|
It's a teacher's job to guide students, but sometimes educators want a little guidance themselves to better serve the young people they teach. With a $13,000 grant from Cisco Systems, the consultants at the Cleo Eulau Center will help teachers at Willow Glen Middle School reach out to at-risk students.
The Palo Altobased center matches teachers with therapists who are trained in childhood development. According to Cleo Eulau Center Program Director for Middle Schools Judith Gable, the center's therapists observe teachers in the classroom and then identify their strengths, pinpoint reasons for behavioral problems and suggest ways in which teachers can improve their interactions with students.
"These days, teachers are called upon to play so many roles," Gable said. "For some students, teachers are the only stable adult in their lives. Sometimes students will challenge a teacher to see if they can rely on them and trust them."
San Jose Unified School District spokeswoman Karen Fuqua called the Cleo Eulau Center's services "invaluable" and said she believes the consultations between teacher and therapist at the center can reduce behavioral-management problems at Willow Glen Middle School. She also said the district has supported the center's services in the past but can no longer continue funding these services due to budget cuts in the district.
|
