Child maltreatment—whether
it be through abuse or neglect, is something I am concerned with as a future
educator. I know I am obligated to report abuse where I find it, but what I’m
worried about is: how will I make that call?
For one thing, I
understand that I must take anything a child says to me as at true. I have no real
problem accepting this, although when the time comes I fear it will be an
anxiety-inducing process.
But what about when the
child doesn’t say anything, and it is up to me to look for the signs? What
counts as neglect, versus just having parents that are in poverty? Both may
result in children going hungry sometimes or not having the proper clothes. I
want to make the best choices to protect children, but also to protect the
integrity of families who may be facing challenges I can’t imagine. The gravity
of this responsibility is not lost on me, but honestly I’m not sure how exactly
to deal with it. How much can I help? How much can a poor decision on my part
end up hurting a family?
Then, what about
children who are abused in ways that don’t leave a mark? This whole aspect of
being not only a teacher, but a caregiver in some ways, for my future class
just reemphasizes for me the importance of being in touch with the students. I’ll
have to attune myself to them so I can notice when things are off.
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