Addressing Five Stereotypes About Poor Families and Education

[N'Zinga Shani]

EDUCATION / CIVIC ENGAGEMENT / PUBLIC GOOD     

There are 5 main stereotypes that are common about poor people and education.  The article linked below addresses them and their effects on teachers and on students.  We highly recommend the article.               

• Stereotype 1: Poor People Do Not Value Education
• Stereotype 2: Poor People Are Lazy
• Stereotype 3: Poor People Are Substance Abusers
• Stereotype 4: Poor People Are Linguistically Deficient and Poor Communicators
• Stereotype 5: Poor People Are Ineffective and Inattentive Parents

Five Stereotypes About Poor Families And Education
The Washington Post, Valerie Strauss, 10/28/2013
The link contains an excerpt from a new book called “Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty: Strategies for Erasing the Opportunity Gap,” by Paul C. Gorski, associate professor of integrative studies at George Mason University. The book, which draws from years of research to analyze educational practices that undercut the achievement of low-income students, is part of the Multicultural Education Series of books edited by James A. Banks and published by Teachers College Columbia University. Gorski concludes: “. . . our understandings of and attitude about people in poverty, even if we don’t believe we are applying them to individual students, have an effect on low-income students’ school performance. Stereotypes and biases matter . . .”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/28/five...