Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty: Strategies for Erasing the Opportunity Gap (Multicultural Education Series)

“This is the 'poverty book' I’ve been waiting for. It provides powerful, clear-eyed analysis of why economic inequities exist and persist, and practical classroom-tested guidance for teachers and leaders who care to make a difference. Paul Gorski’s voice is passionate, accessible, politically astute, and (I hope) impossible to ignore.”
—Gary Howard, founder of the REACH Center and author of We Can't Teach What We Don't Know, Second Edition

“This book should be required reading for all teachers! In his wonderfully readable, highly lucid analysis of poverty and social class, Paul Gorski gently but firmly redirects teachers away from damaging ways of seeing students and families who live in poverty, toward a vision of respect that champions equity and enables young people to bloom in the classroom.”
—Christine Sleeter,professor emerita, California State University Monterey Bay and immediate past president of the National Association for Multicultural Education

“Finally! A book that helps educators not only learn about the devastating impact of poverty on children’s lives, but also helps them think about what they can do—in the words of author Paul Gorski—right now as well as in the future to help improve the life chances of young people living in poverty. Highly readable and comprehensive, Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty will be a welcome addition to school, university, and community bookshelves.”
—Sonia Nieto,professor emerita, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

“From one of the smartest scholars on poverty and education comes this engaging, relatable, and thoroughly researched book that every educator and school leader should read.  Paul Gorski makes vivid and compelling how and why poverty matters, where and when we've gone wrong with current reforms, and perhaps most important, what we can do in our schools and classrooms to ensure that every child receives the very best education that our nation has to offer.  Read and share it today.”
—Kevin Kumashiro, Dean, School of Education, University of San Francisco, author of Bad Teacher! How Blaming Teachers Distorts the Bigger Picture

The author draws from decades of research to deconstruct popular myths, misconceptions, and educational practices that undercut the achievement of low-income students.
He carefully describes the challenges that students in poverty face and the resiliencies they and their families draw upon. Most importantly, this book provides specific, evidence-based strategies for teaching youth by creating equitable, bias-free learning environments. Written in an appealing conversational tone, this resource will help teachers and school leaders to better reach and teach students in poverty. 

Book Features:

• A conceptual framework for creating equitable educational opportunities for low- and middle-income youth.
• Instructional strategies based on an analysis of more than 20 years of research on what works (and what doesn’t work).
• A depiction of teachers, not as the problem when it comes to the achievement gap, but as champions of students.
• Activities such as a Poverty and Class Awareness Quiz.