Building Up Our Low SES Students

Students in low socioeconomic situations exist in conditions of chronic negativity more often than not.  It is in my experience, that these students are often jaded towards life and their futures.  School is no longer about an education and place of learning, but rather a place of safety.  However, educators should not despair for both Eric Jensen and Professor Marcia Devlin and team provide insight and strategies for teachers facing difficult SES situations within their classrooms.

As teachers, we have big hearts for education is no profession for the weary.  We are fully invested, givers, with hearts bigger than our means more often than not.  Personally, when faced with a student of low SES, my heart aches with desire to save that child from the world.  Though my bank account cannot save every child I will meet in my upcoming career, research and resource may aid me in doing all that I can do as that child's educator.

Professor Devlin collaborated with colleagues among several universities to compile the best advice for aiding these low SES students.  Her team shares that as the teacher one should know and respect the students; offer students variety, flexibility, and choice; make expectations clear using accessible language; scaffold students' learning; be available and approachable to guide student learning; and be a reflective practitioner (Devlin, M., Kift, S., Nelson, K., Smith, L., & McKay, J., n.d.)  Though it sounds like a long list of a scaffolded program, it makes sense when broken down into explanation. 



Teachers should take the time to know low SES students personally as they would any others.  These students deserve the same respect as their peers.  The reality of these students' lives however is unpredictability from the time they leave school grounds until the time they return.  Teachers must find an understanding of this foreign reality when addressing low SES students' assignments and provide alternative means of completing the required tasks. Low SES students need more than a teacher of educational instruction, but a mentor, investor, to take the extra time and effort to guide these students through learning and life (Devlin, M. et al., n.d.).


This extra time and energy is not solely on the educator.  There are many different types of low SES situations, students are growing up in.  Not every low SES student lives in a negative environment.  Jensen demonstrates within his text, that his studies revealed students of low SES status as high achievers in the school environment due to the efforts of their parents at home (2011).  The common theme among these students and those of low SES, low performance within the studies of Devlin and peers, is the extra investment of energy and effort by an adult within the lives of these students.

Jensen too focused the role of the educator, providing areas of focus the teacher should take.  With focus and time spent on students' core skills such as attention skills, memory, problem solving skills, self-esteem, progress in these basic areas will be made aiding growth in all areas of learning and education (Jensen, 2011).  The best way to help students with these core skills to build them to stronger students and individuals is to know them as individuals; have students' physical needs assessed by the school health personnel to be sure these needs are met.  Assess also on reading and math process, carefully observing the student to pinpoint exactly where the struggle arises (Jensen, 2011).  Jensen stresses the necessity of attention to detail within these students.  A focused effort can go farther than a larger, broader effort.  

Through positivity and investment in our low SES students, transformation can be made.  Jensen and Devlin and team all demonstrate research supported strategies for educators to make that difference in the lives of our low SES students.  If we understand the diversity and beauty that these students contribute to our classrooms and community, take the time to invest energy where it is needed the low SES students' achievement will rise.


References:

Devlin, M., Kift, S., Nelson, K., Smith, L., & McKay, J. (n.d.). Effective teaching and support of students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds: Practical advice for teaching staff. Informally published manuscript, Retrieved from www.olt.gov.au/../SP10_1838_Devlin_practice_advice_teacher_201.

Jensen, E. (2011). Teaching with poverty in mind, what being poor does to kids' brains and what schools can do about it. Alexandria, VA: Assn for Supervision & Curriculum