Please view the powerpoint titled Child Abuse. What is your reaction to the information concerning child abuse? What are the legal responsibilities you have as a teacher concerning the issue of child abuse or suspected child abuse? In Ghost Girl do we know that child abuse is occuring or is it suspected child abuse? How would you feel if you were Torey Hayden? Would you respond similarly to this teacher or do you disagree with the way Torey addressed Jadie's situation?
Research the resources that are available in your community for preventing/stopping child abuse. Include what you find to this blog.
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My first reaction with this information about child abuse was a confused understanding of why people have children if they don't intend to treat them the way children should be treated. I am in awe at the different ways a child can be abused and how little respect a parent has for their children. A parent should treat their child with love and give them the right guidance to lead them in the right path. If they can't provide this then some people just shouldn't be parents.
ReplyDeleteAs teachers we have an obligation to report any kind of abuse. We must keep in mind what our students tell us and make sure that if we feel anything is out of the ordinary that we must tell someone. In Ghost Girl Jadie speaks of certain things that seem unnatural for an eight year old to even know about. Torey is unsure of what to do but continues to listen to Jadie and try to help her. With Torey she assumes at first that there is abuse but after a while she becomes unsure because of things that other people tell her so she begins to think that Jadie is making it up. After giving a lot of thought Torey realizes that a child can't give as much detail as Jadie gives without actually witnessing it. So Torey does the responsible thing and helps Jadie. In the end Torey convinces Jadie to help her stop what is going on. Torey wants to help and it was the absolute right thing to do by telling the authorities and getting Jadie and her sisters out of their house.
If I were in Torey's shoes I probably would go to someone as soon as I heard. It is our responsibility as parents and teachers to protect our students. If protection at home is irrelevant than the teachers must step in. I would honestly probably freak out about the situation if a child told me something like this. I would feel disgusted and unsure of what to do at first. I would obviously know that something needs to be done. If the child told me not to tell anyone I would probably tell someone, at least a friend anyway, so that I can get advice of what to do. I wouldn't want to prolong what is happening for fear of something even more dangerous happening.
I feel Torey may have prolonged the situation a little too long. She knew about Jadie and her situation and yet didn't tell anyone for about a year. If I were Torey I may have acted sooner. However as soon as Torey began to get others involved she stuck everything out until something was done about it and I think that was excellent.
There are so many websites where we ourselves can get involved and stop child abuse. There would be no excuse for someone to say they didn't know who to call. There are phone numbers and e-mails everywhere for we all want to stop child abuse. Children are a delicate thing and we should all treat them with kindness and respect. Children are a gift of life and when they grow older they are there to give their children a better place and a role model to look up to.
My reaction to this is understanding. I had to go over all of this already because of working in a day care center. I have even had to write up a parent and had to call for suspected abuse. All of this information is not new to me but the fact that people could do this to a child still makes me sick. I have a hard time with this subject because I think it is great that people are taking child abuse seriously now days, but sometimes I think that people are constently looking for it even when it's unnessary.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher it is my legal responsibility to report child abuse that I witness and investigate any child abuse that I suspect. If I suspect child abuse I am to talk to the pricipal, a co-worker, team leader, or school psycologist. If they think that there is reason to suspect or if I am sure, I should start writing down any marks that I find on the child and injuries. Also I should write down anything that the child tells me conserning the abuse. It is my responsibility to look for the signs of abuse or neglect.
In Ghost Girl, you can not be sure that child abuse is going on at first because children do have imaginations. I guess Torey could never fully prove that Jadie was being abused because Jadie would not talk to the officers, but all of the signs were there for sexual abuse. If the suspision is that bad, then it really is time to call so that if there is a problem it can be stopped.
I agree with what Torey did because the signs were all there for the children. Even if it turned out that there was not a problem with the parents, there was obiously a problem going on somewhere. Jadie showed all the signs of being sexually abused. Even if there was no problem at all, it was better to have the child safe than living in an abusive enviornment.
The phone numbers and websites for preventing and stopping child abuse are EVERYWHERE! There is no reason to not help a child when you know that there is something going on. It does not matter if you are a teacher or a parent or a friend, there is no excuse for letting child abuse continue.
