Reflection Post Week 8 - Improving a Social Problem

The author provides several instances where schools and music teachers can help.  First, it might not be in the job description, but male teachers like me are often the only male role model for male (and even female) students.  It is up to us to model for students appropriate behavior towards women, responsibility, hard work, dedication, etc.  When our students that do not have a father in the home, we need to show them (especially the boys) what a hard working male role model is.  Secondly, schools can offer programs that help unwed mothers gain the skills and education they need to provide a more stable and secure environment for their children.  Many times, these mothers drop out of school to care for their children.  GED programs are not always the answer.  Schools could offer classes for the mothers to take to not only earn a diploma, but to learn important job skills so that they can get a good job and provide stability for their children.

All of this, of course, takes money.  Money is not always a topic that government likes to discuss.  It might take private, community-based groups raising funds or writing grants to be able to pay for such activities at a school, or perhaps community groups could offer the activities themselves.  It will take an "it takes a village" mentality for communities to assist unwed mothers in raising their children in a safe, healthy and constructive manner.  Another way for the community to help is for the mothers who ARE being successful in raising their children to form an organization that other mothers who are struggling can join to receive help and support from people who are in similar situations.  Of course, money is always an issue, but if enough people got together and were passionate about the problem, this could be a viable way to assist in solving the problem.

As an aside, I have had many students that come from fatherless homes and do amazing things.  A single mother home (or single father, for that matter) is not guaranteed to be a troubled home.  There are often many other factors (socioeconomic, cultural, situational, etc) that can cause students to struggle.  I have often seen students from a two parent, high socioeconomic household get themselves into a lot of trouble.  I think the key is that every child needs to feel valued in and out of the home.