Jones Paideia
Poverty Simulation Follow-Up Meeting
October 6, 2017

Jones Paideia faculty members participated in the MNPS Poverty Simulation on August 4, 2017.  On October 6th, staff participated in a follow-up meeting where the collaborative inquiry process was used for analyzing data, reflecting upon practices, and determining some next steps for supporting student success.
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Activating and Engaging
Think back to when you participated in the poverty simulation, what were 2-3 takeaways you had from that experience?

  • Don’t prejudge people
  • try to be more understanding
  • anything can make a family dip into poverty
  • stealing isn’t always a malicious act-some do it for survival
  • undocumented families live in constant fear yet still go about their days to make a better life for their children and themselves
  • don’t make negative assumptions when parents aren’t able to be as active as you would like in the classroom/school
  • household situations can affect a student’s behavior in class (i.e. homeless, hunger, etc.)
  • students sometimes can’t face social and economic issues correctly
  • adults don’t pay attention on the effect that economic situation can cause on children
  • even though it was a simulation, I was really feeling angry and frustrated at the situation I was put in
  • You can only be “nice” for as long as it works for you.  If being nice doesn’t help you and your family survive, you won’t continue being nice.
  • reminded me of when I went through hard times
  • how not to waste money, even though have more now
  • to give to others
  • be mindful of planning school events that it does not put a strain on students’ families
  • refrain from being reactive to student behavior.  Find the “why” that student’s situation could be the trigger
  • experience could have been a little longer or with a smaller group
  • family experiences were real and depicted what most families are going through
  • we don’t know all the things people have to go through
  • that being in poverty is hard on the entire family
  • that most people have been in poverty at one point in their life
  • people need help and understanding
  • it takes a village and the schools are a big part of the village
  • resources in the community—they’re available but difficult to get
  • sympathy—I am more sympathetic toward families of lower socio-economic backgrounds
  • every family had similar issues with different outcomes
  • people will do what is necessary to survive
  • be patient and understanding with everyone
  • get to know your students and families
  • know what resources/partners you can recommend
  • understand that these are real life issues
  • people struggle with things you never realize they are struggling with
  • people are always watching and some are out to get you
  • people feel trapped in their situation
  • be more sensitive to others who have less
  • assist students with basic needs as well as academic needs
  • I learned how difficult it may be on parents to send in money for a valentine’s day party if thy are stretched then in their money
  • I learned that if you have free food at school, families will come.
  • it’s important to be/show empathy towards my families and their situations
  • students deal with “grown up” situations at home therefore homework and reading nightly isn’t top priority
  • life’s circumstances can change so fast when “living at the edge”
  • having enough money is essential for living in today’s world
  • frustrations abound

Exploring and Discovering
Data Warehouse Reports

 Several MNPS Data Warehouse reports were reviewed and observations made.
  • Assessment Data—MAP & TLA
  • Attendance Dashboard—current and past 3 years
  • Poverty Simulation Experience

Organizing and Integrating
Traffic Light Protocol


Given what we have learned today, what are some practices you might stop doing, continue doing, and start doing?

STOP

  • Making inferences/assumptions about data-(3)
  • amount and degree of assessments
  • number of district initiatives and mandates
  • amount of data points required before assistance provided
  • shaming students for being late
  • planning events during times when families can’t make it
  •  jumping to conclusions
  • labeling based on statistical data only
  • unnecessary task sand meetings
  • changing things in the middle
  • ignoring/neglecting exceptional education students’ behaviors
  • so many instructional mandates and initiatives from the district that actually (unintentionally) interfere with flexible, responsive teaching that meets the needs of our students

CONTINUE

  • coming to work
  • using best practices for our students
  • building capacity/training
  • what we as teachers feel is best for our children
  • guided reading with fidelity
  • MTSS with fidelity
  • continue working with students for tutoring
  • manpower to appropriately handle MTSS
  • what we know how to do
  • the basics—time to teach
  • testing as a measured resource for further improvement
  • having a good attitude and teaching what’s required
  • providing differentiated instruction for students
  • host more evening events that provides food and refreshments (showcases)

START

  • central office staff truly helping by working in classrooms and/or schools
  • provide training
  • a back to school event before school starts to get community involved and more students enrolled
  • more monitoring and communication about attendance/chronic absences—(2
  • deeper data dive into attendance and academics
  • more conversations with parents about chronic absences
  • communicate with parents instead of students
  • having events on Saturdays
  • advertising events
  • getting community involved
  • monitor low performance
  • work with students based on their skills
  • more teaching that is for the whole student
  • more teaching based on community, cultural learning, i.e. African Americans
  • fun things in the classroom
  • time in the schedule to address social emotional learning and behaviors
  • after school tutoring—make sure it is up and running in a timely manner

Exit Slip Reflection--What actions might you take as a result of our time together?

  • pay attention to facts/data and not make inferences (so hard)
  • stop assuming—use data
  • strive to be exclusively considerate of each student’s personal circumstance
  • I will try to get families involved and be more patient with my families
  • I will continue working closely with parents and student to ensure overall success.
  • notice when others need help and offer it
  • possibly do things more in after school hours
  • do what I know to do academically, socially, and mentally for students…be the expert
  • look at more of our schoolwide data warehouse data
  • collaborate more with grade level teams
  • empathy is important to fight poverty
  • I will write notes of daily reminders to the parents of tardies and absences to encourage them to be on time and be present more
  • I learned I have some more faith in the system for taking our ideas back to central office about how to improve things
  • support families and staff because if we don’t have wheat we need mentally we will not be successful or healthy
  • write on students’ behavior calendars when they are absent or tardy to make parents aware how important it is that they come to school and come on time
  • be patient and understanding with everyone
  • try to be more engaged with the data
  • stay calm
  • since 98% of school is African American, I will gear teaching style more towards cultural learning
  • implement training for teachers
  • teach students with passion
  • contact parents regularly in regards to student performance, attendance, etc.
  • use more fidelity in my teaching practices
  • to be more intentional about what I do for the students in my classroom
  • keep being mindful and empathetic
  • build more lessons cross curricular
  • data requires action
  • investing more time and ways to deeper relationships with scholars and families

Meeting Feedback--How was the Meeting?

Plus

Suggestions for Improvement
  • genuine
  • time management
  • prepared
  • eye opening
  • discussion on next steps for school based on data
  • I found it helpful to collectively go through data whole staff and discuss ways to improve
  • very informative—I’m still learning about my career
  • thanks for listening to teachers—(2)
  • very informative-(4)
  • I liked the amount of sharing
  • Knowledgeable
  • kept things moving
  • voicing our opinions
  • keep training us
  • excellent presentation
  • the stop-continue-start activity—very helpful
  • job well done
  • looking at school data
  • it was about caring for our children
  • liked the activities
  • liked the powerpoint
  • I appreciate the experience because it helps keep students’ needs in perspective
  • great use of time
  • a way to actually implement teachers’ concerns
  • enjoyed simulation more so than group discussion
  • poverty simulation based on SEL
  • more interactive
  • even more time to explore and discuss our data
  • central office needs to be in the schools