My first reaction to this powerpoint was that I didn't know as much about child abuse as I thought I did. When I used to hear about child abuse I would just think of a person hitting their child. I wasn't aware that there were so many forms of it. It was also interesting to me that child abuse can also be not preventing harm, it doesn't have to be just physically hurting them or mentally putting them down. If you know your child is being hurt and don't do anything about it, that's considered child abuse.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher, it is my job to recognize signs of abuse in my students. If I noticed my student with random, suspicious injury or if they are withdrawn from class, I would try and talk with a colleague of mine. If I really think the student is at harm, it is my responsibility to make a referral to Child Protective Services.
In Ghost Girl, Jadie is constantly referring to disturbing events at home; she talks to Tashee who is dead, her kitten was killed, and she always talks about male anatomy and trys to perform leud acts on her classmates. This is not normal behavior and is a sign of abuse.
If I were Torrey Hayden, I think I would feel scared and overwhelmed. As much as I would want Jadie to have my trust, I would have to go against her wishes and tell someone right away. I understand why Torrey waited to tell because she wasn't sure if abuse was happening and she didn't want to break Jadie's trust, but if it were me I would have gone to the principal sooner. That's just my opinion.
I looked at Google to find information on different organizations concerned with child neglect and abuse. There seems to be a lot on April being the annual forum for child neglect. A meeting takes place at IUN in Gary where foster parents and social service professionals come together. I thought this was interesting to those people who may want to attend this event every April. There are also many phone numbers to call for help with child abuse.
When it comes to child abuse, I do not know all the details. I have not taken the time to look at this subject in depth because of the horror it brings upon me. I can’t fathom any one abusing a child. That is just pure sickness and thinking that parents/people actually do this to their child is unreal. I know that as a future teacher, child abuse is something not to be taken lightly but something to be taken serious. After reading Ghost Girl, it puts into perspective that one day I might have a student just like Jadie.
ReplyDeleteAs a future teacher, I know that it is my responsibility to care for the child and if I expect that a child is being abused sexually, physically, emotionally or being neglected it needs to be mentioned to someone whether it is a physiatrist, another teacher, or principal. I feel that as a teacher I am there to care for the student and be a person that they trust and someone they are comfortable with talking to. It is my right to report any suspected abuse a child is going through outside the classroom. If I see a mark on a student’s body I should not hesitate to report it whether it is due to abuse or not. I am there to protect my students and see that they are in a safe environment inside and outside the classroom.
When it comes to Ghost Girl and the situation with Torey and Jadie I face the reality of it. While reading, I put myself in Torey’s situation and asked myself, would I do what she did? When reading the book, I knew that something was wrong with Jadie. Just like Torey said, she knew without a doubt that something was wrong and it created emotional disturbance to not only Jadie but her sister Amber. While I was reading the book, I was confused at times whether what Jadie was saying was real or not. What exactly was going on in Jadie’s life? Like Torey, I would be there for Jadie and listen to what she said. I also would go to others and seek advice from them. One thing I would do different is report what was going on sooner no matter if I broke Jadie’s trust. Although it was hard to prove that Jadie was abused sexually, there were many signs that were present.
Torey was responsible and stayed as calm as she could throughout the whole situation. She not only went to others for advice, but did research. In the end, she did the right thing. Jadie and her sister are in a safe environment and Jadie was thankful to have Torey by her side. Although there was no concrete evidence, Torey came up with some possible explanations for Jadie’s bizzare stories.
After doing research for preventing abuse in my community, I found a non-profit organization in LaPorte County that helps prevent child abuse, Dunebrook. Their mission “To advocate for children and provide positive family support and education.” Their vision “Every child: safe, healthy, and happy.” Their website can be found at http://www.dunebrook.org/ for further information. Check it out!
