The topic for the #kinderchat archive that I decided to read was "Helping families and children in need". It was explained that these could be any type of needs. Some teachers mentioned needs that they were currently wanting to address with their students, including a death in the family and a divorce. One of the initial ideas about the topic was that we have to know and understand the needs of families and children before we can help them. I think that this is a really good point because without fully understanding the needs, we are prone to make inaccurate assumptions which leads to unhelpful suggestions and ultimately results in a failure to meet those needs. I think open, honest, and frequent communication is a key part of supporting families and children and helping to meet their needs. Another teacher suggested that having a strong class community helps meet the needs of families and children in a classroom. I agree with this because I believe that it is easier to face and deal with issues together with others rather than alone. We can also teach our students the idea of empathy and compassion through building a strong class community.
During the #kinderchat, one teacher asked for any resources that could aid her in supporting one of her students whose father just passed away. A book, a camp called Comfort Zone, providing meals, and classroom discussion were all suggested as possible ideas for the teacher to use to help the child and family that is in need. I am glad that I got to read this because now I have a resource that I can go to when I am looking for suggestions related to teaching. By using #kinderchat, I would have the opportunity to hear from teachers all across the continent and receive a variety of diverse and interesting perspectives. I think that #kinderchat is something that I will be using in my future teaching career.
To view this particular archive/conversation, follow the link below:
http://storify.com/happycampergirl/kinderchat-north-america-feb-10-2014#publicize
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