Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do About It

by Eric Jensen

In Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do About It, veteran educator and brain expert Eric Jensen takes an unflinching look at how poverty hurts children, families, and communities across the United States and demonstrates how schools can improve the academic achievement and life readiness of economically disadvantaged students.

Jensen argues that although chronic exposure to poverty can result in detrimental changes to the brain, the brain's very ability to adapt from experience means that poor children can also experience emotional, social, and academic success. A brain that is susceptible to adverse environmental effects is equally susceptible to the positive effects of rich, balanced learning environments and caring relationships that build students' resilience, self-esteem, and character.

Drawing from research, experience, and real school success stories, Teaching with Poverty in Mind reveals


* What poverty is and how it affects students in school;
* What drives change both at the macro level (within schools and districts) and at the micro level (inside a student's brain);
* Effective strategies from those who have succeeded and ways to replicate those best practices at your own school; and
* How to engage the resources necessary to make change happen.

Too often, we talk about change while maintaining a culture of excuses. We can do better. Although no magic bullet can offset the grave challenges faced daily by disadvantaged children, this timely resource shines a spotlight on what matters most, providing an inspiring and practical guide for enriching the minds and lives of all your students.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Poverty, School, Sociology

185 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2009

Reviews

[Tom]

I have to chuckle when I read some of the reviews that state there is not much new in this book. I have observed in classrooms where the majority of students are from poverty and this information may be common knowledge (a fact wIth which I strongly disagree); it is definitely not common practice.

The biggest takeaway for me was the emotional keyboard that Jensen describes on page 18. Many educators are angered when struggling students don't display some of the characteristics that need to be taught, like empathy or compassion. We typically expect children to know how to cooperate, share, and take turns. As Jensen states, if there is a behavior you expect in your classroom, you need to be teaching it.

Jensen also writes about hope; something all teachers need to communicate constantly. Jon Saphier teaches us to give three expectation messages that will assist us in this: "This is important! You can do it! I won't give up on you!"

I have been in a school in which I've witnessed many of Jensen's suggestions being implemented - Success Academy - Bronx 2. There are few minutes wasted and students are attentive and learning. They are being readied for college the minute they begin kindergarten.

I was not impressed with Jensen's ending; I disagreed with some of his comments regarding Mr. Hawkins' class. Specifically his use of the last five minutes to do homework. Research suggests that the beginnings and endings of a class, much like the first and last items in a list, are what students most easily recall. We need to be doing something powerful in those crucial moments. Class endings should be used for formative assessment, summarizers that give us and the students an idea of what was mastered and what was not.

I would recommend this book as mandatory reading for any teacher/administrator.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AWESOME!

This is my second year teaching at a Title I school. (I also am active in serving the homeless community, and am a huge social activist when it comes to the rights of the impoverished.) I so wish everyone, everywhere, would be required to read even just the first couple of chapters of this book. The neuroscience involved is absolutely amazing -- there is a detailed, in-depth analysis of the effects of poverty on the brain beginning from the time of conception until when children enter school, and why they are already developmentally delayed before ever setting foot in the classroom.

There is also a multitude of tips and strategies for dealing with tough kids that are research-based and easy to understand. I read this book over the course of a 4-week Title I training and have started implementing some of the strategies, and am already seeing some subtle changes. I know it takes time, and I also know not to give up. I expect to see more gradual changes as time goes on.

I wish this book would be required reading for every fool politician that makes detrimental changes to our already unfair school system. Teachers AND students need to be empowered if we are to see real change any time soon.

5 stars for Mr. Jensen -- I can't wait to read more from him!

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for a class. The discussions we had related to this book were so depressing. How can we effect change? There are so many things that need to be done to help our students. We need to completely overhaul the education system in America, we need to provide much-needed services to families living in poverty, we need more school counselors to help students. We need educators to understand the intricacies of poverty and how that affects our students walking in the door every morning. We need politicians to understand what it is truly like to be a teacher or other educator. They just don't get it. I think Jensen provides many good strategies to help our impoverished students. The whole district needs to get on board with making change. We also need to make sure we take the time to study what will work and implement it as efficiently as possible. I feel like I am going on a rant on a book review. I must stop. :-)

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was some good stuff, but there was also some stuff that made me roll my eyes and think the author has been out of the classroom for far to long. For example, he has a whole section on "getting kids IEP's" like it just takes a snap of the fingers. Reality is its takes several years of data collection (wait to fail model!) and even with an IEP, in made high poverty schools, kids aren't serviced. For example, I have one student right now who is seeing 4 different speech pathologists to get his time in, each one gives me different reports on how he is doing.