After recently finishing the licensing process to become a foster parent, I unfortunately found the slide show to be “accurate” rather than “disturbing.” I can’t believe I have studied the topic enough to be numb to it. That, however, evolved over time. I spent many hours visualizing, crying, and feeling mentally drained thinking about the subject. I’m sure that when I am in contact with an abused/neglected child, those feelings of sadness will return; but, I will hopefully know what to do.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher it is my responsibility to know my students and their families well. I need to know them well enough to sense when their behaviors/emotions have changed, to know if their tattered clothing is a result of neglect or a temporary layoff, and I need to build a relationship of trust so that my students will tell me if they need help. I need to discuss my suspicions with guidance counselors or the principal, keep a journal of my suspicions (unless they are in immediate danger), and know when to call CPS. I need to trust my intuition; but, not “jump the gun” because unsubstantiated abuse will just keep happening.
In Ghost Girl, Torey dealt with suspected abuse. Finally, after Jadie spilled the storey to a police officer, it became more believable and the children were permanently removed. The evidence, however, didn’t lead to criminal charges because the parents didn’t go to jail. If I were Torey, I would have had a very difficult time waiting for information and not pushing Jadie for more information. I probably would have tried to talk to Mr. Tinbergen earlier, to give him an earlier look at my suspicions. In Pecking, however, Torey was the specialist in her field and I think she may have felt an obligation to take care of it herself.
Unfortunately, parents who are abusing their kids don’t say, “Wait a minute, I shouldn’t be doing this. I think I’ll go online for help or call a hotline.” Parents who are abusing their kids are often depressed, struggling with mental/emotional issues, or drugs and use their kids as an outlet for their anger/fear. I think child abuse prevention lies in so many areas such as: drug and alcohol prevention, counseling kids to stay in school, promoting positive self-esteem (after all, everyone is potentially a future parent).
My community offers the standard abuse prevention resources such as pamphlets and flyers placed in local health departments and libraries. In addition, our elementary schools show a video to kindergarteners discussing private parts and how they should remain that way. Helping kids know what abuse is and why it is wrong should help them to open up about it. After speaking with the school’s secretary, I also learned that the school nurse is always on the lookout for suspected problems, too.
After watching the Power Point, my initial reaction was that child abuse is much broader of a term than I thought. The obvious abuse comes to mind when I hear the words “child abuse”- physical and sexual abuse as well as neglect. I guess we hear about those cases much more than child abuse cases concerning emotional abuse. After reading Ghost Girl, I have been thinking about what I would do if I was in Torey’s place. I found the legal responsibilities on the power point to be useful. Teachers are responsible for protecting students from harm. When teachers have a concern that a student is suffering from abuse, it is best to discuss the concerns with the principal, colleagues, or the school’s social worker. Teachers should discuss safety with the parents of the students, and referrals to agencies such as Child Protective Services need to be done with the parents’ knowledge. However, if a teacher believes a child is at risk, he or she MUST make a referral to Child Protective Services whether or not consent has been given by the parents.
ReplyDeleteIn Ghost Girl, suspected child abuse is happening. Torey has no real signs that Jadie is being abused. She saw the scar on her sister’s abdomen, but Torey has not seen any signs that Jadie has been abused. Torey has made conclusions about Jadie’s behavior that she is abused, and those conclusions are supported by the little bits of information Jadie shares with Torey. Finally, Torey is pretty sure that child abuse is occurring when Jadie tells her the whole story of what has been happening. If I were Torey Hayden, I would feel so helpless in the first half or so of the story because she has no concrete evidence that Jadie is being abused. I would feel so sad for the child and just disgusted that someone would let something so horrible happen to a child, especially if her parents are the abusers. I would act in the same manner as Torey. She acted professionally, following the proper protocol. She talked to the school’s social worker and the principal before going to the police. She gained Jadie’s trust by telling her that they needed to tell the principal. Jadie needed someone she could trust to help her, and Torey fulfilled that position.
In Porter County, there is an agency called Prevent Child Abuse Indiana. It is a nonprofit organization that to educate and raise awareness of keeping children safe. While they do not take calls about abuse cases, they can point a caller in the right direction to contact the proper authorities. In addition to local services, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline can be contacted regarding abuse and neglect cases. The internet is a valuable resource for finding organizations to promote child safety and raise awareness about child abuse.
