Families are Unique

As all of you know- especially if you read my mom’s blog- that I come from a big family.  I have eleven siblings, no biggie, it’s totally normal.  Well, since this is the life I have been raised in (I am the 4^th oldest) I could not imagine being an only child.  For example, my best friend lives with her mom and their dog and that is all the mouths they have to feed.  When my BFF and I go shopping together it is a riot!  She will load ½ a gallon of milk into the cart and I will be piling in six gallons- that will only last about 5 days- but it will suit both of are needs. 

When we buy cheese, I will grab the most massive brick possible or five or six little ones and she will grab one 8 oz cheese and wonder if they will finish it before it goes bad.  Six loaves of bread for me; one loaf for her.  Eight boxes of cereal for me (only if they’re on sale or I have a coupon) she picks one of her favorites but if she’s feeling adventurous she might even get TWO boxes!  Eggs, butter, yogurt, it’s all the same story.  At first it was odd, but over time we’ve gotten over it and I could probably shop for her family and she could probably shop for mine! After all, that’s what friends’ arrreeeee….fooooorrrrrrr! (Jungle Book reference)

I’m aware that this blog has nothing to do with teaching…yet. 

One of the greatest lessons I have learned as a teacher is to know your students.  Know their interests, their hobbies, their fears, their apprehensions, and their families.  Students come to school in kindergarten and they have been raised by the rules of their family for 5 years and this is all they know.  They believe that the time they go to bed is the law for all children to go to bed.  They believe the way their family did it is the correct way.  When they come into the classroom you have to embrace that! They have different backgrounds, different views, various values and they do not know that there are other ways to do things.  In the kindergarten Utah Core Curriculum, the first standard is: Standard 1 (Culture): Students will recognize and describe how individuals and families are both similar and different.  You will have single parent homes, foster care students, students that come from families with eleven siblings, adopted students, students raised by Grandma, etc.  In order to be sensitive to the need of each child, you must know where they came from and you must adapt your teaching to reach those needs. 

Resources: uen.org

~Teach