Your
attitude of kindness, empathy and acceptance towards others has been found
to generate similar attitudes in the classroom. That's how children learn
attitudes. They watch the adults they care about, and model their behavior.
Powerful, isn't it?
Parents
may conceal their children's medical problems for fear that the kids will
be treated differently. The sad thing about that is that it signals to
the children that their conditions are to be ashamed of or feared. The
other children in your class figure this out as well.
You
should know the protocol for emergencies and acute illnesses, so make sure
that the school nurse has provided you with sufficient information about
the medical conditions of the children in your classroom. It's important
to communicate reassurance to both the child and the class if acute illness
does occur.
When
one of the children in your class is absent with a communicable disease,
it's important that you contact the parents of your student with medical
problems immediately. Their child may need additional protection from the
pre-absence exposure.
Be
sensitive to when NOT to show concern, like when a child with cystic fibrosis
is coughing. The cough is important to clear the lungs. Paying too much
attention to a symptom often makes it worse and reinforces a child's sense
of shame.
Children
with medical problems are often overly sensitive. Don't perceive their
behavior as babyish or immature or a serious emotional problem. By reinforcing
positive age-appropriate behavior, you are most likely to increase it.
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