My first reaction to the PowerPoint was that it is a teachers responsibility to get to know their students and families; and it is important to be aware of the signs of child abuse. I was surprised to find out from the powerpoint that teachers do not actually have to have solid proof that child abuse is happening, a suspician is suitable enough. A teacher is obligated to go to someone for help with the students situation, whether it be a colleague, principal, or Child Protective Services.
ReplyDeleteI think that Torey handled the Jadie's situation very well. Since Jadie had difficulty communicating with others and had a strong trust with Torey, I think that it was important for Torey to hold off on the protective services and police. Torey did her own research about some of the signs she was coming across, such as the symbols, and knew people whom she could talk to. I think that was a good way to initially start her investigations. It was important for Torey to wait until she could convince Jadie to talk to the police about what she was experiencing, otherwise, Jadie may not have ever told her story and the abuse would have continued. If I had a student like Jadie in my classroom, I think I would handle it in the same way Torey did. However, if communication was not a problem for the student and the suspicions were solid, I think I would have gone to authorities sooner. I think that since every child and situation is different, the teacher should find someone they can talk to, and make their decisions based on the situation and suspicious thoughts that they have.
After researching child abuse online, it seems like there are many places to go to for help with child abuse. Many local churches, schools, and nonprofit organizations are available for support on this issue. With the internet and school communities, I am sure that everyone will be able to find help if they were to encounter an unfortunate child abuse situation.
Child abuse, whether it is mental, physical, and/or sexual phsycally sickens me (to be blunt). For people who take these innocent little minds and hurt them for their own sick pleasure is beyond me. It is parents, relatives, friends and educators moral and legal responsibility to be able to recognize the signs and know how to respond appropriatly to the abuse thats taking place. Educators legal responsiblities when concerning child abuse is to report it. But just reporting it, isn't enough. Educators should learn the many different kinds of abuse and the signs of abuse. Educating ourselves on the different types and signals of abuse can build a case if necessary legal actions will be taking place. In the book Ghost Girl, I learned when reporting abuse is like walking a fine line. Yes it is a teachers responsiblilty, but there must be concrete evidence to push forward and get the results necessary, which is justice and safety for the child. There is still a family involoved, and that family is this childs family. It is all he/she knows. The child abuse in the book was suspected. The concrete evidence which is crucial to this kind of case, was very hard to come by, considering Jadie was elective mute. But the abuse was there. With Torey's patience and educational background, she was able to uncover some of that evidence, that is so crucial when reporting it to authorities. I absolutely agree with the way Torey handled it. This strange abuse is all that Jadie has known. The way Torey took the time and cared so deeply in helping this child was amazing. Torey didn't just go running to authorities. Although she wanted to, but knew better. She listened and guilded Jadie. She earned her trust. I would definately respond similarly to the way Torey did. In my future classrooms and with my own children as well.
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to the power point was that a number of things are included in child abuse, like lack of support or just social stress. I was shocked to learn some of that. I did not know that there were different hotlines, which are all 24 hours. I found the power point to be very informative.
ReplyDeleteI learned that there are many legal responsibilities as a teacher. As a teacher, we have to protect the children from harm. Also, we should be promoting their welfare. If there are any concerns, we should discuss them with a parent. If we have a concern about a child's safety, then we as teachers should take immediate action. If I believe a child is at risk then I must make a referral to Child Protective Services.
In Ghost Girl, I think as a teacher one would only suspect that there was abuse going on. With a child like Jadie, no teacher would know for sure. I think that if I were Torey, I would feel sick to my stomach to hear some of Jadie’s stories. I believe that if she was able to talk about these stories, a number of times and not change the story around, then I would have to believe that she was telling the truth. Also, if I were Torey, I would become extremely nervous about what to do and what would happen. I think I would be scared to talk to someone about Jadie’s abuse, because people would not believe you and also you cannot rely on Jadie to tell her story to others.
If I were Torey, I do not think I would respond the same way. I would have to contact someone much sooner. I believe that if a child is opening up about abuse, they want to get help. Every abuser is going to tell their victim not to talk or say a word; so if the child is talking about it, then they really need and want the help. Also, with Torey she began to second guess herself because she waited so long. If you take care of the problem right away, you will not have a chance to think otherwise.
