In Gratitude to Ruby Payne
I can’t open this company without first acknowledging Dr. Ruby Payne. She changed my career with her book A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Later it was my life that changed after she hired me as a consultant for aha! Process Inc. I have not been the same since and remain eternally grateful for the profound effect from both her work and her person.
I read Dr. Payne’s book, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, years before I attended her training. I had gifted about 25 to 30 copies to co-workers and friends. It is no exaggeration when I say that it completely changed how I saw my students, how I discussed issues on diversity, how I defined culture, and how I better understood my role in education. I came to realize how many issues labeled as “cultural” or “racial” are more often about economics and how the two easily get confused for each other. Moreover, I learned that the mislabeling of such topics result in circular and unproductive conversations with little to no resolution. The clarity of Dr. Payne’s message gave birth to my love of research and an intrinsic need to listen more closely to my students. It was humbling to discover how my personal biases got in the way of appreciating and seeing what was right in front of me. I often overlooked the strengths my students already had, in abundance, because of my preconceptions. The ability to connect with students, accept their truths, recognize their assets and develop more genuine trusting respectful relationships exponentially increased after my training with Dr. Payne.
Since becoming one of her consultants in 2003, countless attendees have told me time and time again how their lives changed for the better by becoming aware of Dr. Payne’s message. They discuss their feelings of becoming empowered with the knowledge they didn’t possess before training. Some speak with tears, some with laughter, and some with amazement. It would be impossible to keep count of the hundreds of people who have come up to me with statements such as:
“I, myself, grew up in poverty and it took this training to better understand why I do what I do. THANK YOU!”
“I used to be so judgmental. Now I realize that it was my perspective that did not allow me to accept others. I need to open my mind up so much more. THANK YOU!”
“I now see why I judged my students as not acting smart when in truth it was me who did not understand. THANK YOU!”
“I now see strengths in such a different light. My students are amazingly strong and I need to focus on that first. THANK YOU!”
The statements of gratitude are usually quite exuberant and profoundly heartfelt. They are accompanied by hugs, lingering handshakes, and sometimes tears.
Now, all these years later, I continue to be in awe of Dr. Payne’s work as it becomes more relevant with the passage of time. It has flourished in the areas of health care, social reform, higher education, and law enforcement. More recently, her work on Emotional Poverty is providing even more schools and other agencies with the necessary tools to help children and their families experience success in life. Our journey has been a most enlightening and thrilling ride.
Ruby, for all this and SO much more….. THANK YOU!
Workshops by Ruben
Taking Control of Your Classroom
“This really is old school for modern times. All the values we used to take for granted REALLY do need to be introduced in an all-new way for today’s generation. I love your approach to common sense with today’s need for plain speak communication.”
Educators are facing a level of classroom disruptions never seen before. The world is not the same as it was even a decade ago, and these changes are reflected daily in our classrooms. Today's students are more diverse in their backgrounds and experiences. They are digital natives who are more socially aware and vocal about their views on various issues.
This workshop is not just about fostering student ownership of learning. It's about empowering you, the educator, to inspire a culture of self-efficacy and purpose in your classroom. By shifting the focus from a teacher-centered model to a student-centered one, you can instill confidence and intrinsic motivation in your students, leading to increased engagement and better academic outcomes.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Pre-K to Grade 2 – Preventive Discipline and Students out of Control
"Such a simple message. Such a difference in how I see our role. Thank you SO MUCH for opening my eyes. I feel like I was blind.”
What do we do when the student who is out of control is between four and seven years old? It’s hard to reason with a child who has limited vocabulary and little ability to tell us what is really going on in their mind. Behavior is an emotional response; it is not about logic.
This workshop will provide very specific strategies for helping prevent disruptive behaviors and for what to do when one child occupies everyone’s time and energy. States are now making laws that prohibit the suspension of young students. We must become better at helping our younger students develop emotional stability. It can be done through focused activities that are fun and engaging while relevant to developing stronger social skills. We also share administrative structures that produce better coordination for containing behaviors—we get everyone on the same page.
