Summary Of Teaching With Poverty In Mind By Eric Jensen

In the book, “Teaching with Poverty in Mind,” Eric Jensen discusses the effect poverty has on children’s brains. The first thing discussed in the book of which I was totally unaware, is the six different types of poverty. In hind sight it makes perfect sense, but it is not common knowledge. The six types of poverty are:
Situational poverty
Generational poverty
Absolute poverty
Relative poverty
Urban poverty
Rural poverty
Jensen also discusses the four primary factors involved in poverty, emotional and social challenges, acute and chronic stressors, cognitive lags, and health and safety issues.

In addition, there has been many common sense statistics such as 35 percent of poor families experience six or more risk factors such as divorce, sickness,
or eviction. Impairments typically go undiagnosed or treated, and have fewer and less supportive networks.

So far there were only a few points made that may be true, but according to my own personal experience, are grossly incorrect. For example, Jensen states that, “ due to issues of transportation, health care, and family care, high tardy rates and absenteeism are common problems among poor students.” This seems completely logical; however, in my class the students who are repeated written up for truancy are the two children who are considered middle class and have a typical nuclear family. My experience is in direct contrast to what Jensen states.