Also he talks about how kids who take AP classes are more likely to go onto college and be successful, and then states that getting kids into AP classes is a way to help kids in poverty. What he doesn't mention is that many schools vet their AP programs and only allow kids in with recommendations from previous teachers, meaning that only the "best and the brightest" are in these programs to begin with.

There were some good recommendations (that ironically we are doing the opposite of) such as increasing PE time and music/art. Also loved the sections about giving teachers time to analyze MEANINGFUL data and plan instructional strategies (this would require common assessments).

[Nosilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, I just did not find any earth shattering revelations in Jensen's book. It's all been said before! If you have never read anything about kids in poverty, then, sure, the book can provide a basic foundation, but if you have ever been in a position to work with disadvantaged, at risk kids, then every page feels like "duh, you think!" The suggested solutions were superficial and oversimplified. Jensen suggests throughout the book that teachers and administrators need to stop making excuses, embrace the change, and implement a few action steps, all the while forgetting that many teachers and administrators are doing just that, sometimes with success, and sometimes without a successful outcome. For my money, I would not invest the time or money on this book.

[Michellena · Rating 4 out of 5]

You ought to see the notes I took when reading this book! Our school district (and probably community) has a 50% poverty rate, so this literally 'hits home' for me. Our awesome HS principal had the staff read the book this spring and participate in book clubs. This summer we are fortunate enough to have a full-day workshop with the author. I think it will be life-changing for some of these kids if their teachers and school staff understand them better and use new methods to help them succeed. I learned so much that I will use when I teach my little Sunday schoolers, youth group, and when I interact daily with these wonderful, but financially disadvantaged, kids.

[Caroline Lampinen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written for an administrative audience- I feel it should be titled "Leading with..." Because it's misleading as is.

The facts, statistics, and strategies are compelling but not anything new. I was particularly frustrated by Jensen's consistently disparaging comments about families in poverty- he has NO redeeming information about the genuine work, concern, and love caregivers have for their kids, regardless of circumstances. It's written with a very deficit-based view of families in poverty and very savior focused view of educators. I disagree and am irritated by this.

[Tammy Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is probably more of a 3.5 but I went ahead and bumped it up to four stars since I felt it was worthwhile reading. The book is written for administrators looking to make changes within their schools and to better understand poverty. However, it was beneficial to read as a teacher. I wouldn't say it was earth shattering information and of course it quotes tons of research which doesn't make for the most entertaining read. Here are my big takeaways:

- The brain of a child living in poverty actually develops differently, which can place them to a disadvantage.
-A child in poverty has different response mechanisms
-As a school, we must meet student's basic needs before we can expect academic gains
-We (schools, teachers, administrators) must be willing to change.
-Student's living in poverty need more enrichment, exposure to the arts and physical activity
-Students may require additional support, but should be held to the same academic standards
-Keeping students engaged is the best discipline strategy
-When we consider how little time students spend actually at school vs. at home, we must MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT. We can't afford to let them have a bad day.

[David Pulliam · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I started listening to this book I thought it sounded a bit dated and I groaned when I saw it was 2019. There are a couple reasons for the 1 star:
1. Suggesting luminosity for students
2. Telling teachers that discipline problems are a result of boredom and little relationship building
3. Saying that little growth in students from impoverished backgrounds is because of their background and if you would just do a better job they’ll grow
- but aren’t teachers also impoverished so how can you expect them not be like the parents….
4. Telling schools that because parents of children from impoverished backgrounds are too busy working second jobs it’s the school’s job to make the child gets: childcare for their kids, counseling services, mental health services, adequate food and the utilities are working in the home

[Alex Harker · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye-opening book about how to be a more compassionate and mindful teacher by taking socioeconomic status and wellbeing of students into account. Great food for thought for any educator.

[Kellie Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The part about baby's brains only being hardwired for 6 emotions stood out to me. Those emotions are joy, anger, surprise, disgust, sadness, and fear. Learning about the attunement process for children under 3 and their need to develop gratitude, forgiveness, and empathy was helpful in understanding why teachers really need to focus on these emotions for students with deficits in these areas.The emotional keyboard was a helpful image: sympathy, patience, shame, cooperation, optimism, humility, and compassion have to be taught.
Also, the bit about lower SES students having trouble with delaying gratification rang true as this manifests itself in even very low stress environments.
Jensen covers a lot of topics that teachers would need to have background knowledge on before really understanding the suggestions he gives in this book. I'm glad I read the "Growth Mindset" prior to reading this as it makes the research more meaningful.

