When a child is growing up, all those who interact with him/her need to be careful by ensuring that the environment that the child interacts with is safe. This includes removing objects that can injure the child in the classroom and the entire compound. These roles of child safety are mostly left to the teacher because he/she is the one who is with the child most often hence should be accountable incase of anything.
When the child reaches the age for going to school, both the teachers and the parents should make adequate preparations to ensure that the child will have a smooth experience at school. This paper focuses on the things that teachers should take in consideration to make sure that the child with mental problems will prosper in academics like the rest of the learners.
Teachers and parents should work together in promoting the wellness of a child because factors such as children’s experiences at home and school greatly influence their mental growth. The child spends most of the time with the teacher while at school, so in this case one expects the two, that is, the child and the teacher to have a strong bondage. The parents should assist the teachers in identifying their child’s strengths and weaknesses because this will assist the teacher in knowing how to deal with every individual child.
Koplow (2002) argues that if the parents do not collaborate with the teachers the first few days may be difficult for both the child and the teacher because the teacher is not aware of what to expect and this means that more time will be wasted while the two entities are getting to know each other.
Before the child is taken to school the parents or guardians should explain to the child the things that are to be experienced in school life such as waking up early than usual and the assignments that are to be done everyday. The teacher on the other hand should check to ensure that all the facilities required are in their right place.
Both the teacher and the child’s parents should compare notes so that they can have a common approach in handling such child. This means that the child should feel at home when at school and vice versa. None of the parties should be harsh to the child as this would diminish the trust in the teacher and parents.
The parents should ensure that they provide a peaceful environment back at home because issues like violence and quarrels that take place in the presence of the child are quite traumatizing hence they should not be exposed to the child.
Moreover, if parents interfere with the teacher’s efforts they might make the teacher look like a bad person to the child. This means that if the child is given any form of punishment the parents should appreciate it as the appropriate method of correction rather than criticizing it. Criticism is only acceptable when the approach used in correction is harmful either physically or mentally and if so it should not happen in the presence of the child. Correction should be done with lots of love because anger might cause it to loose its meaning.
Sorte, Daeschel and Amador (2002) recommend that while in the classroom the teacher should establish a strong relationship with each individual child. The teacher should exercise patience because it takes time for a child to develop confidence in a stranger. This friendship can be enhanced by being kind to the child by creating sometime for the two that is the child and the teacher to have conversations.
The teacher should take time to listen to what the child is pointing out and should use an appropriate approach while correcting the child because wrong approach could be interpreted as hatred by the child and this may cause the child not to be frank with the teacher.
During learning sessions the teacher should be very patient because all children do not have the same understanding, there are those that are fast learners and those that are slow learners but whatever the case all of them should be treated evenly. However, those that have special needs should be handled differently. This includes equipping them with learning aids which will enhance their learning to make sure they excel like the rest.
The teacher should encourage good behavior in a child by rewarding the child for outstanding behavior or action. The parents should also create some time for their children because providing for their physical needs is not enough. Children are like adults hence they also need someone to talk to when they feel things are not going in the right direction. This time that is spent between the child and the parents/teachers is important because it provides the teachers and guardians with an opportunity to monitor the progress of the child.
When children are out in the playground the teacher should monitor the games they play because they can injure each other. In addition, harmful objects like sharp objects should be out of reach to the children. The children should be taught to play creative games.
This means that other facilities should comply with standard safety measures such as having electricity properly insulated without any hanging wires. This is because children like exploring their environment and such things might cause physical body harm and even death. The same safety precautions should be observed by parents at home (Sorte, Daeschel, Amador, 2011).
The teacher should encourage children to develop friendships among themselves because this contributes to their social well being. In essence, this friendship makes the child feel like school is part of family because he/she has a strong sense of belonging. Children become brighter when they mingle with each other in their plays, which is quite important for their mental and physical well being. When they learn to appreciate each other it boosts their self esteem.
References
Koplow, L. (2002).Creating Schools that Heal: Real-life Solutions. New York: Teachers College Press.
Sorte, J., Daeschel, I., Amador, C. (2011).Nutrition, Health, and Safety for Young Children, Promoting Wellness. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.