There are many resources available in a community about child abuse. You can go to any adult that you trust and ask for help. Also, there is information in schools, doctor offices, and libraries. Children that watch television are able to see phone numbers because they have commercials about abuse. If anyone has any questions or is being abused, then the internet is filled with information. If you are able to get away, you could go to the police or find a police officer and they would be able to get you help right away. Also, if your parents are not the abusers, tell them or even your teacher, anyone can help!
My reaction to the information provided by the powerpoint is one of understanding as well as fear and frustration. It is very humbling to accept the responsibility of so many children for a period of nine months. During those nine months as a teacher you get to know your students and in many cases you will spend more time with a child than their parents will. Students build a trust with their teacher that they will be safe in your care and that you will see that their needs are met while they are with you. It is frightening to me that there is a possibility that a child in my class will be abused and I will not recognize the signs. It is frustrating to me that I am sure that there will be times that it will seem that the parents do not do enough or care about their child as much as I think that they should or that a child is not cared for the way that they should be. I also think that it is important to remember that it is not always the "poor" children who are being abused. Just because a child may appear to be dirty and not have the designer clothing does not mean that they are being abused. I have met many families that were not as well off as others and the children had a better concept of unconditional love and family than what one might suspect. An immaculate child who has great manners and is middle to upper class can be abused as easily as one who attends school in dirty clothing and may or may not have brushed their hair that morning. Do not assume!
ReplyDeleteMy legal responsibility as a teacher is to protect children from harm and ensure that they are getting the appropriate care to sustain a healthy life. If I suspect that a child is being abused I would first discuss my suspicions with a colleague or the principal, after speaking with an outside source I would then choose my course of action.
I believe that the signs were definitely there for child abuse, but because Jadie was in a special education class it put her in a category that allowed the possibility of brain damage or something being wrong with her in addition to the selective mutism. The way that the book is written, we as the reader were not able to confirm the abuse until the end of the book was read, even though we suspected it throughout the story. I cannot say with certainty what I would have done in this situation, but, If I were Torey Hayden I would like to think that I would have acted a little more quickly and that I would have been more decisive about what was going on in Jadie’s home. While there was no physical evidece, there was certainly psycological trauma that could be confirmed. As to the nature of where that trauma came from I would thik that it could have been evaluated sooer. I do not disagree with anything that Torey did, just the timing. I can, however, say with certainty that I would have felt equally confused and concerned for my student’s welfare.
There are an increasing number of resources for teachers and adults who suspect child abuse and or neglect. A great resource that I had found for Porter County was http://www.pcapc.org (Prevent Child Abuse Porter County). This website focuses on preventative measures and hosts several different programs. The local number to call to report suspected child abuse in Porter County is 219-462-7555. The number for the Porter County Child Abuse Prevention Council in Valparaiso is 219-531-9012. The toll free number for the child abuse hotline is: (800) 800-5556, and the number for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is: (800) 843-5678; (800) 826-7653 (text telephone).
I've volunteered for a Prevent Child Abuse agency for years, so I've been exposed to different situations and every case is truly unique. There is no generic type of abuse. My mother worked as a social worker for years and now works as a therapist for foster children and foster parents, so I've been exposed to different types of children and their stories, and I've learned that when there is a suspicion of abuse it is best to act as quickly as possible.
ReplyDeleteI think that by volunteering with these children has helped me realize that you have to be gentle and patient with kids who've been abused. I also used to work as a lifeguard/swim instructor and we were told that since we'd be the one's closest to the kids, who are in swim suits, we'd be the most likely to spot signs of physical abuse. My boss at the time saw a boy with a burn in the shape of an clothes iron on his back.
Obviously in any case as severe as that, something should be done immediately, but in Torey's situation I think things were a little more unclear. I agree with Michelle that since she was in the Special Education class people were more prone to believe she was making things up,or had a vivid imagination. I think I would have started talking to colleagues or the principal as soon as Jadie had the episode with the dolls and the playdoh. That would tell me that she's heard that language in reference to bowel movements before. And considering that she does have a sister who is in diapers she'd be even more apt to hear something like that.