[Alecia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book prior to Eric Jensen, the author, coming for a day-long professional development opportunity at one of the school districts I work with. I like the organization of the book; each chapter includes a theory/research section as well as an action steps section. It's a fairly quick read and not overly-researchy.

I think the author made 3 big points: (a) brains can change for the better (and for the worse); (b) there is a body of evidence about what strategies can impact student achievement, specifically related to executive function, attitudes, and student engagement; and (c) staff buy-in (consensus) is important.

He is a very engaging presenter and models many of the strategies he includes in the book.

[Kat V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this book isn’t perfect, there is an incredible amount of good information for both teachers and administrators. It is relevant to all students, not just students in poverty. I will definitely be rereading this book more than once, and I look forward to applying some of the strategies in here as an educator. I highly recommend! 4.8 stars

[الشناوي محمد جبر · Rating 4 out of 5]

ماذا يفعل الفقر بمخ أطفالنا؟
وماذا تفعل المدرسة لتصلح ما أفسده الفقر؟
تأليف/إيريك جنسن
ترجمة/ صفاء الأعسر.
...............................................
كون صدور هذاا لكتاب عن المركز القومي للترجمة، فهذه شهادة أولي له بالجودة، وكونه ترجمة الدكتورة صفاء الأعسر، فهذه شهادة ثانية له بالجودة، وما بين الشهادتين نقدم عرض سريع لهذا الكتاب.
الكتاب من خلال عنوانه يتحدث عن أثر الفقر في مخ التلاميذ، وكيف تؤثر المدرسة _ إذا قامت بدورها الحقيقي _ تأثير معكوس لتأثير الفقر، وكيف تقوم بدور علاجي لإصلاح ما أفسده الفقر.
في البداية يري المؤلف أن الفقر يؤثر تأثير فيزيقي عضوي مدمر في المخ، فالفقر يؤدي إلي ضمور بعض الخلايا ويؤثر في قدرة المخ علي إنتاج استجابات ذكية توافقية مع المواقف المختلفة ويؤثر الفقر بالتالي في القدرات الابتكارية للمخ. ويري المؤلف أن التعليم الجيد هو العامل البيئي ذو التأثير الأكبر علي المخ؛ حيث يحدث تغييرا بنائيا في الوظائف التنفيذية للمخ، وقد أثبتت الدراسة المقارنة التتبعية وجود فروق دالة بين من تلقوا تعليما جيدا، ومن تلقوا تعليما سيئا، ومن لم يلتحقوا بالتعليم.
للفقر اثاره التي تنعكس علي سلوك التلاميذ في البيئة المدرسية وغيرها، فالفقر لا يتيح للتلاميذ بيئة مناسبة لتطوير استجابات سلوكية متنوعة لمواقف متنوعة؛ نظرا لفقر المؤثرات البيئية التي يعيشون فيها، لذلك فإن بعض المعلمين الذين نشئوا في الطبقة الوسطي قد يرون بعض سلوكيات التلاميذ من الطبقات الدنيا غير لائقة، في حين أنها أعراض ناتجة عن الفقر، وتشير إلي اضطراب مزمن ناتج عن تعرض الطفل الدائم للضغوط. هذا الاضطراب يغير بناء المخ لدي الطفل ويؤدي إلي اندفاعية شديدة، وإلي ضعف في الذاكرة قصيرة المدي ويترجم هذا الاضطراب في الفصل في سلوك الطفل دون تفكير أو تحسب للنتائج، فيتصرف الطفل دون إذن من المعلم، وينسي الخطوات المهمة التي عليه إنجازها.
قد يفسر بعض المعلمين هذا القصور الاجتماعي والانفعالي لدي هؤلاء التلاميذ بإساءة الأدب أو عدم الاحترام، ولكن التفسير الأدق والذي يساعد في التعامل معهم أن نفهم أنهم أتوا إلي المدرسة بحصيلة محدودة للغاية من الاستجابات الانفعالية المناسبة وهي أقل كثيرا مما نتوقعه. الحقيقة أن كثيرا من التلاميذ ليس في مخزونهم الاستجابات المناسبة. وكأن لوحة مفاتيح المخ لديهم لا تلعب إلا نوتة محدودة للغاية، لذلك فليس من المجدي أن نطالب التلاميذ باحترام المعلمين، فكثيرا منهم ليس لديه السياق ولا الخلفية ولا المهارات للتعبير عن الاحترام.
