Studying about poor children and all of the different challenges that they go through is very upsetting. I learned so much about all the things that you have to think about and consider when dealing with these students. Poor children need extra support. Since parents can't (because of extra jobs or they don't know how) always give them everything they need, I want to help these students and give them certain things I can. I feel like it is part of my job to supply children with certain needs that they don't receive at home.
When I am a teacher I really want to give my students all the opportunities that I can. I will sit and read with my students, so they get extra time reading aloud to someone. Another thing I want to instill in my poor students is that I will listen to them. I want them to come to me when they need to vent or just have someone listen. Sometimes in these families there is not much focus on the child as the individual. I believe that my role is going to be to give my time and attention to these students every chance I get. I will not take attention away from my other students but, just put some extra in here and there for my poor students.
While studying abused and poor children, I felt like there are a lot of connections between the two. It makes me think that maybe poor children are neglected, and that is a form of abuse. Maybe not on purpose from the parents, but it happens. Even though parents of poor children might want to give their child more, they simply can't. So, even though it isn't on purpose, the child can still feel the neglect and the issues that come with that.
I hadn't put these two things together until I reflected on each topic.
ED460 Personal and Social Well Being is a course taken by college students in education during their student teaching semester. Topics covered include: poverty, child abuse, bullying, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, counselors' role in school, adolescents and choices, and the use of technology.
I agree that studying about poor children and their challenges can be upsetting and that they probably will need extra support. It is important that our classrooms are a reprieve from negatives that are happening at home. Not all students who are poor are neglected though. In the area I grew up in, we had a very high population of families below poverty level. Some actually chose that lifestyle by choosing to have Mom stay home and raise the children. Pinto beans were the staple and the mom made them from scratch. The children didn't have new clothes but were fed and had all needs met. Mom and Dad raised the children in a loving family. They just didn't have the wants of life.
ReplyDeleteAs future teacher will encounter poor, abuse, and neglected children I think it is important to remember that we are there to help the individual and not to remove the evil (i.e. poverty, abuse, etc.). As teachers we can only do so much: namely helping the students we can to rise above their circumstances.
ReplyDeleteAs you pointed out this will be accomplished by recognizing the students who need extra help and providing that help when and how you can.
I agree with what you say about trying to help the impoverished in our classes. We all will encounter it, and we all will feel bad. I know we all will want to help them as much as we possibly can.
ReplyDeleteWWhat would you do if a parent of the child took offense to your helping of their child? Would you stop? Or would you try to explain to them that you were just trying to help? if they told you to stop, would you?