This workshop, usually lasting one day, is also offered in a two-day format. Day 1 is for administrators and focuses on what they can do to optimize staff productivity, lessen stress, and motivate staff to keep the student as the top priority. Leadership is the single most critical element when dealing with students who demand focused attention. Day 1 also covers what teachers will learn on Day 2. Day 2 is for teachers and staff members and focuses on specific strategies for starting off with a proactive mindset and for dealing with emotional outbursts.
Ruben Perez has a wealth of experience as a behavioral specialist and interventionist in public schools. He brings a fresh, practical approach to addressing the behavioral needs of young children.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Audit of Campus Climate
"Ruben, your eye for detail and the invisible is astounding. Thank you for the clarity and direction you gave our team. We are on a more focused mission than ever before."
- Do you find that no matter what you do the culture of your campus still seems stagnant?
- Do you find that even though teachers are working hard, it is hard to make progress?
- Are you seeing students disconnected from your school rules and procedures?
- You know something needs to change but you don’t know where to start.
- If so, it’s time to look at how the culture and hidden values of your campus affect the results you are experiencing.
I help administrators gracefully uncover blind spots to be better prepared to plan ahead. and address at their work environment from a perspective that is difficult to obtain when you are there in the trenches. .
A campus assessment is an objective and comprehensive look at what is happening in your school. Daily routines, systemic practices, classroom management, and much more are studied, analyzed, and reviewed with campus administrators.
Schedule an appointment for a campus assessment to help your team get focused on necessary priorities for improvement.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Custom Workshops
Customized training originates in two ways.
First, after reviewing the results of an audit of a school’s climate, a presentation for that campus is made based on the findings. The session highlights the strengths already in place and shares practical recommendations for building wide practices to improve what’s in place to make everyone’s efforts even more effective.
Second, if an existing workshop doesn’t quite fit what your staff needs, a presentation is tailored specifically to your goals and concerns. The final product is the result of collaboration with campus or district leaders, as well as anyone on staff who should be part of the conversation to make sure the training fits the needs at hand.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Coaching During the Workday
Coaching happens right in the middle of the action during the workday alongside your daily responsibilities. By working shoulder-to-shoulder, we can pinpoint specific procedures and steps that strengthen a school’s climate, communication, and morale for improved results with both academics and behavior.
Whether the coaching occurs with administrators, behavior specialists, teachers, or paraprofessionals, the focus is:
· Gaining buy-in when working with different temperaments
· Managing student outbursts effectively
· Strengthening student–teacher relationships
· Building stronger classroom management systems
· Promoting a unified front for both staff and students
· Applying user friendly behavior modification strategies
· Developing and implementing effective behavior contracts
Let’s connect and start building best practices that work for your campus.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
To Be Educated is To Be Liberated (Student Presentation Grades 6-12)
Going to school for legal reasons can cause us to forget why we go in the first place and lose interest. We attend school to become self-sufficient, to empower our future, to strengthen our role in society, and to become contributing members of communities. That narrative attracts and makes sense to adults, but how do we communicate these ideas to young students and establish their buy-in?
This student presentation uses engaging conversations, motivational thinking, analogies, and hard examples to get students to think out loud and see themselves through different perspectives. It stimulates interest and heightens awareness over the critical role education plays in their lives today while focusing on tomorrow.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Maximizing Achievement Among Hispanic Students
“This is the ONLY DIVERSITY TRAINING that has made me feel EMPOWERED. I am white and this has NEVER happened before. I have been teaching for 30 years. This was AMAZING. THANK YOU!!!!!”
Too many Hispanic/Latino students are slipping through the cracks. They continue to face some of the highest dropout rates nationwide—not because of a lack of ability, but because of misunderstandings in the classroom and community. Distinct behaviors are too often misread as disrespect, disinterest, or showing off when in fact it is a reaction to assumptions between both teachers and students.
This workshop takes an unflinching look at what’s really happening. It unpacks the unseen factors shaping students’ school experiences and gives educators the tools to address tough issues head-on—with clarity, confidence, and respect.
