- Listen
- Support
- Teach
- Observe
- Communicate
- Manage
- Problem solve
- Share
- Monitor
- Learn
- Reprimand
- Model
- Praise
- Persuade
- Scolding
- Engage
- Facilitate
- Plan
- Compromise
- Invent
- Explain
- Train
- Coach
- Giving TA
- Defend
- Organize eat
- Process
- Laugh
- Mediate
- Motivate
- Expose
- Read,read,read
- Advocate
- Laugh
- Cry
- Outreach
- Recruit
- Schedule
- Outout fires
- Collaborate
- Reflect
- Negotiate
Barriers
- Attitudes
- Territorial-ness
- Time
- Politics
- Resisting questions
- Different values
- Changes are made from only one viewpoint
Case stories developed in small groups
Case #1
New teacher, 3 teachers before, unstable classroom, inexperience, high school teacher education.
In the class- behavioral problems, 3 IEPs, several ESLs, no help from assistant teacher, no supervisor support, no parent involvement
-this was in March
-she was in survival mode
-no road map
-Level 10 in pain
-negative climate change
-felt caged
-no support/help
Strategy
-coaching by supervisors, peers, mentors weekly if not daily (initially) couple hrs at a time (some contact)
-involved ass teacher
-case manager
-mental health support
-support cultural diff
-encourage parent involvement
-organizational structure
-more staff support
-check-ins / reassessments
-ask her to identify strategies that would help, as for her input
Case #2
-27 year man drives bus and delivers lunches for Head Start
-applied for job with the city because he needed the money
-several kids throughout county to support
-didn't think they would check references
-never finished ged and lied and was found out
-financial pressure b/c denied job with city
-very worried
Strategy
· kept him on as employee by head start b/c he was already an employee
· paired with another employee with trust and encouragement
· went abck to school
· started biz, became entrepreneur
· helped by head start program that paid for pracitce test and sign ups for ged classes and testing and materials
· helped most by partner in encouragement and confidence
· became positive role model
· eventually married one of the baby mammas
· what type of external support does he have ? family church?
· also an excellent drummer at his church, encouraged to further musical education
· had churches support
· additional tutorial services from head start employee support/help program
· one - on - one support with occasional group meetings with employess in similar situations
· pain chart before - 7 - 7.5 almost in tears
· fatherhood initiatives/help to solidify his self esteem increase
Parent/family situation
mom is very angry b/c of her upbringing foster child, very disrespectful, defensive, no healthy relationships, said "i hate my child", always complaining about the kids, has a better relationship with the baby, bad language, manipulative
Strategy
-rescue child save parent
-based on interactions at home, domestic issues
-only one parent working
-focus on moms health, check ups
-help mom bond with child
-facilitate parent kid relationship in non threatening environment
-child has issues and tantrums so principal is giving the last warning, dealing with the last try
-smooth transition into kindergarten. for kid
-teacher tries to communicate, parent sees teacher as enemy
-hard for mom to dev trust
-things eventually start improving, leveling out
-head start is liaison, mother trusts family worker this is a victory/helps progress
Additional Ideas
-get principal to visit kid in classroom to see the kid on a good day.
-initiative about rating schools
-local project to give outreach to principal
-has child been taken away form mom? no
-does the family worker need to be moms friend/ ally?
-friend first, moms not open to parenting classes yet - needs trust betwn mom and worker
-parents say "you don't know me" to workers. may take 6-7 months to develop successful relation between two. need to keep it on an appropriate time line
-until mom gets over trust issue some, nothing can be done
-is there some initiative that can come between where she is now and parneting classes? can mom be put in a helping role so that she is not always the one getting help? can she rise to the level occasion
Case #4
-involves a mom with 4 year old twin boys both have IEPs
-mom works full time ad school daily
-boys go to head start
-family members called in daily for twin A's behaviors
-twin a/ gets violent, crazy
-teacher of twin a threatens to quit
-family members suggest taking the boy to bathroom and spanking, Head Start says "no its inappropriate"
-in 3 year old center twin a didn't have so many problems
-already on medication, higher dose didn't help
Strategy
-refer mom to mental health center for help
-parenting skills help for family member s involved
-student needed to leave early for day care, early dismissal
-improvement in one on one classes
-maybe mom needs to rethink plans to give the kid more attention
-mom needs to find time to spend with both boys alone
-may be good with a male role model - mom is single
-mom is in survival mode
-mom wants to do both
-wants to get a better job with education
-cant blame mom for wanting school but maybe she didn't want to be with the boys all of the time
-she is maybe appreciative that she is not with them all of the time - its exhausting
-moms been in conferences several times
-mom want s school, she is in a lot of pain
-she knows she needs school to help the boys
feels that with mom and sis she has back up
-the way the family treats the boys is not healthy
-working with mom and sis on dealing with an IEP kid with extreme behavior
-twins with IEPs - maybe something at birth, maybe more issues
-someone might have been able to connect with him (did better in 3 year old class)
-multiple care givers always create problems, moms working, busy, etc?
-maybe mom could take online classes at home part time so that she can be more present
-kids have 3 primary care givers a day, this makes problems - one bad morning could make a bad day
-if mom is in survival mode, the kids eating and sleeping is enough, they are cared for.
-old mental health system to have kids get 1 on 1 help. this was stopped and would really help here. but it was stopped, no funding :( this exists in other places
need to make priorities and needs known and funding appropriated.
