For a while now I've been extremely frustrated at the national dialogue over just about every subject imaginable: Freedom, right to life, same sex marriage, taxes, politics, morality, movies, value of children, etc. I've bemoaned the fact that it seems that when we talk to one another we are speaking foreign languages. There seems to be no clear speaking OR understanding!
Well, Ruby Payne, PhD. has helped explain to me this phenomena. According to her extensive research we ARE talking different languages because of the vast differences of MIND-SET found in different socio-economic groups. We might all be Americans but we live in different WORLDS. The world of poverty is starkly different than the middle-class and the middle-class thinks and behaves totally different than the wealthy. (No news flash there!) The values placed on family, food, education, relationships, clothing, language, money, time, destiny, world view, love, humor varies GREATLY DEPENDING upon the "caste" you were born into! (OH, my, I thought this only happened in India!)
The family patterns in generational poverty explains why poor children find education in our public schools so difficult and higher education an impossible abstract dream. Role models and support systems are critical for poor children to succeed and are often missing from their life. This book is a must read for educators, employers, policymakers, and service providers. New creative ideas are possible and critical. Unspoken rules/skills/tools of the middle and wealthy class must be taught and LEARNED. Until they are the poor don't even know they HAVE a choice to succeed.
Dr. Paynes research and countless books and seminars have earned her the title of expert. Without judgment or condemnation Dr. Payne suggests many ideas to turn things around. Throwing money at a failed educational system is NOT the answer. I find this fascinating.
Anybody in power listening to Dr. Payne?
(How does this affect our national scene? Speaking the language of the poor and keeping them poor translates into votes, manipulation and dependence. )
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