Question

Apply the Concepts: Case in Point

Maria Gonzalez is a first-year Head Start teacher. She is enjoying her work but is particularly challenged by one of the families in her classroom. The Martinez family consists of Rosa, a young single mother; Diego, a charming four-year-old who is very shy; and an elderly grandmother who speaks no English.

1. How might Rosa benefit from her daily conversations with Maria?
2. What are some of the things Diego learns as he watches his mother and teacher talk together each day?
3. How might Maria benefit as a teacher by her close communication with this family?
4. Consider any potential barriers that Maria should be aware of and ways these could be overcome.
5. Create a list of behaviors and attitudes that may act as barriers from them—that is, what would make parents feel uncomfortable with teachers, and teachers uncomfortable with parents?

Answer 1

1)Rosa would benefit from their daily conversation with Maria as she would be able to express her concerns and thoughts on learning and would help her to be adapted to the new platform. She would receive an environment where ideas could be exchanged and the best teaching method could be selected accordingly based upon how well she can cope up with the changes in the environment.

2) Diego,being shy in nature can benefit from the conversation as he would be open minded to interacting with other individuals and may also learn various strategies passively as the both of them converse with each other which will improve his social and emotional development.

3) Maria would benefit from this as a teacher as she would be able to learn different behaviors and come up with various planning strategies which would be specific for each individual and would also obtain a platform to implement them , inturn helping her grow professionally. She could also improve her working relationship with different age groups and people with different levels of comprehensive ability.

4) potential barriers could be the lack of time and resources as she would require to provide different interventions to each of them and secondly, it would be communication barrier as in this case the grandmother doesn't speak English. Hence signboards and provision of a translator in the initial period could be made available.