بعد أن قام المؤلف بعرض لما يمكن أن يفعله الفقر بمخ اطفالنا، بدأ في شرح الدور المنوط بالمدرسة تحقيقه للتغلب علي آثار الفقر المدمرة، والبداية لتقديم الحلول أن نعرف أن المخ يمكن أن يتغير، بل إنه يتغير بالفعل، لقد صُمم المخ ليتغير؛ بعض التغيرات تدريجية، كتلك الناتجة عن تعلم لغة جديدة، علي حين بعض التغييرات الأخري فورية كتلك النتاجة عن التغذية الصحية، والتدريب، والتعلم. بعض التغييرات سلبية كتلك الناتجة عن الإهمال لزمن طويل، أو التعاطي، أو الملل.
يري المؤلف أن الأنشطة المدرسية لها دورها الكبير في علاج الأضرار التي سببها الفقر، فمن هذه الأنشطة: الفن بأنواعه، فالفن يمكن أن يحسن مهارات الانتباه والتتابع، والتأني والمهارات المعرفية، كما تستخدم الفنون كاستراتيجية لإثارة الدافعية والاندماج لدي التلاميذ.
فالفنون من المواد التي غالبا ما تهمل في النظام التعليمي علي الرغم مما لها من تأثير كبير علي أداء التلاميذ، فالفنون تبني مهارات الانتباه ومهارات معالجة المعلومات؛ كمهارات التفكير التتابعي والمعالجة المعرفية، وتقوي مهارات التذكر وخاصة الذاكرة قصيرة المدي، وتبني مهارات تعمم علي المدي الطويل؛ مثل القراءة، كما أن المسرح والتمثيل وغيرها من الفنون الأدائية تنمي الذكاء الوجدي، والتأمل، واحترام الوقت، واحترام التنوع، كما تبني التذكر ومهارات معالجة المعلومات، وتساعد التلاميذ علي تحقيق مكانة اجتماعية وبناء صداقات ويرتبط تعلم الفنون بالحصول علي درجات مرتفعة علي اختبار الاستعداد المدرسي. عند المقارنة بين من يتلقون ومن لا يتلقون مقررات في الفنون، كانت درجات التلاميذ الذين يتلقون مقررات في المسرح والتمثيل أعلي علي اختبارات القبول بالمدارس الثانوية.
وضعت هيئة "الشراكة بين التربية والفنون بشيكاغة" منهجا تتكامل فيه الفنون مع المواد الأخري، ونتج عنه تحولات عظيمة في تحصيل التلاميذ في 14 مدرسة حكومية ذات مستويات فقر عالية في الأحياء المحرومة. في مدرسة ابتدائية بهذه الولاية 84% من التلاميذ يعيشون في أسر تحت خط الفقر، و30% لا يتكلمون الإنجليزية. قبل تقديم منهج الفنون كان 38% من التلاميذ يقرءون في مستوي الصف المناسب لهم، و49% كان أداؤهم في الحساب في مستوي الصف المناسب لهم، وقد أدي برنامج الفنون لتغيير هذه النتائج؛ أصبح 60% من التلاميذ يقرءون في مستوي الصف المناسب لهم، وأصبح أداء 68% منهم أعلي من مستوي الصف المناسب في الحساب.
اهتم المؤلف بالحديث عن الاستراتيجيات التعليمية التي تصلح لحالات البيئات المدرسية الفقيرة، فيري أن من أكثر الطرق تأثيرا من أجل اندماج التلاميذ في التعلم أن يتولوا بأنفسهم مسئولية التعلم. يعرفون أين يذهبون، ويعرفون أعضاء الفريق الذي يعملون فيه، ويعرفون أماكن المواد أو الأدوات التي يحتاجونها. ويكون لديهم تنظيم ذاتي ويضعون أهدافا يسعون لتحقيقها ومشكلات يسعون لحلها، وهي أهداف ومشكلات لها أهمية ومعني لديهم، وينظمون وقتهم، ويضعون معايير لتقييم مدي كفاءة أدائهم. هؤلاء التلاميذ لديهم ولع ومتعة وحماس بالتعلم. ويقوم المعلمون بدور الميسر، أو المدرب. يوجهون التلاميذ نحو الأهداف التي يرغبون في تحقيقها. ويشارك التلاميذ في أنشطة الحياة اليومية مع زملائهم من خلال التعاون، والاستكشاف، والتجريب. التلاميذ يحتاجون التشجيع، والتدريب، والتوجيه، والمساندة.
الكتاب من الكتب الممتازة التي يجب علي الجميع قراءتها خصوصا المعلمين، ولولا كثرة الاستشهاد بالبحوث الأكاديمية المختلفة، وكثرة ما بها من أرقام وبيانات إحصائية لتحول الكتاب إلي جرعة من المتعة الأدبية، إلا أن هذه البيانات الكثيرة قد تصيب القاريء بالملل لكثرتها وتشابهها، لكن في المجمل الكتاب ممتاز.
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[Tiffiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of very sad statistics put forth in this book. There really isn't a single aspect of one's life that poverty does not impact. From brain function to behavior, and beyond. It's staggering.

