Adoption’s Impact on Children in School

During the summer months teachers love to kick back and relax with a few good books. As this summer draws to a close, I’d like you to take some time to think about the new students arriving in September. How much do you know about them and how can you prepare for their success this school year?

We all understand that the families of today look nothing like the 20th century “traditional” family. Families are formed through a variety of ways; adoption and foster care have become prevalent in today’s society. As educators it is absolutely necessary that we have some understanding of the needs of this specific student population.

This column addresses a recent article I read that discusses the unique educational needs of children that have been adopted or are living in a foster care environment. When these children arrive in September they will be spending most of their waking hours in our classrooms for the next nine months. Just as a mother prepares for her new arrival through research and conversations with other mothers, educators must also learn all they can about these children in their care.

The article “Adoption and School Issues”, found on the Adoption Education Center website, identifies two key ways that adoption can impact children at school - educationally and socially. It is important to take note of the two possible realms so that a teacher can better understand a student’s behavior and learning pattern. A given educational example is when a child grieving for, or daydreaming about, their birth family hinders their ability to focus in school. A student suffers from social effects as a result of teasing from classmates- typically comments on being “given away” by their “real” parents. The article addresses both important areas by breaking school years down to three categories: preschool and kindergarten, elementary school, and junior-senior high school.

In preschool, the objective is to help children’s self-esteem and instill a respect for learning. We know that at this age, it is difficult for a child to fully grasp the meaning of adoption and one may only question why another student looks different from the rest of their family. The article encourages teachers to create classroom presentations that focus on age-appropriate points such as

• There are different types of families.
• People who live together and care about each other are a family.
• Sometimes members of a family do not live together but they still care about each other.

During elementary school years, a student becomes more cognizant of the concept of adoption, and with that understanding is also the awareness of possible loss and abandonment issues. “Adoption and School Issues” reminds us that with these issues being in the front of a younger student’s mind, it may be increasingly difficult for them to pay attention and learn material.

High school students are more capable of abstract and complex thinking. The article offers some great suggestions on how to address the topic of adoption in a high school environment; discussions fit in well in a family life, health, home economics, or sex education class. The authors also recommend hosting a panel that includes birth parents, adoptive parents, and adopted teens.

Overall, educators must maintain open communication and confidentiality with the students and families in their care. Most important is the understanding that families come together in many different ways; all of which are to be appreciated and respected.

Enjoy!
Tara