Resources, Reality, and Interventions: How They Impact Situated Learning - Book Report/Review Example

Chapter Resources, ‘Reality,’ and Interventions: How They Impact ‘Situated Learning’ From the introduction of the book from a chapter to the next, there is a set of various resource types that people do have access to or have no access to. They include emotional resources, financial, physical, spiritual, support systems, relationship models, knowledge of hidden rules, and mental Dr. Payne mentions severally, the existence of rules that are hidden, within different societal levels. At the end of chapter 1, he mentions a few as related to the 7 presented scenarios at the end of the first chapter. The rules include the presence of jail for most people living in poverty. Bondsmen, jail, and even guarantees of shelter, food, and safety that is provided by jail are part and parcel of daily life for many people living in poverty. As the author puts it, “The line between legal and illegal is thin and never crossed.” He adds that people will do anything, be anything, sell anything, to get people they love out of jail. This is because relationships have greater importance than money in poverty that is generational. In one scenario, a woman in generational poverty gets some extra cash, and is immediately asked by 3 different people for the cash that they have to get out of a bind, and buy groceries. Another hidden rule in this chapter is that extra cash is either spent immediately or shared amongst the people in that scene. In case it is not shared, the next time one is in need, she will not get help from others. This leads to the hidden rule of the system of support. In poverty, many can only rely on each other. Another important or significant rule is that forgiveness and penance is usually in the jurisdiction of the mother. “The mother is the most powerful figure in generational poverty “this is because she controls the resources that are limited and dispenses forgiveness and penance. The typical pattern in the poverty circle for discipline is to chastise the child verbally, beat it, then forgive and feed it. The rules that are hidden about food are that in poverty, food is equated with love. Adult and student resources must be analyzed before one dispenses advice or seeks solution to a situation in question. What may appear to be a workable suggestion from a point of view of the middle class may virtually stand out as being impossible considering the resources put available to those in poverty. Most or all educators have opportunities that are tremendous that make such an influence that makes some differences in the lives of students. Finally from the chapter, one can realize or come to a conclusion that it does not cost anything to be an appropriate role model. Chapter 2—Language and Story: How They Impact Thinking, School, and Work The chapter is concerned with the first registers of language in an environment. The first is the frozen register, which entails prayers, and wedding vows. This kind of register is always the same, a good example being the Lords prayer. The second and crucial register is the formal standard sentence syntax and dicition or word choice of work and school that makes complete sentences and given choices of words. More so, the author in this chapoter explains in detail another register of language dubbed consultative or formal register which when used in conversation discourse comes out as slightly in direct as compared to the formal register. The chapter goes ahead to analyse casual friends as a register of language that has word vocabulary, general, dependent and not specific words depending upon assists that are non-verbal/syntax often used in their incomplete forms. There is also intimate language that appears or exists between people who love each other and twins, and language that is used for sexual harassment. More so, the poor and minorities according to the author often have a register that is casual at home; school; and at work and are always affected by lacking an opportunity to have a formal register. The chapter explains further that language occurs whenever there appears a significant relationship between two or more different variables. It can be a serious problem since diction or word choice, sentence syntax, with discourse patterns are diversified and have to be taught directly. Chapter 3—Hidden Rules Among Classes: How They Impact Relationships with People Different from You Habits and cues of individuals or groups are hidden rules. The relationship between class and other items stands out as diversified. For instance, possessions and poverty equals to people, secondly, middle class can also be equated by some things while wealth equals to one of a type or of a kind of pedigrees and or objects. The boo goes ahead to explaoin that middle class have to be managed while money in poverty must be spent or used. In addition, wealth should be conserved or invested. It critics education in a more solidified manner by saying that education in poverty is valued in an abstract way while people in the middle class view it as something that is crucial for money making and success. More so, wealth is necessary for individuals to make and maintain connections. The author goes forward to add that the language of the poor is casual, and is meant just for survival. On the other hand, it is formal and meant for networking among the people of the middle class. The greatest challenge for one to get out of poverty is to ensure that they manage money well. It is used for entertainment and relationships when spent and not when saved Students need to be taught the rules of the middle class that are hidden because they keep a person from moving up the ladder in a career or winning a position they want. The chapter goes forth in understanding the values and the culture of poverty that can help teachers and educators to be more understanding and be less judgmental about children coming from poor families. This can enable one to see opportunities that can emanate from teaching learners rather than students making judgments. Chapter 4—The ‘Situated Learning’ Reality of Generational Poverty: How It Impacts Navigation of One’s Life This chapter gives the various differences situational and generational poverty. He explains that generational poverty has existed for more than two generational; society does owe one a living. In addition, situational poverty results from a particular event like death or illness; great deal of pride and maybe a refusal to take in charity; or often have access to more resources, for instance or in most cases formal register. Poverty that is generational for Walter is matriarchal and righteous and has love that is not conditional; fatalism or fate, what is to be done about the situation? There are a number of marital