I am very glad that we were able to discuss students in foster care through this class. The effect it may have on students often seems to go unnoticed in the classroom as they are moved from one household to the next. In high school, I actually held an event for fifth through eighth grade girls to learn about foster care while making tie blankets to donate that babies and small children could keep when they had to move during the winter. A woman from Health and Human Services who frequently worked with students in foster care spoke and answered the girls' questions. She also expressed her appreciation for the blankets that they would be putting together. She told the girls how it would show other kids like them that they care. It was a great learning experience for all. I hope to offer a caring outlook to any foster students I may have in my classroom through building a solid relationship with them.
As for sexuality issues, my role as the teacher could range from consoling a pregnant student to having to deal with two openly gay or lesbian students displaying their relationship. I think my best policy will be to follow the school handbook and my administrator's advice when it comes to situations such as public displays of affection. I feel that the school counselor(s) will also play a crucial role in assisting me assisting a student or in receiving a student that I send directly to the counselor.
I also never really recognized the helpfulness of a para in a classroom environment. The only time I saw them growing up was during my years in elementary school. I think there was one observation experience a few years ago in which I encountered a para as well. After researching the topic, I find that getting to know any paras I may have could be a great learning benefit to me and my students. I look forward to making modified assignments or completing other classroom tasks with a para on my side despite what may seem as an initial awkwardness before we get to know one another.
I have a question, more so for the elementary majors. Say you have a student who is in foster care that becomes very attached to you to the point that she asks if you would take her home to live with you. We can't all be like Miss Honey from Matilda and adopt each child who says this, however. How would you respond?
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.
You know to be quite honest, I didn't even know what a para was until I reached this class. I have only ever experienced one para in my whole school career and that was when I was observing at an elementary school last semester. I thought it was kind of weird for another adult to be in the classroom to learn music, but I quickly found out that she was somehow tied to three of the children in the class.
ReplyDeleteI also liked your own experience of foster children. Making blankets and things like that seems like a very cool way to help those in need. Just imagine the power you can have with many eager willing students at your side!! *o*