The challenge I chose for the Course Project is “Children
Exposed to Risk, Stress, or Trauma” with my subtopic being poverty. For the
Course Project I was able to interview a school counselor and school health
nurse, both who work with families in need every day. The interviewees have
combined 34 years of experience working with families who face the challenge of
living in poverty.
The interview process has brought both successes and
challenges, but the information I received from both interviewees was informative
and applicable. Both interviewees were able to provide me with actual
experiences they had with families and multiple examples of how poverty
effected those families. I enjoyed getting the perspective of a nurse and a
counselor because their views had similarities, but some of their concerns
differed. I really thought that meeting with them in person and reading their
body language and facial expressions about certain questions was very telling,
I would have missed that piece if the interviews had been conducted in a
different manor. The only challenged I faced was finding common time to meet
with each of my interviewees. It seems that for over a week we would set up a
time to meet and then one of us could not meet due to a conflict that would
arise.
Mrs. Robison the school counselor I interviewed said,
“Interpersonal relationships are the key importance among the poverty
families.” I really thought about this statement and related it to families I
have worked with or currently work with. I realized how much truth is in this
statement. So many families ban together who live in poverty and their family
time and togetherness is extremely important to them and overrides just about
everything else. I really started to think about families who don’t find PTA
meetings important to attend or who never complete the Home School Connections
projects that are sent home with their child. They find that spending time with
their family members doing things they enjoy and have interest in are more
important. I had to think this idea even though from a teacher perspective I
don’t agree not attending events and not completing projects I now understand
the why.
As for the Course Project, I am working on the annotated
bibliography part 4. I have enjoyed reading many of the articles and searching
for ones that are applicable to my topic. I have sharpened my research skills
and scholarly level reading skills during this Course Project. I am still
working on my interviews and compiling the information I gather from them. The
interview part of the Course Project was the most rewarding for me. I am a
people person and enjoy sitting down and talking with others who have a passion
for helping children and their families.
When reflecting on the Course
Project as a whole one question I would like to pose is, “What types of coping strategies
would be beneficial for a family who is new to living in a poverty situation?”
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about the question you posed in your blog concerning coping strategies for a family new to living in poverty, it seems that Mrs. Robinson’s comment on building interpersonal relationships is a good place to start. Establishing reciprocal relationships will help to build trust that can eventually lead to success. Payne (2005) discusses the response from students who have managed to make it out of poverty and become successful adults. When asked what made the difference for them, approximately 90% of the time the student responded that their success was brought about by a significant relationship they had with an adult who believed in them. Most often these adults are teachers and other educational staff (Payne, 2005), which indicates the power of a reciprocal relationship.
Payne, R. K. (2005). A framework for understanding poverty. Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc.
Darla,
DeleteThank you for your powerful response to my post. That is a profound statistic that 90% of the time students relate their successes to an adult who believed them. That statistic alone should motivate any teacher. What we do every day can affect a life forever, that is both motivating and at the same time somewhat daunting!
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Poverty can cause traumatic events on many children. Often, children have a difficult time coping with trauma and may develop behavioral and mental health issues. It is important for children who experience trauma to receive supportive services. You asked, “What types of coping strategies would be beneficial for a family who is new to living in a poverty situation?” I would recommend family therapy and support groups. Family therapy will help the child and family process what is happening to them and how they can overcome their obstacles. Some supports groups may offer meals, clothes, and personal items. Also, support groups may offer support from other individuals living in poverty.
Shamanie
Shamanie,
DeleteThank you for your response to my post and for answering my question. Support groups are a great idea for families. I would like to educate myself more about what groups are available in my area that I could recommend to families in need. That is going to go on my professional to do list. Thanks for the idea and motivation!
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteYour question about to help families new to living in poverty. Even though I did not live in poverty, I recently had a glimpse of this life change when my spouse lost his job. I saw how easily things could change and necessities could become inaccessible. I was fortunate to have family and friends who encouraged us. Families need resources which include places to seek help in getting food , shelter, and possibly counseling. It is important for families to have support from multiple sources. I had parents and friends who could help me if I needed it. Families need other people who can direct them to monetary supports, as well as listen to them work through their problems. Cynthia Thralls
Cynthia,
DeleteFirst of all thank you for your interest in my post. Second I am sorry to hear about your recent hardship. It is amazing though how sometimes hardships and trauma can open our eyes to things in the world we never thought about before. I know my family lost everything we had in a tornado when I was a sophomore in high school. We quickly had to learn about resources such as The Red Cross, food pantries, and aid from groups such as the National Guard. I agree it is so important for families to know what resources are available and where to find them. I just posted to another classmate above that I plan to start creating a list of resources I could share with families in my community.