I really think that the Dallas code names really deterred Torey, and also her thoughts on the possibility of the be abuse being someone Occult related. I think I would have felt the same wariness about mentioning it, but as soon as I had found the book about it, I would have gone back and told them that this is what I've found and it correlates with Jadie's story too much to be a coincidence.
In Michigan City, the Prevent Child Abuse organization that I used to volunteer for is Dunebrook Prevent Child Abuse La Porte County-219-874-0007, www.dunebrook.org, 7451 W. Johnson Rd.
Department of Child Services in La Porte - 219-326-5870, 1452 State Road 2 West.
After reading the PowerPoint on child abuse, my reaction was shock. I knew a lot about child abuse before reading the PowerPoint, but I did learn some new stuff I didn't know about before. Why would someone want to have a child and then abuse them? I don't really understand people and how they can abuse their own children, or if it's not them, realize there is something going on with their own child. Abuse is horrible and it needs to be stopped.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher, we need to report ANY abuse we might see, or think we see. Abuse is unfortunately going to happen and we need to realize that. As teachers, we need to pay attention to our students and if we think there is some kind of abuse going on, we need to tell someone. If we KNOW there is abuse going on, we need to call child services. If a child in your classroom comes and tells you that he/she is being abused, you need to tell someone right away.
In Ghost Girl, we don't know for sure Jadie is being abused. Jadie is in a special education class, so Torey and the other teachers might of thought Jadie was either making it up or just imagining it. If I were Torey, I would of went for help earlier on. Jadie does mention she doesn't stand up straights because she's scared her insides are going to fall out, so that could be a sign of abuse. Also, she doesn't talk which is a sign as well, at least to me. It could mean she is trying not to tell anyone about what's going on and what's happening to her. I think child abuse needs to be taken seriously and I'm glad Torey went to someone for help with the whole situation.
If I were Torey I would feel confused, hurt, angry. Confused because I wouldn't know wether to believe Jadie or not, with her condition it's hard to tell. I would probably believe her right away, and try and talk to her more and more about what's going on to get her to open up about it. I would feel hurt because abuse actually happens and it's really upsetting to me. I don't think anyone needs to go through that and knowing a child in your classroom is going through it is really upsetting. I would feel angry because I would have a hard time believing Jadie, but then I would believe her. It would be a really confusing situation and I would want to talk to someone right away about what's going on and what's being said. As for doing what Torey did, I would go to someone earlier than she did. I think that if you are suspecting abuse is going on in your classroom you need to go to someone right away. I think Torey waited too long and it could of gotten a lot worse.
When I Googled stopping child abuse, I came up with SCAN. http://www.scanfw.org/
It has helped prevent child abuse all over Northwest Indiana. I thought that was very interesting because I didn't even know that existed here.
I also found DuneBrook.
http://www.dunebrook.org/
Prevent Child Abuse LaPorte County
I'm sure there are many other websites and books and places you can go to wherever you live and all you have to go is go to someone for help or google it.
After viewing the power point presentation about child abuse I have such a better understanding of what child abuse is exactly. Before, when the word child abuse was brough up, I would immediately think of someone hitting or physically abusing their child in some way. Now I know that there are so many different types of abuse that we as teachers need to look out for and be aware of. Not only does abuse include physical, but mental/emotional and sexual, it also includes child neglect. It is crucial for teachers to pay close attention to the many different signs of child abuse. Unexplained bruises, withdrawl or isolation, aggressive, low self-esteem, falling asleep in class, or looking disheveled are just some of the many signs. Another important point that was made in the powerpoint was that it is helpful to keep a log of suspected abuse. This way, if it comes down to calling Child Protective Services, there is a written log to help.
ReplyDeleteWhen I become a teacher, it is my responsibility to make sure that all my students are safe and free of any abuse at home or elsewhere. I learned from the powerpoint and from Ghost Girl that it is important to discuss any suspicion of abuse with a colleague or the principal of the school. If immediate action must be taken, it would be my responsibility as the teacher to call Child Protective Services.
