At my school site, we are known best for having a small town feel. However, our
class sizes are very large. I try my best to create a warm environment; there
is lots of color, student work hung up, the desks are usually set up in groups,
and the seating chart changes every quarter to ensure students get to know one
another (of course, this was prior to the pandemic). Although I would describe
my classroom setting as welcoming, comfortable, and understanding, after
reading Payne’s “Hidden Rules among Classes”, I can see how this might not
always be the case. This is evident in viewing Pain’s chart (2016). The two
obvious “hidden rules” I see at our school, and especially in my classroom, is
that of “language” and “driving force.” The chart below is pertinent to the
rest of my analysis.
How is Language a part of a Hidden Rule?
According to Payne’s chart (2016), a person’s language can be
affected by their class; for lower classes, language is more “casual” and “is
about survival.” For the middle class, “language is about negotiation.” For the
upper class, or rich, “language is about networking”. As I read this
chart, I could not believe how accurately this pertained to my students. I know
the students that talk to me very casually, or the student who tries to
convince me to not give “too much” work, or the student who is constantly
building relationships with others. For some time, I believed that this was
just a part of their personality, and it is so interesting to me that for some,
this is just what they know because of their “hidden rules.”
How is the Driving Force a part of Hidden Rules?
I also see the “driving force” area of the chart in direct
relation to my students. I think this section is a little more obvious that it
is clearly based on class. The students who are in a lower class focus on
“relationships” while middle and upper class focus on “achievement, and social
connections”. I do feel that I honor these rules. I do not always expect students
to speak formally to me, I enjoy the casual conversation and getting to know
them. I also think that as part of my classroom setting, switching my seating
chart so often honors some “hidden rules” and allows students to build
relationships socially. I do however want to be more aware of these “hidden
rules” so that I am not assuming my own hidden roles for my students. I believe
this will be a strong way to help student achievement, to understand their
point of view/ hidden rules in order to
address and each student’s needs appropriately.
Example
Dr.
Payne’s video explains that people who may come from different classes may
choose “Different” explanations because of the “hidden rules” we may be blind
to. Garcia states, “If our behaviors in
a situation help others feel comfortable or happy around us, we say those are
expected behaviors for the situation (and often these are the same as the
hidden expectations)” (2020).
This is why the young woman she talks of in the video chooses to lie rather
than tell the truth. Her lie was at attempt at a hidden rule, because causing
someone an upset emotion based on the actions that seem necessary to you would
be breaking that rule. It is obvious that there are many students that deal
with this daily. The larger question is, how can we understand these hidden rules
now that most of us are working remotely? It is almost as if there is a whole new
set of rules!
References:
Garcia, Michelle. “How is Teaching Hidden Rules
Different From Teaching About Expected/Unexpected Behavior?”. 2020. https://www.socialthinking.com/Articles?name=teach-hidden-rules-different-expected-unexpected
Dr. Ruby Payne on the Poverty Mindset. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYeWJlfu1ZA&feature=emb_logo
Payne, Ruby K. “Hidden Rules among Classes.” Word on the
Streets, 16 Oct. 2016,
https://www.wordonthestreets.net/Articles/481670/Hidden_rules_among.aspx
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