Video: Child Abuse - Children are subjected to different kinds of abuse. How do we put a stop to it and how do we further protect our children from it? Class discussion brings forth witness to child abuse - in school and at home. Note that child abuse includes the physical or psychological mistreatment of children. According to AAP, more than 2.5 million cases of child abuse and neglect are reported each year.
As an educator, it is a legal responsibility to report known or suspected cases of child abuse. (DCF)
Chapter 9: Age, pg. 338
The age group to which one belongs and experiences shape the individual's perceptions and behaviors. Events of our childhood and social issues in formative years shape individuals. This determines who we become in life.
Children & Poverty: Parents in poverty have limited choices for child care. This can result in children left in the care of siblings or even left alone. More than 18% of children live in poverty. In the inner city, poverty rates are higher.
Poverty is determined by federal poverty guidelines for household total income by number of family members($20,614). Poverty has a negative impact on school functioning, in its influence on access to adequate housing and timely and high-quality medical care. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006).
Immigrant Children: An immigrant child entering a U.S. school for the first time may experience culture shock. Teachers can help these students by being sensitive to cultural and family values and experiences, and assisting them in becoming bicultural.
Children & Ethnic Awareness: this is a conscious recognition of ethnicity in individuals or groups.
Children & Prejudice: Prejudice among young children (ages 4-7) remains high. Prejudice and ethnic awareness increase with age.
The early years of elementary education seem to be appropriate times to develop activities to help children reduce prejudice. Role models such as parents, the media and society's values can influence prejudice.
Childhood Obesity: Nearly a third of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Bad nutrition habits in adulthood are often formed during youth. My personal opine: we are nation of excess and not mindful. The fast food industry is a big contributor to the obesity rates; the nutritional values are not desirable. Making good choices is important especially regarding the health and wellness of our bodies.
Adolescence: (age 13-18) Adolesence is potentially a time of dissonance and alienation from family. I think that this is a period when children learn to become :grown-ups" and trying to learn societal values, what is accepted or not and most importantly, trying to fit into a peer group. Making friends is vey important at this age. There are many challenges that these children face.
Street Gangs: The emergence of street gangs has become a major challenge for educators. Juvenile gang activity in the U.S. can be traced back at least a century. Gang participation is also often a function of poverty. Joining a gang involves a garden variety of reasons. (family stress, no love at home, emotional fulfillment, community status)
Generation Y: Children of the baby boomers - born between early 1980s and 1994. Some are still in grade school and others are entering the workplace. (approx. 60 million americans) - they are expected to be better off than their parents and also considered the "self-esteem" generation.
Generation Z: These are individuals born in or after 1990. They are highly skilled and techno-savvy.
**Class Video: "Imagine No School - Parents Let Kids Go Free"
Here's another extreme way to look at how other families raise their children without formal schooling. Parents in this video instruct their kids to do whatever they want. (Strange parenting style - I wouldn't recommend this technique and I don't know how these kids are going to function in corporate America and get real jobs to support themselves).
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