Family Functions

SPED 232-Assignment 3

Sheelagh Lucas

Give a little love to a child, and you get a great deal back.-John Ruskin

How do I show concern? Let the parents know how the kid is doing with

little notes, emails, or phone calls if time permits Ask how “everyone is doing?” Knowing it may

take a little time out of your day, try to show interest in the family. This will make them more receptive to the teacher.

If you can, recall a detail or two from each conversation you can ask about…upcoming event, other children, or something new going on in the student’s life.

All these things will show true interest the parents want to see…this is how you motivate the family to become more involved with the education process…if you seem to care, they will be more willing to listen.

Motivation for Family Involvement is easy to come

by. Parents need to understand that the

instructors and school merely want what is best for

the child. They need to seem invested in that child’s

well being. It is easy to seem as though there is not

the love and involvement that parents want, especially

in a young child. But to motivate family

involvement, genuine concern caring should be

shown.

Why keep the parents motivated?While some educators may not see

the purpose in keeping families motivated in participation, it is very

important for each student. An involved parent will be more likely

to carry over decisions from home. They will be more likely to stay involved in grades and decision making situations in the school.

This equates to a better education for the student.

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change”-Stephen Hawking

Families with children with special needs often have to adapt their entire lifestyle around that need. Their travel, family interactions, daily routine and major decisions are all affected. Teachers need to aware of these family alterations and understand what it means to them.

Routines!Parents may ask for changes in

The teacher’s routine. If they are minorAnd achievable, this may make the

Difference between a good dayAnd a bad for any student.

Location, Location, Location!

Like any typically functioning children, a simple location change may mean the difference between a student success and a student meltdown. Some kids

need to be near doors, closer to teacher’s desks, or slightly removed from other

students. Communication!

Some parents may ask for increased communication with the teacher. This can be emails, phone calls, or notes. I ask my child’s teacher to fill out one of the forms on the left a minimum of one time per week. This allows me to keep

tabs on what IEP goals are being addressed and a basic knowledge of how

he is doing in school.

Why should we make so many changes?

As instructors we need to understand a small flexibility on our behalf, goes a very long way with the family

This small effort really solidifies the parent’s desire for involvement

How can I let parents know I am open to adapting? Tell them!

Ask questions, “Is there anything I can do to help make Janie more comfortable?”

Are there specific things you do at home that might be helpful here?

An example of this would be specific language. We told teachers specific phrases “It’s time to…” “Quiet Spot” that would help her in the classroom, and help us feel comfortable with the teacher’s ability to adapt.

“You have a little brother with Autism because he is really an angel. He had to go to a very special family. If he went to other families, then he would not have so much fun because here he has three sisters. We are very luck to have an Autism angel in our house, God does not let just any family have that kind of little brother!”-Emmeline Lucas, age 7

Impacts on a Family that has a Child with a Disability

“We must let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us”-Joseph Campbell

My son may never be the Eagle Scout my husband dreamed. I will most likely never watch him play in traditional team sports like his peers. I may never be Mother of the Groom, or see grandchildren from this particular child…in fact he may never leave home in my lifetime to live a life of his own…I simply do not know.

But, what I can celebrate are tiny accomplishments that grow into one. When his therapists and teachers give me little celebrations, they feel like the biggest accomplishments in the world to me and my family!

When asked how a child with disabilities affects a family there are not singular words to describe it…though I believe Joseph Campbell comes close.

“You were born with the ability to change someone’s life…don’t ever waste it”

Everything at home, affects this student…their concentration, their ability to work, and sometimes their parent’s ability to be available to meet their needs. Understanding the family is one step closer to understanding how you can make your time with this student as successful as possible!

Why do Instructors

need to be so aware of HOW

families are affected?

Issues that may arise….

Today, approximately one of six students in schools across the United States cannot benefit fully from a traditional educational program because they have a disability that impairs their ability to participate in -classroom activities

84% of couples with children who have special needs divorce

The cost of autism is staggering. It can cost a typical family $60,000 per year and expenses are rising even further

families with disabled children experienced uncovered, out-of-pocket expenses substantially higher than those of families with no disabled children.

Mothers of children with mental illness were two to three times more likely to be depressed than mothers of healthy children

Your student may be encountering a split home, poverty, financial hardship, family discord, or other family troubles, this can cause definite ripples in the child’s well being. By knowing the hardships families encur with a special needs child, you can better understand what is happening at home.

Siblings…. This portion of the family may also need attention. If your student has a special needs sibling, you may need to have a deeper understanding of their home life.

Feel alone or neglected or jealous about the extra attention given to a child with special needs

Wish that they too had problems to get more attention

Worry that the disability is contagious and that they might catch it

Become overly helpful or noncompliant in an effort to gain approval

Try to ease their parents' burden by not making demands or feeling guilty

Feel guilty about their own good health

Feel embarrassed or resent having to involve their sibling with neighborhood friends

Be afraid to express negative feelings to avoid adding stress to the family

Worry about the care and future of their sibling

What you can do as a teacher….

Be aware of the child…if something seems wrong, give them a chance to speak their mind.

Talk to the parents, let them know there may be something bothering the other child

Pay attention to any major changes at home that may impact the child and stay aware!

“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be."

-J.K. Rowling, (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)

As parents, each and every one of us try to raise our children to be one thing…good people. Successful, yes, happy, yes, but mainly we all want one thing. For them to be good people. No matter their ability, their challenges, we all want a single thing. As future educators, we all hope for the same thing. To make an impact on someone. To help them achieve their full potential. We want to ensure that when they leave our classrooms for another, they leave a little smarter, a little more along their way to a fuller life.

Understanding the families, their backgrounds, what affects them. Those interactions are vital to the well being of our students. They can help us become more effective teachers.

References

http://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=45&articleid=204&sectionid=1328

https://www.mint.com/blog/planning/the-cost-of-raising-a-special-needs-child-0713/ http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/wrkwlfes.htm http://

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/insight-is-2020/201310/pity-the-parents-special-needs-children-part-one

http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/siblings_children_special_needs