I would have liked to have read this book at the beginning of my teaching career, 11.5 years ago. I've only worked at Title 1 schools in Southern California, so this book would have been very helpful. However, all schools that I have taught at have been very good at trying out new strategies to help all students succeed.

A few good tips on how to change the tide and mindset of students and educators. (Some repetitive).

As an art teacher, I feel that I often speak upon deaf ears, about the importance of the arts. However, this book mentions several times that the arts (and physical education) are super vital parts of a rounded curriculum and should 100% be included.

I think parents should read this too, so that they understand that clothing their kids, feeding their kids, and getting school supplies for their kids, and taking their kids to the library and a museum every now and again, is way more important than the nice car and the iPhone...

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful, practical advice for teaching to students of low-income backgrounds. I’m glad to see that this is taught in many education/teacher training programs. There is a reason why “turnaround” schools are so celebrated, training educators at scale is an extreme challenge, but this book is certainly a piece of the puzzle.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful reminder of the things we educators need to do more of in order to help children living in poverty to thrive.

[Ian Morel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful little book! It wasn’t written for me but I found a lot of the info helpful for our work on the ABC streets.

[Robin Drummond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled with easy-to-access information about how our brains work, how important enriching experience is, and how to help deliver it to learners whose environments are lacking. I teach English to immigrant parents at a local elementary school, and I have already put some of these observations and techniques into practice. Will continue to access for future reference!

[cozeulodorieso · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review refers to the 2009 ASCD edition.

This repetitious, poorly-written book offers little by way of useful advice, loads of vagaries and platitudes, and a handful of downright counterproductive sentiments. I do not know who this book is for. It seems geared mainly towards administrators, and less so towards teachers; but who among this group thinks that poor kids struggle in school simply because they are intrinsically less capable than the better off? Who among this group needs to be told such obvious, non-specific advice as “provide engaging instruction?” What is the use of data like “each year students have good teachers, their test scores improve?” One of the book’s few specific, actionable points of advice is literally to run study groups where school staff read Teaching With Poverty in Mind by Eric Jensen… like…. I’m sorry, but this is just not a good book. I came to it hoping for some useful techniques for accommodating the needs of students living in poverty, and came away with only slim pickings.

The premise of the book is that poverty “can change poor kids for the worse.” (An actual quote. Page one. Christ.) But! A good teacher can repair them. I hope the grossness and objectionability of that framing is readily apparent to anyone who wants to undertake the serious task of caring for and educating impoverished children. Such a framing only feeds into reductive, dehumanizing narratives around poverty and casts teachers in a highly problematic savior role. If the phrasing were that poverty changes children in a way that makes school more difficult, I would read this book more forgivingly, but no: on page one, Jensen has declared that, due to their life experiences, poor children are “worse.” I condemn this book and its attitude towards children experiencing poverty.

The premise of the book hinges on neuroplasticity: poverty worsens brains, we can make ‘em better. I don’t challenge the concept of neuroplasticity or its applicability to poverty and education, but I do question the utility of this particular invocation of the brain: why is it more powerful or persuasive to appeal to the brain and neuroscience than it would be to simply talk about “the mind” or “cognition?” (Jensen’s references throughout the text to the actual particularities of the physical brain are scant and shallow enough that such a shift would not be difficult to undertake.) There is a certain strain of undue scientism here that I want to be critical of. I think any adherent of Foucault et al., interested in tracking the way science and science communication reflects and reifies social structures, would find Jensen’s book a ripe ground for critique.

So part of the reason I react so negatively to Jensen’s work here is because I come to the book with a deep skepticism of the neuroscientific foundation he invokes. I have no grounding to challenge the validity of the science, and Jensen’s citations are frequent and numerous (sometimes to the point of leading me to question the relevance of some of the tidbits he throws in). But among my own personal biases is that I will always be skeptical of work which seeks to locate determiners of behavior within the physical body. However strong the neuroscience here may be, I think this framing could lead to harmful bio-essentialist interpretations.