“Hinting” at how to do school doesn’t work. Hope isn’t a strategy. Real change starts when conversations are safe and get honest. Participants will leave with practical strategies to connect more effectively with students and parents and build stronger pathways to success.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Workshops from aha! Process
Framework for Understanding Poverty: 10 Actions to Educate Students
"WOW! I am ashamed to say that I did associate behaviors with intelligence and motivation. I WAS WRONG. They work so very hard to survive. Poverty is not for the weak at heart. I will fix me first.”
Explore class differences and 10 actions you can implement in the classroom to improve the success of low-SES students. This workshop is based on Ruby Payne’s book A Framework for Understanding Poverty, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies.
Teachers who participate in this training will:
- Use concrete instructional strategies to help students from poverty
- Understand hidden rules of economic class and effects on behaviors and mindsets
- Develop stronger relationships with students to impact behavior
- Reduce discipline referrals
Topics include resources, mental models, family structure, language patterns, and more. Give new and veteran teachers tools to help students from poverty today.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Boys in Crisis (Working with Boys who struggle with school)
“I now get that needs can differ greatly by gender. The reality is very awakening. As a man, I recognize what I need to do for my own sons. Get the word out. Keep the message going. Our boys need it.”
Boys account for 85% of the discipline problems in schools. They also constitute the largest populations in special education, Title I, and those who have reading and writing problems. Boys are the ones who have committed the violent acts in America’s schools, and they are the most likely to drop out of school.
This workshop focuses on the “why” behind male behavior in schools and what schools can do to begin making school more “boy friendly.” Issues that affect boys who come from poverty, as well as middle class, will be explored in this session.
Parents can also benefit from this content in an evening presentation focused on creating well-adjusted boys at home and at school.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Click HERE to purchase the book suggested for this workshop
Emotional Poverty: Address emotional poverty and build emotional wealth in your students
"I have been teaching for 27 years and wish I had this training so many years ago. I feel like you gave us a roadmap that has been in hiding for years.”
The workshop:
· Provides understandings of origins of anger, anxiety, and avoidance
· Gives a language to talk about brain regulation, integration, and emotional competence
· Provides tools for educators to address and reduce anger, anxiety, and avoidance
· Helps educators manage the “classroom dance” that occurs between the educator and the students
· Provides the tools to motivate good behavior
· Identifies the differences in male and female emotional processing
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Emotional Poverty 2: Safer Students and Less-Stressed Teachers
In this workshop, you will learn and practice many techniques/exercises that will help students/parents build emotional resources in school and at home.
Workshop Objectives
- Provide educators tools to read the emotional body language of students.
- Provide strategies for regulation of behavior from the prefrontal cortex.
- Identify key issues in the brain development of adolescents.
- Understand the hippocampus and its creation of stories that guide behavior and identity.
- Learn strategies to reduce adult stress and compassion fatigue.
- Use a brain-based approach to the emotional realities of parents and parenting.
Length: Six hours, deliverable in one, three, or six sessions.
Training Prerequisites: None
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Educating Students Experiencing Homelessness, Instability, and Disengagement
"I feel a sense of purpose I never had before. I can’t believe how much I did out of pity for my students. It didn’t help them at all. I see that now. They need guidance not what I offered before.”
What do you do with students experiencing a lack of permanent housing or with students who are hungry, tired, and have demands placed on them based on the unstable environment they are living in?
This new workshop looks at what homelessness, instability, and disengagement do to learning and the strategies and understandings that are necessary to address those issues. The workshop covers a social cognitive framework that includes the role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in learning and how safety and belonging impact the prefrontal cortex. Multiple strategies are given.
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Researched Based Strategies (Academic Classroom Applications)
"I got several powerful strategies for how to move forward. You just electrified my lessons. Time to get to work."
Serve under-resourced students with hands-on techniques that help you narrow and then close the achievement gap. Reduce planning time, improve effectiveness, and develop more immediate, reliable intervention strategies.
Most importantly, employ best practices to address student challenges before they become overwhelming.
Relevant Audience: K-12
Training Prerequisites: None
To book this service, call (281) 772-7317 or email ruben@rubenspeaking.com
Click HERE to purchase the book required for this workshop
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