And the influence on Students’ education

Refers to the composition of a child’s household

Nuclear Family: A pair of adults and their children 24% of children live in this type of family with only their biological siblings and parents in a first marriage.

Single Parent :  Approximately 84% are mothers and 16% are fathers  45% are currently divorced or separated  34.2% have never been married  1.7% were widowed

Multigenerational: Children who live with a grandparent or other relatives as well as with one or both of their parents. Three Generations under One Roof

This type of family is increasing in numbers. Can you think of two reasons why this is happening? Brainstorm (Pair-Share) with your neighbor Write down your ideas on the worksheet Be prepared to share your ideas with the class

Other types of Family Structure include: Stepparent families Blended families Adoptive families Same-Sex parent families Foster families Polygamous families

Children in Nuclear Families are more likely to be well behaved and have health insurance. They are less likely to have a learning disability or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Divorce brings transitions. Children do not fare well if they experience too many transitions.

Children are more likely to adjust to the divorce if their parents are authoritative, minimize conflict, and provide financial security.

Problems may occur at any age; preschoolers may have more misbehavior and teens might show lower achievement and depression.

Multigenerational or Extended Families are more likely to have grandparents and aunts actively involved in childrearing.

School age children in cohabitating families tend to have lower cognitive skills, social competence, and academic achievement and later are more likely to use drugs.

Research suggests that children with same-sex parents are similar to other children in their peer relationships, GPA, gender-typed play, behavior problems at school, self-esteem, depression and delinquency.

Serve as alternate attachment figure Teach students how to cope with their negative emotions and stress

Help students develop strong academic skills so that they experience success

Help student replace aggression with prosocial behavior so that their peers will accept them.

School Counselors can: provide school based interventions improve coping skills Teachers can be helpful in finding resources for their students

How has your family structure influenced your educational experience up to this point? Have you overcome difficulties and found success? Explain. Are you struggling to adjust to family structure changes? Describe. How will these experiences enhance your teaching abilities?