plans and arrangements that create an understanding of poverty that is generational and more challenging like law marriages that are common. The mother is always the epi-centre of the family tree, relationships that are multiple, and children must also end up having same multiple relationships. In cases where there is no property, there is no need for legal arrangements since children may be born early and raised as a brother or a sister to a real grandmother and mother. It is evident that males are often in and out of relationships and these challenges allegiances in the same line with the places of residence. Much favoritism towards the current family tends to occur too. Major roles in generational poverty are lover/fighter, rescuer/caretaker, storyteller, worker, and the soul keeper. Education as explained in this chapter is the major key to get out of generational poverty since it provides emotional support, to relationships, and helps an individual in identifying role models. According to chapter 5, a system is a group where members have rules, relationships, and roles. Systems that are functional and dysfunctional are determined by the extent to which an individual or person fails to get his or her desires and needs met within the framework of a given system. It explains that all systems in a given way are dysfunctional to some extent. Responses that are emotional dictate behavior and end up determining achievement. Trading off relationships and responsibilities associated with the same for a given period of time is so necessary for an individual to shift from poverty to middle class, or from the middle level to that wealthy class. When making provision for resources that are emotional, students or learners who have no access to appropriate role models and appropriate support systems strategies and approaches establish long term relationships with appropriate adults, identifying options, and teaching hidden rules increasing the achievements of an individual through instruction that is appropriate. Finally, the author states that the greatest ever free resource is the role modeling that is done by administrators, teachers, and staff. Chapter 6: Support systems In this chapter, the author acknowledges the role of support systems in the overall learning. Consequently, this chapter is dedicated to how the learning institution can put up support systems for their pupils. The books try to define the impact of the parents as well on the ability of the pupils. The book argues that the support systems determine how easily they can navigate through the various parts of learning including homework. The supporting system includes the parents, or the family in general, the friends, and the training materials for reference purposes when needed. The book points out seven categories of support systems including problem solving techniques, attitudes, determining the necessities in life and coping strategies just to mention a few. Further in this chapter, the author points out the basic ingredients to be included in the support system. She notes that the support systems need to teach skills such as appropriate relationships, planning and goal setting, positive self-talking amongst others. The support systems are meant to make the learning process easier and efficient. A school wide homework support, supplemental school wide reading programme, is proposed. A good support system is also argued to be in such a way that the same teacher is in charge of a class for more than two years, this creates a pupil’s teacher relation which might be helpful. Still, in an effort to effect support, parent training is advised. The book proposes that the parents keep contact through video. As for the teachers, it is proposed that supports systems need to include teaching of procedural planning, self-talk, goal-setting, coping strategies, appropriate relationships Options” during problem-solving, access to information and knowledge, and connections to additional resources. Chapter 7: Discipline The seventh chapter of this book by Ruby K. Payne, Ph. D. looks at discipline in relation to poverty. Does discipline have something that either creates or takes away poverty? When Looking at poverty, it is found that it manifests itself in different types. i.e., situational poverty, absolute poverty, relative poverty and chronic (generational) poverty. Chronic poverty is the most complicated exists the situation is passes from one family to another in the family tree. The children in such families have no escape from it since they lack the background to lift them from it. Discipline teaches one to act according to laid rules, discipline instills a behavior in the people and enables them to maintain a certain order. In the case of a chronic state of poverty, discipline is believed to be self-abasement and letting go.in this case it is not about finding a different way. It is argued that when one is forgiven, ones behavior goes back to the state that existed before discipline. When the teachers understand it, they have an advantage in maintaining discipline in their classes. Alternatively for the middle class society, discipline is self-governance. The ability to control oneself is a prerequisite for success.this chapter argues that for success to come along in either work or at school, a person needs to exercise a sense of self-control. The book in this chapter suggests that the people in the generational poverty cycle lack self-governance. The author not only gives circumstances, but also goes ahead to suggest remedies for shortfalls of discipline. She points out the ego states of the parent, an adult and child states. Dr. Payne suggests that the teacher need to be aware of and internalize them. The different voices are getting different responses. For the case where teacher is handling a discipline situation, a parent’s voice will get a childish response. Most poverty scenarios make the children become parent-like. Since they take care of themselves or their siblings most of the time, they tend to develop both their child and parent voice. The author in this book advocates for the use of adult voice. She argues that this strategy helps to enhance classroom discipline. Chapter 8: Instruction and improving achievement. After looking over most if the author’s writings on the hidden rules of class, it is worthwhile to look on language. Language is the capacity of human beings to obtain and be able to use the systems of communication is an essential characteristic. Since the language is an asset in itself, it is argued that the problem among the poor might be rooted to a language barrier. In this chapter, Ruby K. Payne gives on outline of approaches that the teachers should embrace to improve performance. Focusing on language in this review, this paper tries to find out how the book expresses the