It is hard to say how I would have handled Jadie's situation. I think it was difficult at first to determine Jadie's situation. Jadie didn't have any unexplained bruises, she wasn't aggressive toward the other kids in the class, she participated in class by drawing and painting. There were a few instances in the book where Jadie did seem to be more aggressive and that was toward the dolls. She also sometimes appeared disheveled; her hair wasn't combed or she wore clothes with holes in them. Jadie was also displaying her vast knowledge about the male anatomy. That was a huge red flag to Torey regarding Jadie's abuse. In my opinion, I would have reacted sooner to my suspicions about Jadie's abuse. Torey kept waiting until Jadie was ready to speak with someone else about her abuse, she was also worried about breaking Jadie's trust. Jadie desperately wanted Torey to help her, but that was impossible to do without breaking Jadie's trust. Jadie wanted Torey to stop her abuse, but Torey did not have that sort of power. I think Torey did an excellent job maintaining Jadie's trust because she encouraged Jadie to tell her story to someone else. I was also glad to read the Jadie wrote her a note simply saying thank you. I think that would have made Torey feel really great knowing that she saved someone in desperate need. I just think I would have reacted sooner, since the suspicions were so strong and Jadie's stories were so detailed.
I did some research about resources that are available in my community to help prevent child abuse. The PCAPC (Prevent Child Abuse Porter County) is a volunteer council made up of local concerned citizens. SCAN (Stop Child Abuse and Neglect) provides prevention programs like Healthy Families, Prevention through Education, and more. There are also so many different numbers one could call in the case of suspected child abuse.
As a parent and Christian, I am extremely bothered by this subject matter. I cannot fathom how a parent or simply human being could harm a child. As a Christian, I consider my children to be a gift. It is my job to make sure that my children are safe from harm, feel protected, worthy and loved. I have a sick, unsettling feeling when my children have even the slightest injury or illness. I cannot imagine being the cause of their harm.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I have some experience with suspected abuse. I was an assistant teacher in first grade classroom for two years. During this time two young ladies, with completely different circumstances raised concern. The first young lady was in an environment that already raised cause for concern. She had been recently placed back into a home with drug addicted parents. She often came to school with poor hygiene, dirty hair, skin and clothes. She sometimes attend school with clothes that didn't fit and even wore the same clothes multiple days in a row. I wanted to take her home with me, take her shopping, and make her feel safe. At the very least, I would have liked to provide her with clean clothes. As a teacher, it is unclear perhaps what the boundaries are. I felt helpless. Although the teacher and I expressed our concerns, it was unnecessary for us to take further action because the authorities intervened. It was discovered that her parents were again abusing drugs and allegations had also arose that this young ladies older sister was being abused. She and her sibling have since been adopted by their aunt and are thriving in their new environment. The second little girl was very precocious and seemed to know way too much about things of the sexual nature. We immediately consulted with the social worker and principal and the situation was investigated. It turned out that she was not being abused but she was exposed to things that a child or her age should not be, such as R-rated movies. In both instances, I was extremely angry and I questioned my desire to become a teacher. Would I be able to protect my students? Would I be able to separate my opinions and beliefs in each situation? I was angry in both situations at the parents. I was frustrated in the first situation, that she was even allowed to be exposed to that environment again. Why didn't the necessary adults take action to make sure that she wasn't in this environment? Why can't a parent see that exposing a child to experiences not suited for a child of her age not see the harm they were doing?
In "Ghost Girl", I believe that Torey did everything possible within her means to help Jadie she didn't receive the necessary support she needed. It almost seemed as if they wanted to pretend something of this nature couldn't happen. I will admit that as a Christian, I found the sadistic nature of this book to be extremely unsettling.I do not know exactly what I would do in a similar situation but I do know that I would do everything in my power to make sure that people would listen. After reading "Ghost Girl" and the powerpoint presentation on abuse, I am frustrated even more. Frustated and determined to do everything within my power to provide a safe learning environment within my classroom including my instinct. I will allow my Christian faith to guide my decisions and help me provide the best environment for my students. NO child should be subjected to any kind of abuse, mental, physical, sexual or otherwise. It is amazing to me that you need a licence to drive, fish teach but anyone can become a parent. I know that there is only so much I will be able to do and that frightens me because children are our future and we need to protect our futures.
