A very interesting book. It brought up a number of behaviors that I hadn't connected to poverty. It will help me with my job.

The title a ‘framework’ for understanding poverty Payne chose is a very fitting description for this book. I found it to be full of information about the differences between classes and the challenges one may face moving between classes. I found the chapter divisions to be clear and plan to reference back to specific concepts and strategies for future use in the classroom. This book is a good starting point for anyone looking to better understand poverty and the effects it can have on an individual.

I personally grew up in poverty and I have worked with high-poverty children for 10 years. This book explained a lot of things to me that I already knew to be true about my students. It also explained WHY a lot of things happened the way they did in my own family. I found it interesting that she's found cultural correlations among impoverished subgroups in various countries, not just here.

Some people my disagree, strongly even. On this site, she's even been called a racist though I didn't see that in the book at all. In my personal scope of experience, a lot of the information is true.

It will give people in the middle class some background knowledge with which to better understand the culture of poverty. Does it mean that EVERY family in poverty has the exact same struggles or ways of resolving issues? Of course not! But, it does explain why the students who never have paper and pencil for school have brand new tennis shoes.

All too often, educators meet these situations with judgment of the student and his or her family. Sometimes the lack of understanding causes the teacher to write the student off because clearly the student nor the family cares. This book offers a bridge to a form of understanding. Of course, you must walk across the bridge yourself, one step at a time.

I teach at a “Title One” school. This book helped me to understand the reason why my students behave a different way than I think they should. Understanding what the different socioeconomic classes value and the best way to communicate with them is a valuable asset to have in the classroom. The goal is not to be a middle class “savior” of poverty students, but rather educate them on how to be successful in the classroom and beyond the classroom.

Payne made a point that two of the ways people born in poverty escape poverty are through education and a valuable role model setting an example for them. I am in a unique situation to provide both to poverty stricken students each day.

During Grad school, I skimmed this book and remembered that it had a lot of good info about the cultural differences between classes (poverty, middle-class, wealthy), so when I saw that a friend was reading it down here, I decided to give it a second look. It is written with educators in mind, so it was only slightly applicable to what I am doing at this point in my life, and it is written about poverty in the US. What I found very interesting is that so many of the things we see here that we think are just a part of the Nicaraguan culture are actually part of the poverty culture. A lot of what was discussed in the book really made me look at a few things differently down here. I would have liked her to elaborate a bit more on the reasons behind the behaviors that she says are related to poverty. Instead she included a lengthy reference section and appendix (almost half of the book!).
I think that all teachers and anyone who works with people living in poverty should read this book. It offers practical solutions to many problems commonly encountered when, for example, a middle-class teacher continually has behavior problems with her/his students who live in poverty. I like that it doesn’t advocate teaching children from poverty that their way of life is bad or wrong, just that if they hope to survive in the middle-class world, they need to learn about the rules of that culture.

Condescending tripe

Highly useful because it points out differences in ways of thinking--the different rules, approaches, and mindsets between the cultures of wealth, middle class, and poverty. My favorite part is the idea that an I.Q. test measures acquired information, yet we treat it as though it measures ability. People in poverty don't necessarily know less, but may have a differing body of knowledge that doesn't correspond to a middle-class-oriented test.

There is SO MUCH more to poverty than any of us realizes. So many complex factors that those in poverty have no control over. But this book shows that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to meet these people where they are at and help them to get to a better tomorrow. There are countless research theories, strategies, and data that can help us help them. But ultimately, everything still comes down to relationships. I might not yet be where I want to be as an educator. But this book affirmed to me that I am doing the right thing. Regardless of how many of my future students are in poverty, I know that I want to use theories, strategies, data to help my students. But most of all, I want to form a relationship with them. <3

This book is written for teachers to help them understand and deal with students from poverty. Since I am neither a teacher nor have lived in poverty, my rating probably doesn't count for much. I read the book to better understand poverty in general, and for that, the book is helpful, if not ideal. It points out several of the "hidden rules" that poor people grow up learning, for example that extra money is either spent or shared. It explains the differences between situational and generational poverty and covers several additional problems associated especially with the latter (housing instability, food insecurity, poor health, exposure to addiction, predators, incarceration, etc.). It makes the important point that people can call on resources other than financial (physical, spiritual, social support, etc.). It gives concrete suggestions for how to apply the information in the classroom. I think Payne indulges in jargon a little too much (there has got to be a better term for formal speech patterns than "formal register"), but not enough to be unclear.

Love this book. So eye opening and thought provoking. Seriously love it. I've been telling everyone to read it.

A horrible dangerous book reinforcing culture of poverty ideas. Her 'research' consists of observations she made of her ex-in-laws poor family and the people who came to visit them. Ridiculous basis for theory. That's why she isn't taken seriously by scholars but the problem is that she is taken seriously by some practitioners who fall into her labelling theory trap. Some readers think 'oh yes I've seen that behaviour in so and so therefore this book must be true and apply to the broad spectrum of people in poverty.' She's managed to make her books so famous because she has a lot of money, she self publishes because no self respecting publisher would touch her, she goes on regular tours to spread her message far and wide and she avoids peer review actually threatening legal action on those who critique her. Also she uses her PhD to blind people into thinking she knows what she's talking about. Her PhD is in education not poverty studies. Scary how widespread adoption of her deficit viewed beliefs are becoming. Her books should all be burned.

It was a certainly interesting book to read. I have a lot of issues of the editing, graphics, and graphs that distracted from the reading. Sometime she would make a great point but would not elaborate on it.
The Microsoft graphs are pure page fillers and I hope the newer edition is improved.
I would like to hear a workshop with her. The book is not sufficient to completely grasp the concept and apply is successfully.