How Ruby Payne’s A Framework for Understanding Poverty helped me navigate social classes and break the cycle of generational poverty

The following is written by Ashley Hamel, assistant principal at Grandview Elementary in Grandview, Texas. 

Growing up, I knew my home life did not compare to those around me. My mother had me when she was sixteen, and less than two years later, she left me to be raised by a young single father who did not have a steady flow of income, a college degree, or the ability to support a child on his own. My entire childhood was a game of catch-up: catch up on rent, catch up on the electric bill, catch up, catch up, catch up. At fifteen, I began working full-time to help support our household while still attending school. Doing so meant ending my sports career, cutting off social ties, and focusing on school and work. At a young age, I could see this would be my life forever; I was trapped in generational poverty.

When I graduated high school, my dad gave me the greatest gift: an ultimatum. He told me I had two choices: Continue working at minimum wage and pay rent, or continue working and register for college, and I would not have to pay rent. My dad was wise and knew I was heavily motivated by money, so to save a considerable amount on rent each month, I reluctantly registered at the local junior college.

With no career path, I walked into my first meeting with a college advisor as a first-generation college student with no background knowledge of what this process looked like. My advisor suggested that I take an early childhood course to see if that interested me. That course forever changed my life and my future children’s lives.

A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby Payne was the text material for my early childhood course. As an eager college student, I purchased my course materials and began reading the first chapter to prepare for classes to begin. Ruby Payne dove into my childhood with a level of understanding that no one else around me ever had.

Payne’s framework for understanding poverty provided me with a new lens through which to view my circumstances. She described poverty not just in terms of financial scarcity but also in terms of resources like emotional stability, mental well-being, and social capital. This holistic view was eye-opening.

For the first time, I could see how my upbringing had been shaped by a complex interplay of factors, many of which extended beyond mere economics. The “hidden rules”—the unspoken cues and habits that govern behavior in different social classes—showed me how to alter my behaviors to match those of middle class and upper class individuals. By understanding these hidden rules, I could start to decode the seemingly arbitrary social norms that had always felt alien to me.

Payne’s book became a source of hope that the cycle of generational poverty could be broken. This knowledge empowered me to adopt new behaviors and mindsets that aligned more closely with middle class values. I learned to prioritize long-term goals over short-term gratification, to invest in my education, and to build networks that could provide support and opportunities. This empowerment launched me into a career path as a teacher, a role that enabled me to build a foundation for our family, to provide for my children, and to ensure that the cycle of poverty did not reoccur with another generation.

Ultimately, Payne’s emphasis on resilience and resourcefulness resonated deeply within me. Instead of viewing my background as a disadvantage, I began to see it as a wellspring of unique strengths. The ability to adapt, persevere, and find creative solutions to problems became assets in my journey. My story became a way to make connections with families within our schools affected by poverty and an inspiration to change their story and their future.

A Framework for Understanding Poverty provided me with the understanding and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of social class and to forge a path from poverty to the middle class. Through knowledge, practical strategies, and the support of mentors, I have been able to break the cycle of generational poverty and create a brighter future for myself and my family.