And Jensen certainly makes no attempts to speak of to avoid those dangerous bio-essentialist readings. He repeatedly reifies the absolute bullshit of IQ tests as a meaningful measure of intelligence; even his infrequent concessions of how IQ scores can change and are not inherent and permanent are underpinned by the shockingly incurious assumption that something as broad and vague as “intelligence” could be reduced into a one-dimensional numerical score. He repeatedly refers to certain things as being “hardwired” in human DNA, which feels nonsensical and/or deterministic. On page 121 he reiterates his condescending, classist, bio-essentialist understanding of impoverished children thus: “many kids, especially those from poverty, do not have the essential brain wiring for academic success.” Note the word essential! He’s really leaning into it here! His assertion that only six emotions are “hardwired” in the human brain, and all others are learned, attempts such a stringent claim about such subjective and fluid subject matter that—apologies to the researchers and peer reviewers—I cannot help but write it off as nonsense.

Let’s also take a moment to carefully read that dead metaphor around “wires:” kids’ minds as machines? Rote, solid, predictable? One of the book’s actually useful concepts (how “soft” skills like attentional skills and sequencing underpin academic success) gets irritatingly metaphorized as an “academic operating system” which teachers need to “upgrade.” The cold, electronic language with which Jensen conceptualizes his subjects espouses an understanding of impoverished children as computerized objects in need of having their interiors replaced and remade. It’s pretty gross! I’m being very dramatic about choice of words here, but this kind of thing makes an impact on readers, and Jensen is communicating some seriously shitty sentiments about poor children with these images.

And the science is communicated in a rather shoddy way anyway, which invites strong skepticism from a critical reader. At every juncture, he resists indeterminacy in favor of highly rigid models of human cognition and personhood, which is, to me at least, an offensively incurious way of writing about the human person. In his hands, the parenthetical citation becomes a fiat disallowing discussion, not an attempt at fostering engaging synthesis or debate. Jensen refers often to “scanning” the brain and seeing “physical changes,” but rarely does he take the time to discuss what those changes are, what such a scan constitutes and what information it might provide, et cetera. Bizarre graphs abound—for instance the pyramid which supposedly shows how adverse childhood experiences lead to early death, which corresponds to no data and whose shape carries no information, or an “emotional keyboard” which illustrates, in a fanciful and unreadable way, how impoverished children are left with reduced emotional responses (an idea that I’ve already said I find suspect). More traditional graphs also appear, but are formatted in such a way as to exaggerate the effects they depict, or utilize strange, unintuitive axes.

I am not qualified to impugn the science itself, and in fact I’m not really skeptical of the research itself, but the way Jensen has employed it is very shoddy. However good the science is, this is poor science communication. The impression I get is that either Dr. Jensen does not trust his audience to understand the details of the science he’s drawing his authority from and has decided that it is a lost cause to try to explain it; or that the ideas he is communicating are actually only tenuously related to the science he’s citing, and his vagueness is a way of covering for that shakiness. Either way, or even if neither is the case, his writing burned quickly through my patience and charity as a reader.

I’m actually inclined towards the second of those two options, because in several sections he produces extraordinarily questionable interpretations of the research he cites. Arguing for more poor kids to take AP classes because students who take AP classes go to college at higher rates, for instance, is a great example of Jensen outright ignoring sample bias. Especially since, speaking from personal experience, AP classes are not always exactly taught in the understanding, engaging way that impoverished students would need! His argument that physical activity benefits kids’ minds sounds mostly absolutely great to me… except for the part where he supports it by noting a relationship between test scores and BMI. Is it possible, Dr. Jensen, that both test scores and BMI correlate with something else, like, I don’t know, socioeconomic class? Listen, I am not myself a STEM person, but this is really just basic data literacy stuff.

A great deal of the book is not as objectionable as I’ve perhaps made it out to be. But unfortunately most of the less objectionable material is not really useful either. Each chapter follows a tight structure. First, he gives us an annoying little anecdote about fictional social studies teacher Mr. Hawkins. These repetitive, self-congratulatory vignettes describe how Mr. Hawkins starts off thinking poor kids are unsalvageable, but eventually becomes an amazing, class-conscious teacher. Wow! Then, Jensen describes the neuroscience research behind a topic related to poverty and education (in the problematic way I’ve just ranted about.) Next he provides action steps, most of which are not at all actionable, though many do spell out cute acronyms. Inanities, circularities, and vagaries are everywhere, as are buzzword-y nothing phrases like “Enrichment Mindset and “Champion’s Mindset.” Some of the classroom-level action steps include sharing Hallmark-y inspiring stories, being understanding of your students, and providing “engaging instruction.” On page 112, there’s a sprawling list of things teachers must “know how” to do, with no advice whatsoever as to how to know them. Great stuff!