language problem. Way back from the 80s, teaching has been an emphasis in the education system.it has been argued that the whole success in education and learning lies within how well teaching takes place. However, it is common knowledge that all sorts of situations exists which despite a well enough teaching, learning fails to occur. Certain situations may hinder the process of learning or individuals in some circumstances may just refuse to learn. For the process of learning to occur, the background information and belief system that leads the person learning to accept it needs to exist. Without the two, learning cannot occur.in some instances, even if an item is well presented, and the teacher is excellent, it remains impossible to learn. The insight of this fact (p.88) communicates a concern to not only focus on the teaching, but to try and get the conditions behind the teaching. In this chapter, what Dr. Payne is to call attention that there are learning structures that are beyond what the teachers traditionally pay attention to. Ordinarily, the teacher focus on the concepts, the skills and the content which might not be satisfactory. The author in this book focuses on a learning structure which she terms like “COGNITIVE STRATEGIES." The strategy is simpler compared to concepts and are the fundamental way of working on information. The author argues that this approach is the essential way of the functioning of the brain. From the extensive literature background by the writer, she notes the importance of mediation before abstract learning.Is it proposed in this chapter that the mediation must precede learning.In the preparation for school, the child should learn to identify the input, give meaning to it and come up with a way of understanding and carrying out tasks. It is further noted that mediation is faulty in the children living in poverty. The lack of proper mediation makes this child to poses an unpredictable memory.it is difficult for them to figure out consequences, plan or even predict situations. (p.90) Defective cognitive strategies are common; Dr. Payne gives out examples of such defective strategies. Some of the examples include when one is not able to conceive two items in the mind for the purpose of finding their contrast, similarly, she points out the inability of one to see beyond half of a page when either reading or writing. Owing to this cognitive defect in children, the books lay out possible remedies in three wide areas of focus. Since the learning process has inputs, elaboration, and a consequent output. The author dwells in these three aspects and provides a strategy for each. The notable thing is that the teacher is, in this chapter, given a way to handle the complicated problems which appear optimistic and promises success in the end. It is in the chapter that the author has the most experience, and she takes the most immediate approach. Pointing the input strategies and designing lesson plans around cognitive strategies. She identifies conceptual frameworks for instruction that gives the basis for any teacher in need of assistance and the student in the learning process. The facts behind the hidden rules might not yet be clear, but both the teacher and the student are likely to benefit for specific areas. This chapter concludes with a number of Dr. Payne’s opinions. The book claims the discrimination due to poverty is due to the lack of cognitive strategies. Similarly, it is observed that it is not completely necessary for the parents to be involved in school. However, they should provide both support and give expectations to their children at home. Chapter 9: Creating relationships. This chapter is relatively brief. The author uses this chapter to illustrate the value of relationships and entertainment to the poor. Dr. Payne notes that this is a characteristic of the “poverty class." So for that case, it forms an effective motivation for the students in this class. Dr. Payne argues that when one grows out of poverty, the important factor that causes this is a relationship. It usually starts with one on one relation with either a teacher or another person. This chapter lists the inputs and outputs which illustrate the things that either promote or discourage school based relationships. Conclusion This book is seen to be intended for the middle-class teachers. It is meant to help them connect with their impoverished pupils since they do not understand the hidden rules within poverty. Because of the difference in class they do not conceive poverty the same way. Poor children disconnect with school because they do not understand the rules (hidden) of the middle-class. Poverty should not just be viewed as the lack of enough money, but a realm of specific ways of lie, feelings, standards of discipline and how knowledgeable the people are. All this aspects of life affect the nature of relationships. These books try to address the classes in society, this, however, from the recent developments in society has been seen to fade away. Payne in this book argues in a way that suggests a wide misunderstanding among the classes in society. She further illustrates that the poor suffer victim from this misunderstanding. The effect is felt in schools, where the various classes entangle and middle class teacher have to be in charge. However, in the recent society, the belief of the class power in society has been seen to fade. Also, the book assumes that income determines the class of a people. Classroom-management strategies versus typical teaching strategy When a teacher wants to balance out the strategies of maintaining the class and the typical ones, it becomes so challenging to the extent that everything runs in a given direction without a problem. They need to learn on how they can handle various classroom situations without the application of crude means or ways that do not appreciate the fact that learners must be respected also. The teacher can praise them whenever they try to cooperate with other adults for instance a teacher van say that “That was very kind of you to help him find his book”. More so, they can call the learners in private and try to talk to them in order to try and ascertain the problem cause and try to help them instead of simply shouting and abusing their learners without making an inquiry of the reason for a given behavior. The teachers can also resort to providing the learners with behavior that is communicative and appropriate to everyone through activities of role playing. They also do not need to make public confrontations to the students because this can harm their psychological makeup and enhance a change of attitude towards education or something of the same kind or nature. Work Cited Payne, Ruby K. A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Highlands, Tex: aha! Process, 2005. Print. Read More