A child’s environment dramatically influences their behavior. The people, places, and ideas that a child is exposed to influence the way they think, talk, and act. Children who are exposed to positive, healthy role models will imitate these people. If they grow in a comforting, protected home and school, they will feel safe and secure. If they grow up in with encouragement and praise, they will be confident in their abilities and ideas. But if children grow up in threatening or discouraging environments, will react negatively.
It is crucial for children to receive the care and support they need in order for them to become happy and healthy people. Many children of the EMDC-East district witness and experience many negative, even traumatic events, such as: drug abuse, alcohol abuse, gangsterism, domestic violence, child abuse, and cultural intolerance. It is the duty and responsibility for educators to provide these children with assistance.
- Drugs Abuse:
Drug use has serious impacts on the youth and schools. If educators can help students who use drugs or are affected by others using drugs. By doing so, they can reduce the behavior problems in the classroom and create a safer, more pleasant environment for everyone in the school.
Drug abuse in South Africa are most common in high risk areas, like many places in the EMDC-East district. The most common drugs used in the Cape Town area are cannabis, cocaine, and heroin. In addition, there has been an increase in methamphetamie (tik) use. Studies performed by the South African Medical Research Council found that there was a strong link between drug use an high risk sexual behaviors and reckless use of needles and syringes. As a result, HIV and other STIs are a greater risk for those who engage in drug use.
Drug use has serious effects. It can lead to:
- increased violence in a community
- increased engagement in sexual behaviors
- mental disorders and suicidal thoughts/attempts
- poor academic performance/attendance
- Alcohol Abuse:
Alcohol abuse, like any other drug, impairs a person’s ability to make good, rational decisions. If a learner’s caregiver or the learner themself abuses alcohol it hinders the child’s performance, confidence, and relationships. Studies show that alcohol abuse is linked to risky sexual behavior, domestic violence, poor academic performance/attendance, chronic health problems, and fetal alcohol syndrome.
- Teenage Pregnancy:
Teenage pregnancy is a difficult reality for many South African learners. Teenage pregnancy is understood as any woman between the age of fifteen and nineteen who has ever been pregnant. [1] Although educators cannot make decisions for their students, they can impress upon learners the importance of making smart choices.
Schools can address teenage pregnancy by:
- Implementing sexual education classes
- Presenting the risks associated with sexual activity (such as HIV/AIDS and STIs)
- Explain the health risks of becoming pregnant at a young age
- Emphasize the responsibility and maturity necessary for childrearing[2]
If an educator discovers that a learner is pregnant or is told by the learner, the educator must handle the matter sensitively, considering the mother, the father, and the unborn child. When addressing the learner’s pregnancy, the educator must consider the reaction of the learner, the parents, and the community. Educators must use discretion when deciding who to tell about the learner’s pregnancy. The school district arranged expected steps when addressing a teenage pregnancy.
If an educator discovers that a learner is pregnant or is told by the learner, the educator must handle the matter sensitively, considering the mother, the father, and the unborn child. When addressing the learner’s pregnancy, the educator must consider the reaction of the learner, the parents, and the community. Educators must use discretion when deciding who to tell about the learner’s pregnancy. The school district arranged expected steps when addressing a teenage pregnancy.
- Cultural Intolerance:
To create a school and a nation of peace, EMDC-East must instill in its learners cultural tolerance and respect. South Africa is a country of great diversity. The Western Cape particularly is especially diverse. In the Western Cape region, which is especially diverse, educators must dismantle stereotypes and develop teamwork between learners of all different backgrounds.
Educators can develop cultural tolerance by:
- Inviting children to share stories, artwork, and customs from their tradition
- Emphasizing the importance of every learners’ unique ideas and contributions
- Provide positive role models who promote peace and work with others to achieve their goals
- Discussing the important of different ideas when solving problems
- Explaining and demonstrating cooperative conflict resolution
- Gangsterism:
Gangsterism is particularly prevalent in the Western Cape. Factors such as unemployment, poverty, and substance abuse promote and perpetuate gang activity. Innocent learners are often caught in the crossfire of gang violence. Learners can also be gang members. The Western Cape Education Department notes that gangs appear to conduct shoot-outs during times when children travel to and from school. The timing makes shoot-outs especially terrorizing for parents, teachers, and children. Gang violence also threatens educators and learners throughout the school day. Gangs threats and fights occur in schools. As a result, school must sometimes close to prevent gang violence. In addition, some children or educators are absent recovering from violent experiences.
- Domestic Violence:
Witnessing or experiencing violence is traumatic for any child. The home is the place where children should feel the most comfortable, protected, and loved. If children are seeing family members abused or neglected, it will undoubtedly filter into their relationships outside the home. By watching a child’s behavior, an educator can often identify domestic violence.
- Child Abuse:
Abused learners are traumatized physically, emotional, and psychologically. Children who undergo any sort of abuse or neglect: physical, emotional, psychological, or sexual, need immediate intervention. Authority figures have the ability and responsibility to identify and address child abuse.
- Clean Environment:
The classroom must be conducive to learning. For children to learn, the setting must be clean and safe. This includes violence, but it also includes clean hallways, playgrounds, and classrooms.
It is important that children can learn in a space that has:
- No litter
- Clean water
- Fresh air
- Clean school supplies, desks, and food
Ways to create a clean environment:
- Organize cleaning times for the classroom and the playground
- Explain to children the importance of cleaning up after themselves
- Teach lessons about air, water, and ground pollution
- Instill respect for other people, things, and the environment
- Designate times for hand washing
Ways to create a safe environment:
- Frequently clean materials in classroom (desks, rulers, chairs, etc.)
- Check doors, lights, windows, outlets, fire detectors, and extinguishers for disrepair
- Look for water and gas leaks
- Put away all equipment (lawnmowers, tools, scissors, etc.) that could harm children
- Have a first aid kit prepared
- Keep a list of emergency contacts for each child
[1] “Facts About Children: Teenage Pregnancy.” Children Count Abantwana Babalulekile: Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town. 2006. 2 Nov. 2007. <http://www.childrencount.ci.org.za//content.asp?TopLinkID=12&PageID=46>.
[2] Discipline, Saftey and Security p. 63.