Each section then ends with an explanation of successful high-poverty schools—these could be great, useful, practical, specific, “inside baseball”-y case studies in effective pedagogy and administration, but instead they read like PR or ad copy. In the last chapter, “Instructional Light and Magic,” Jensen walks us through a day in the transformed Mr. Hawkins’ class, which presumably is an example of Jensen’s ideal, poverty-aware education. Jensen’s big idea seems to be to play music in the classroom? There’s nothing I necessarily think is bad about the lesson plan Jensen gives in that last chapter, but it’s very easy to imagine that what plays out smoothly in Jensen’s diorama would fall utterly flat in real life.

The inclusion of “Standards-Based Curriculum and Instruction” (which means, literally, teaching to the standardized test) under the list of classroom-level strategies speaks volumes about the intellectual bankruptcy of this book. Rather than adopt a stance critical of the classism and ableism and racism involved in standardized testing, rather than ask what really makes for quality education, Jensen chooses instead to use test scores as the metric for success, reifying the fucked-up system that he really should be criticizing instead. He advocates for teaching to the test, a form of education that is soul-sucking for teacher and student alike, because he cannot look beyond the highly fraught way that our present system has decided to measure education success. I’m sorry, that’s just lazy. How else could a book titled “Teaching With Poverty in Mind” end up advocating for teachers to stick to the strictures of an actively classist system?

The reasons I award this book two stars rather than one are few but important. I object to his “operating system” metaphor, but I think the idea of focusing on foundational cognitive skills is smart and I will carry that advice forward with me. I think he’s probably right about the utility of collecting lots of specific data about your students. The advice about using no more than 50% of class time on new material, and spending the rest on skill building and rehearsal is good, and I’ll try to hold onto it. I definitely agree that the arts and physical movement are important to integrate into lesson plans. And a lot of the stuff about being understanding of poor students’ stresses is good, even if it’s also very boilerplate. I’m not a principal, but I imagine some of the stuff directed at principals is usable also. And there is exactly one good turn of phrase in this book: “meeting the standards is a bit like trying to nail Jell-O to a tree.”

To his credit, Jensen talks a lot about what makes the biggest difference: providing children with healthcare, food, extracurriculars, safety, etc. Because here’s the thing; there’s just no way for an individual teacher to end poverty. And even a school providing all these services for students is still just ameliorating a larger societal sickness. Until we live in an economically just society with no poverty, some of these problems are gonna just be intractable. I wish this book would have had the guts to make an argument for taking political action and ending poverty, instead of only tasking teachers and school administrators with “saving” and “fixing” impoverished children.

I did not study education in college. Maybe as I gain more experience as an educator my perspective on Jensen’s advice will change. I was hoping this book would help me prepare for teaching, but instead it just provided me with platitudes and obvious, hand-wave-y ideas. I voiced to a friend my frustrations about the lack of actionable advice and the obviousness of some of Jensen’s injunctions; they responded that, sadly, probably a lot of teachers actually do need to be told that poor kids need care and have potential. But even for those teachers, this is not the book I would recommend, because a classist teacher internalizing this book’s savioristic, bio-essentialist framing would only replace one harmful paradigm with another. What I was trained for in college was to read texts critically. Lemme tell ya, this one doesn’t hold up.

[Kenneth A. Mugi · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUMMARY

Teaching with poverty in mind is a small book with a huge scope and a lot of heart. It explores what poverty is, how it affects academic performance, the mindset we (teachers) need to embrace for change, how schools and teachers should adapt for these kind of students and then walks the reader through the new paradigm by outlining a typical class. It is a rigorously researched resource that's easy to read and highly accessible for all educators who have been placed in the difficult position of teaching SES students.

WRITING

This is probably one of the easiest and most accessible data heavy books I've ever read. Underneath each word I could feel Eric Jensen's passion for better education and a life beyond the 'cycle'. The facts (and statistics) are layered seamlessly with the text and there seemed to be no break in flow when Eric switched from an example focused section (practical tasks) to the arguments why (theory).

Each chapter and section clearly outlines the reasons (and effectiveness) of the strategies endorsed in the book and then proceeds to show the reader ways of better using them. Also, Eric's writing builds. As I worked through Teaching with poverty in mind, I couldn't help but feel more excited with each page. By the end I felt as I could change lives in the classroom. As if these students were not beyond my reach and in fact could rise to the challenges of the professional world.

