Common Barriers
| Outlined below are some common barriers usually identified as interfering with
learning/ parenting/ teaching. Think about and perhaps discuss with your colleagues which
of these you see everyday and what others you would add to the list. Deficiencies in basic living resources and opportunities for development dearth of food in the home inadequate clothing substandard housing (incl. being homeless) lack of transportation income at or below the poverty level (e.g., due to unemployment or welfare status) lack of after-school supervision for child lack of youth recreation and enrichment immigration-related concerns (e.g., limited English proficiency, legal status) lack of home involvement in schooling lack of peer support lack of community involvement lack of school support services lack of social services lack of physical, dental, and mental health services Psychosocial problems
General stressors and underlying psychological problems associated with
Crises and emergencies
Difficult transitions
Note: The severity and pervasiveness of all the problems addressed may be mild, moderate, or severe; they also may be narrow or pervasive in terms of how broadly they are manifested. |
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Areas of Focus in Enhancing Healthy Psychosocial
Development
| Responsibility and integrity |
(e.g., understanding and valuing of societal expectations and moral courses of action) |
| Self-esteem | (e.g., feelings of competence, self- determination, and being connected to others) |
| Social and working relationships |
(e.g., social awareness, empathy, respect, communication, interpersonal cooperation and problem solving, critical thinking, judgement, and decision making) |
| Self-evaluation/ self-direction/ self-regulation |
(e.g., understanding of self and impact on others, development of personal goals, initiative, and functional autonomy) |
| Temperament | (e.g., emotional stability and responsiveness) |
| Personal safety and safe behavior |
(e.g., understanding and valuing of ways to maintain safety, avoid violence, resist drug abuse, and prevent sexual abuse) |
| Health maintenance |
(e.g., understanding and valuing of ways to maintain physical and mental health) |
| Effective physical functioning |
(e.g., understanding and valuing of how to develop and maintain physical fitness) |
| Careers and life roles |
(e.g., awareness of vocational options, changing nature of sex roles, stress management) |
| Creativity | (e.g., breaking set) |
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| Examples of Major Developmental Tasks Toddlers (2-4)
Early school age(4-6)
Middle school age (6-12)
|
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| Forms of Barriers: Negative Attitudes |
Forms of Barriers: Lack of Mechanisms/Skills |
Forms of Barriers: Practical Deterrents |
|
| Types of Barriers: Institutional |
e.g., school administration is hostile toward increasing homes involvement | e.g., insufficient staff assigned to planning and implementing ways to enhance home involvement; no more than a token effort to accommodate different languages | e.g., low priority given to home involvement in allocating resources such as space, time, and money |
| Types of Barriers: Impersonal |
e.g., home involvement suffers from benign neglect | e.g., rapid influx of immigrant families eventfulness school's ability to communicate and provide relevant home involvement activities | e.g., school lacks resources; majority in home have problems related to work schedules, child care, transportation |
| Types of Barriers: Personal |
e.g., specific teachers and parents feel home involvement is not worth the effort or feel threatened by such involvement | e.g., specific teachers and parents lack relevant language and interpersonal skills | e.g., specific teachers and parents are too busy or lack resources |
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