| Nine years ago I found myself in a difficult situation | | | | care and adoption. The following are organizations |
| when it came to completing a homework assignment | | | | that I have found to be helpful in educating family, |
| with a foster child who was living in my home. The | | | | friends, and teacher about the unique way we |
| homework assignment was to fill in a family tree. | | | | became a family. |
| Sounds easy, right? Well, in this case, there were a | | | | The Center for Adoption Support and Education, Inc. |
| variety of reasons that prevented us from filling in | | | | (C.A.S.E.) is a private, non-profit adoptive family |
| that tree. The main reason was due to the lack of | | | | support center that offers workshops on how to |
| information we had on the biological family. The | | | | address the sensitivity that surrounds families who |
| assignment was returned incomplete with an | | | | were created through the unique process of foster |
| explanation and request for modifying it so we could | | | | care and adoption. |
| complete it. After a lengthy discussion with the | | | | National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) supports |
| teacher, the requested modifications were made and | | | | foster care children and families across the United |
| the assignment was completed. However, the public | | | | States through a network of affiliates, as well as |
| humiliation could not be erased, and the positive | | | | providing educational resources that are available on |
| learning environment for the foster child had been | | | | their website at |
| compromised. | | | | Adoptive Families Magazine provides several widely |
| The recollection of this experience came to me as I | | | | used guides and resources in their monthly |
| was searching through my daughter's homework | | | | newsstand and online issues for adoptive families and |
| folder for the first time. I began wondering how we | | | | teachers that can easily be modified for use by |
| would handle this assignment with her first grade | | | | foster care families. |
| teacher. My daughter was adopted at birth; and has | | | | Donate books about foster care and adoption to the |
| known from an early age as to how we became a | | | | classroom or school library. Offer to read a book |
| family. For her to complete a family tree assignment, | | | | from that collection to your child's class as a way to |
| she would need a tree with branches AND roots. A | | | | help the teacher introduce foster care and adoption. |
| family tree that diagrams the birth and adoptive | | | | In addition to traditional bookstores, foster care and |
| families she has come to know and love. For other | | | | adoption books can be purchased through Tapestry |
| children like my foster child and those who do not | | | | Books, an online bookstore specializing in foster care |
| have much information about their biological families, it | | | | and adoption titles at |
| may be a tree with one branch and some leaves. | | | | Work with the school principle or counselor to |
| The assignment should be modified in a way that | | | | coordinate an in-service training session that focuses |
| gives them an opportunity to successfully complete it | | | | on foster care and adoption for teachers and other |
| without public humiliation from class mates and the | | | | staff members. According to Celebrate Adoption, a |
| receipt of an incomplete grade. | | | | non-profit education organization, 1 out of 63 children |
| My wondering led me to researching and compiling a | | | | in the United States are adopted. Educating others |
| list of useful tips and resources parents can share | | | | about foster care and adoption increases the |
| with teachers and school staff to create a positive | | | | acceptance of these children in our classrooms and |
| learning environment for foster and adoptive children | | | | awareness of the sensitivity surrounding their family |
| in the classroom when it comes to similar | | | | history as it relates to the school curriculum. |
| assignments. | | | | By following the tips and using the resources |
| Talk to the teacher about your foster care or | | | | provided in this article, you will not only be able to |
| adopted child before the new school year starts. | | | | create a positive learning environment for the foster |
| Keep in mind that this is private information, and | | | | or adopted child placed in your care, but also for |
| sharing may be difficult for you. The discussion can | | | | those who will enter a classroom in the future. |
| be as simple as revealing nothing more than the child | | | | Reference: The Institute for Adoption Information, |
| is in a foster care placement, or has been adopted | | | | Inc. (formerly known as Celebrate Adoption, Inc.) |
| by you. Share what ever you think will create a | | | | (1999) An Educator's Guide to Adoption, Bennington, |
| positive learning environment for the child. | | | | Vermont. |
| Provide a list of organizations that focus on foster | | | | |