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DiverseFamilyStructureswk3A1.docxDIVERSE FAMILY STRUCRTURES 1
Diverse Family Structures
How to address the issue of having students from struggling families
In the video, Mr. Keiley, who is a teacher at Monarch School remembers his student in the third, fourth, and fifth grades. The learner used to score advanced on all the state tests she did. However, he encountered the girl coming out the bush on several mornings, and realized that they actually spent their nights there. Thus, the girl used to work extremely hard in the class whereas she was barely surviving in the streets once she left school. I have to understand that it is my responsibility of taking care of students both inside and outside the classroom. For this reason, I would start by ensuring the student feels comfortable and valued in the class. Here, I would ensure that he or she is not bullied by others because of lacking a home. Here, I would teach my students about embracing each other irrespective of their economic backgrounds. At the same time, I would ensure that the child is well-fed while in school. Moreover, I would engage the learner to know whatever she needs after leaving school, and try my best to assist. Moreover, I would work with the parents to know the areas I can be helpful, such as assisting them acquire stable jobs.
How to connect with the families in this school
The connection between parents and teachers plays a crucial role in children’s education (Clift et al., 2005). This is the reason why I ensure that I engage my students’ parents regularly through calls and texts. These interactions allow me to know how my students’ home environment and how it can affect their classroom engagements. For this reason, I would contact the family of the student in Keiley’s video and engage them regularly. Nonetheless, I would have to be cautious to avoid jumping into conclusions, as such move can make the family to develop discomfort towards the school and myself. Upon creating a strong relationship with the family, I would engage them on how to deal with their homelessness. It is evident that their situation is brought about by poverty, which can be as a result of unemployment. Thus, I would help them acquire the temporary help their need from the federal and state welfare programs. Moreover, I would assist them find permanent solutions to their challenges by connecting to the various employers I know. I believe that these initiatives are likely to facilitate long-term relationships between the family and myself.
The strategies that support a consistent, effective, and reliable learning environment
Educators can employ several strategies to create a consistent, effective, and reliable learning environment for students in the classroom. One of the approaches they can use is spending time with individual students to enquire about their families and homes. The second strategy is studying students’ behaviors to determine whether they are experiencing any challenges both in class and at home. The third technique is providing material, emotional, and mental support to students. Here, educators should implement practical initiatives to assist their students overcome the challenges that they might be facing (Clift et al., 2005). The fourth technique entails engaging parents in children’s learning activities. Here, teachers should interact with parents regularly to inform them about the progress of their children in the classroom. Moreover, these interactions would allow enable parents to know the family structures of their learners, thus can tell whether they are experiencing any challenges.
References
Mth. (2011, February 23). Monarch’s Stephen Keiley (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/20309965
