or mentor we can better open them up to building relationships and creating a superior life compared to the one that was bestowed upon them.
I think that the key concept and the most important for understanding the people of poverty is knowing and understanding the resources that are needed by all in this world to be well in all aspects of the word (mentally, physically, emotionally and socially). In chapter 1 the book discusses these resources and explains in detail each ones meaning. An individual must be resourceful financially, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically while having access to support systems, role models and the knowledge to hidden rules. After reading and becoming familiar with these concepts through the scenarios I feel a whole new sense of understanding the side of poverty and all the aspects that are involved. I feel that these scenarios are eye opening and are an important part of the book to share with colleagues because it depicts many regions of an individual’s life that supports poverty and why it is a hard chain to break.

Payne, R.K. (2005). A framework for understanding poverty. (4th ed.) The Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc.