Introduction
One of the major responsibilities of a teacher in a teaching environment is to manage students’ behaviors. Many scholars in education agree that a student’s performance is not dependent on intellectual ability alone but also in other factors such as behavior. A student’s behavior not only affects his or her performance alone but it may affect performance of other students in the same educational settings. Managing student’s behavior is vital when dealing with student with disabilities. Any factor that may affect a special student’s behavior is therefore worth being addressed. In the paper, I provide a personal reflection on a study entitled “The Impact of Single Parent Culture on Student’s Behavior”. As part of the group that conducted the study, I will reflect on personal experience from the study and the significance of this experience to my current and future roles as special education teacher.
Reflection
Single parenthood is a major issue not only here in United States but also in other parts of the world. Increased number of divorce cases in the country is having great impact on our culture and the way we bring up our children. Although I had inkling that the number of single families was on the increase, it did not occur to me that the number is such big. From the study it was revealed that there are about fourteen million single parent families in the country.
This number is likely to grow considering that the rate of divorce in the country is still significantly high. The number of children from single families in our schools is estimated to be about 22 million. This high number of students from non- intact families is of great concern to me as a teacher, especially in special education. I understand that a student’s out-of-school experience has impact on his or her social and intellectual development. Considering students with disabilities require special attention, any factor that may affect a student’s progress makes teaching such children more challenging.
In our multi-cultured society, culture becomes an important factor in various areas including education. When talking about cultural diversity in our school we tend to focus more on race, ethnicity or social economic classes. Rarely do we consider such subtle cultures as single parent culture. While conducting the study with my other group members, we obtained information that indicates great difference in the way of life for single and whole families. Apart from economical strain that most single families have to bear, the families have to put up with social and psychological pressures (Susanne, 2002). Despite of change in our culture, single families are not fully accepted in our society.
The study revealed that most members of single families are stigmatized; making their daily lives more challenging (Wong et al., 2004). Economic, social and psychological constrains experienced in single families could explain social problem such as drug abuse observed in children coming from these families. The lives of single families become even more complex in presence of a child with disabilities. Such a child would require attention, social and moral support. In their education, such children may require extra help from their parent but their parents may be too busy making end meet to extend the help. As a teacher compassionate for education for all, I recognized how single parenthood can impact on educational development in children with disabilities.
As a special education teacher, I have experienced difficulties with students with disabilities coming from single families. Some of the children have slower social and educational development while other may exhibit indiscipline. These observations were confirmed by findings from the study. In the study we found out that students from single families generally have poor academic performance as compared to those from whole families. However, the performance can be improved through positive intervention.
The research study on impact of single family culture on student’s behavior was an eye opener to me on the need to consider a student’s background. By understanding a child’s background a special education teacher can be able to know the best way to manage a class without causing unintended damage. The study enabled me to sympathize not only with students with disabilities from single families but also with their parents.
I realized how single parents strain to bring up their children by their own while having to put up with social stigma. However, I believe more cooperation between special education teachers and single parents to students with disabilities is required for the benefit of the students. Though the parents could be busy fending for their families, they can be encouraged to support their children in their social and educational development (Fredricks, Rasinki, & Ritty, 1991).
Conclusion and Way-forward
With number of single families increasing year after year, special needs of students coming from such families should be addressed. As a special education teacher I will seek single parents’ cooperation from point knowledge. I will always be sensitive when handling the students and their parents. I will refrain from using terms that my cause extra damage to my students; instead, I will encourage them to view their life positively and learn. It’s my hope that single parents could get more financial support. With support they can get more time for their children and therefore play a bigger role in their educational development.
Reference List
Fredricks, A. D., Rasinki, T. V., & Ritty, J. M. (1991). Working With Parents: Single-Parent Families-Tips for Educators. The Reading Teacher 44(8), P. 604.
Susanne, C. (2002).The Impact of Parent / Family Involvement on Student Outcomes: An Annotated Bibliography of Research from the past decade, Cadre. Web.
Wong, T. B., et al. (2004). Spaces of Silence: Single Parenthood and the ‘Normal Family’ in Singapore. Population, Space and Place 10(1), 43-58.