Thursday, March 22, 2012
Ch. 4 The Impact of Family Violence on Relationships
"Children exposed to violence or other forms of relational trauma have difficulty forming satisfying relationships with caring adults. Damaged by the effects of insecure or disorganized patterns of attachment, these children develop behavioral coping mechanisms that trigger negative reactions from both adults and peers. Classroom environments where teachers reinforce safety and provide ongoing support give children the hope they need to survive. Opportunities to form meaningful relationships with teachers can help children overcome their perception of the world as a dangerous and hostile place."
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ReplyDeleteI got a lot out of the chapter, especially near the end where Dr. Craig talked about the classroom as a safe haven. The concept of having a time to take off the imaginary backpack and put it in the "worry lot" was great. Heck, I could probably use that myself!
ReplyDeleteI also like the commentary by the teacher on pp. 87-8 about the teacher playing an active role in making sure the teacher knows that he/she is there to help the student. I often have to deal with students who have had a rough specialty before music, or just had an ordeal in recess or another class. If someone is visibly upset, I try to say something like, "We're gonna try to have a good time in music today, okay?"
With older students, I try to make sure that the students know that I am there as a support system as far as music class goes. I told my high school students when I did my practicum that they should not have an adversarial role with the teacher (as in an obstacle to a good grade). They should almost liken their teacher to a private tutor, there to help in times of confusion or difficulty. I got that tidbit from "Learning: Your First Job" by Robert Leamnson (Google it, it's a quick read.).