Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do about It by Eric P. JensenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is by no means a waste of time. If you teach in a low-income area, it is a must read. It avoids the undesirable pity-tone many books on this subject exude and has some excellent information on best practices to incorporate into the classroom. It also gently points out erroneous perspectives many teachers have in regards to certain student behaviors. I found helpful insight regarding chronic stress disorder symptoms in students. Next school year I plan to tape a copy of the Emotional Keyboard to my desk to maintain patience and a fair perspective when students display an inappropriate response in the classroom.
Much of the book provides suggestions that would require the entire campus to implement together in order to see an impact. It would certainly steer a colleague conversation in a positive direction.
I gave the book four stars instead of five because I would have liked more suggestions and practical examples for classroom application. I feel content though in the fact Jensen provided the best of the best suggestions in this quick-ish read.
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