FAQ About PsychoEd (7)

I see little about instruction on this site. As a teacher I am very concerned that my students learn basic skills and pass the tests they need to graduate. What do you have to offer me?

Although it may not be obvious, psychoeducators are very concerned about the learning process. In fact, the strategies and techniques on this site are presented so that instruction may be possible! Most psychoeducators believe that before a student can learn effectively the teacher must deal with whatever emotional "baggage" he is carrying. It is also true that children in residential care and other treatment centers can only be productive if adults (and peers) give them needed support.  The psychoeducational approach may be thought of as one that "clears the way" so kids can succeed at school and elsewhere.

What are the most effective ways of teaching students with emotional and behavioral problems?

The teacher should approach instruction keeping three things in mind: (1) most ED/BD students are "turned off" by school becuse they have a history of failure; (2) the program must be adapted to the student, not the student to the program; and, (3) many students will show initial resistance to even the best teachers and instruction. It is most important that teachers "stay the course" and maintain reasonable expectations.

Young students need a predictable, structured approach to instruction. Innovative techniques may capture the imagination of middle and high school age students, and with many an informal classroom environment proves beneficial. Learner-centered methods that draw upon the knowledge and understandings that ED/BD
students possess work better than those that are teacher-centered. Constructivist
strategies permit students to demonstrate what they have already learned (often in the
"school of hard knocks") and to gain new perspectives on their experiences.