For someone who has taught at-risk youth previously and found the experience completely soul destroying, I couldn't have been more elated to find something that offered me a way out of these classes of hell.

CONTENT

The content is, literally, impossible to summarise. I'm currently trying to outline the main findings of the book for my work colleagues, but it spans emails. Each page is content dense with essential information that can change the very way you think of teaching (let alone teaching SES students).

For me the best thing about Teaching with poverty in mind was the strong case it made for artistic / creative activities to be incorporated into standard exercises. I love how it explored the limits of our current teaching paradigms and then presented a world where fun learning (learning through play) was not only enjoyable, but actually more effective than the traditional control and speak system.

This book combined with Daniel H Pink's Drive (I'll be reviewing this soon too) are a heady source of empowerment for any teacher. The theories presented compliment each other and come to the same shocking conclusion: kids / people want to work and study, we just need to build activities for them to do and get out of their way.

PRICE and BOOK DESIGN:

Teaching with poverty in mind is a slim book with a gorgeous cover and a softback (great for train rides). It's easy to read and my copy has yellow running all through it. As far as textbooks go, it's not that expensive: $23.95 (US) and I bought mine via an on-line retailer for about AUD$15. It took a while to get here, but was well worth the wait.

I think if you were purchasing this straight at retail, it would cost significantly more (for Australian audiences) and that might seem a little off-putting at first. However, this is one of those books that I would recommend at any price because I believe it has the potential to change the world.

SUMMARY

Teaching with Poverty in Mind is a powerful and impacting manuscript that shows how a different style of teaching can reach those who traditionally reject formal education. Eric Jensen argues for a new way of thinking about classroom management and interaction with the students that encourages drama, music and arts incorporated into the traditional rote subjects of math and English. This is a book I'd recommend for any teacher or parent who is looking for ways to engage uninterested students in a class.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book for understanding what happens, and what can happen, in the brain as it relates to effective teaching and learning, with a specific focus on just what is known at present about the extra challenges of poverty to academic success. This is a good book not just for teachers and education administrators, but for anyone who has the ability to influence childrens' lifetime outcomes.

And I would just like to add that it appears particularly misguided (Ohio legislature) to cut arts and athletics programs--a review of the literature clearly indicates that arts and athletics are in fact conduits for greater academic success.

[Michele Fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second read of this book. Our former principal purchased a copy for every teacher and attempted to assign chapters with book discussions, but I don't know how many teachers read or discussed it. Now, a few years later, as a classroom teacher, I find the information all the more valuable. The descriptions of what a child in poverty experiences ring true for me when I think of children in my classroom. It also helps me to better understand the behavior of parents of these children and their disengagement from their child's learning. I will probably keep coming back to this book as a reminder. Definitely recommended!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for teachers trying to do better by students from poor neighborhoods and/or homes. This book provides a lot of data regarding the effects of poverty on brain development and gives numerous paths to help students affected by poverty achieve academic success. It puts the onus on school administration and teachers to make sure that they are prepared to accomodate students who, through no fault of their own, are not able to fit into the cookie-cutter expectations that we place on children. Jensen offers the teacher-readers ways to improve their pedagogy and prevent more students from falling through the cracks of our education systems.

[Sonja · Rating 3 out of 5]

For teachers and/or administrators.. I especially respect Jensen's message (paraphrased): Stop making excuses about your school's number of low SES students and your high number of ELL students. There are specific changes your school can make to outperform other schools/districts... regardless of demographics. Will it be easy? no. Will it take work? yes. Is it your professional responsibility to be accountable for educating even the poor? YES! Read this book only if you are committed enough to make an educational impact on students.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took a break from pleasure reading to do a little school reading. There is interesting data in this book to show that students' brains are capable of changing for both good and bad depending on what happens in classrooms. Much of what Jensen talks about to make positive change for our students are tricks that I use already, yet there were suggestions for kinesthetic activities that I could incorporate into my everyday teaching, and others as well, that I'll be trying to work into each day

[Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relevant and thought provoking as the examples and suggestions seem applicable and life changing. I would recommend this book to any educator as poverty has many characteristics and faces. I'm looking forward to the conversations that surround this book.

[Denise Del gianni · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reader was monotone and did not enhance the book. I did pull many statistics and ideas from the book, as well as identified numerous strategies which my school has already adopted. However, after reading this, I have a better idea of why we do what we do because of the book.

[Kimberly Walton Mayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric Jensen is an absolute genius! This book is a valuable tool for any educator.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I nodded a lot while reading this. Most of the ideas were things I had encountered before, but I did appreciate hearing about the neuroscience and the research to back up those ideas.