Teacher

Social and Emotional issues

Before a teacher can even attempt to consider making an attempt to help the child with specific learning differences and difficulties they would have to understand that these children can come with variances to their social and emotional development.

Acknowledging this issue may be half of the battle being won, but acting on the issue is far more important in this context.

The teacher has to understand that these children who suffer from social and emotional problems do so due to the way that the brain understands social interaction. Many children with specific learning difficulties adjust well to their disability while others may have emotional difficulties.

Children who have difficulties in academic areas and are also clumsy, and particularly accident prone, and are more likely to suffer than children who have difficulty in only one sphere of their lives.

Although parents play an important role in this regard, children experience many stresses that lie beyond their parents’ control. Other children, teachers, relatives, and society in general play an important part in determining how a child sees himself and how he copes.

If there is a child in your class who regularly avoids coming to the school, please consider that the child may be frightened of failing, or is being teased or ostracized.

If this is happening to your student, do speak freely to him about this, and you should also speak to his parent to see if there are any stresses that can be sorted out. It is important to prevent school avoidance becoming a regular pattern of behavior.

Other issues like homework avoidance and TV addiction may need to be addressed also. Aggressive behavior can happen after one’s child has been bullied for long enough, and he may retaliate. Listen carefully to what your student has to say and put steps into place to stop it. Some children withdraw, and others quit, or get depressed, so communication with your student and believing in him is the best way to go. Being bullied as a child does matter – it affects a child for life and gives feelings of low self worth.

As a teacher, do not allow this to occur in your class, either inadvertently or as a consequence of being overwhelmed.