Child abuse is something I’ll never be able to understand. The idea of hurting a child purposely in any way (mental/physical) is disgusting to me. Children are meant to be treated with love and care, and be able to feel safe. I also learned some things from the powerpoint, like not preventing harm is a form of abuse.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher, the legal responsibilities will be to keep the children safe by protecting them from harm. It is my responsibility to report any suspicions of abuse. It is also important for me to pay attention to the signs of abuse and talk about it with my principal, colleague, social worker, etc. unless immediate action is required.
In Ghost Girl the abuse is only suspected for the majority of the story. The only concrete evidence they had was the engraving on Jadie’s little sister. Even after all was said and done, the epilogue talks about how no one is sure what happened, and it goes through all the possibilities. However, all the things that Jadie was saying and the way she was acting would lead any sane person to believe that there was something not right about the situation.
I agree with what Torey did. The stories Jadie was telling could be hard for some people to believe and a few wanted to write them off as something she had seen on television. Torey paid careful attention to the details and tried to make sense of the things that Jadie was saying. She wanted to make sure that the abuse could be proved. In addition, Jadie was reluctant to speak to anyone other than Torey about it, so Torey needed to make sure Jadie was ready to talk to other people, otherwise the case would not go very far.
If I were Torey, I would be very afraid of the situation and for these little girls, but I think Torey handled it very well. Reporting child abuse is something that a teacher is responsible for and I think Torey did the right thing.
I really liked that last slide where it says that no one can do everything but everyone can do something. The slides were full of helpful and useful information. I hate to know that there are adults and children that are being abused right now and most of them are to afraid to get help. I have 2 kids and I could never imagine someone abusing them mentally, physically, or even sexually. I am probably called one of those worry wart moms who always makes sure there kids are eating healthy cooked meals, clean and bathed, up to date on doctor visits, doing everything to keep them safe and out of harms way. I know that there are kids who aren't as lucky to have love and support that I give my children everyday as a parent. Abuse is a major issue I think and there should be more done in order to stop it. Therefore as a teacher I will talk with the principal and other co-workers and if necessary take action in getting child services involved. Teachers should be concerned and look for signs of abuse. Our legal responsibility as teachers is to protect children from harm and ensure that they are getting the appropriate care to sustain a healthy life.
ReplyDeleteIn "Ghost Girl" I think it was difficult at first to determine Jadie's situation. Jadie didn't have any unexplained bruises, she wasn't aggressive toward the other kids in the class, and she participated in class by drawing and painting. There were a few instances in the book where Jadie did seem to be more aggressive and that was toward the dolls. I think as a teacher I would have contacted someone with child services sooner to do an investigation but doing that Jadie amy have lost trust in me or I would have never been able to get the story from Jadie and the evidence needed to get her put in a safe home as a foster child. I think that Torey did take appropirate actions. I know I would have done the same thing into investigating but not for more than a few months I think I would want to investigate with Child Services sooner.
Child abuse is a very sensitive subject for me. First off growing up my father was abusive towards my mom, and that was something that I had to see at a fairly young age. When my father disciplined me, it would mostly be with a belt and I can remember times I would have welts and bruises on my legs and body. I remember one time it was so bad my mom showed my aunt and my aunt wanted to call or tell someone about it and my mom would not let her. My mom and father got divorced and I bounced back between the two. When I lived with my father he started to hit me more. It wasn’t just using a belt, it would also be pushing me, throwing me around and hitting me. This happened usually when he got mad, had been drinking or when I had done something wrong. He no longer had my mother to take out his aggressions on. He was such an angry person when this happened and I could not understand how a person could be like this. I would go to my job at the age of 15 and work off of the clock, for free, for hours, just so I did not have to be at home. But then there were also times when I just loved him so much and he was the nicest coolest dad ever. I think this is the reason that I never told on him to anyone. When I was a freshman in high school I finally wised up and moved away from my father and cut him completely out of my life. I have not talked to him since. I think I am a much better person without him in my life. This is why I think it is so important for teachers to really know their students and be aware of what is going on in their lives. I am fortunate. There are many children who have been killed by their parents because of abuse. The sad thing is, there were probably people out there that knew about it and just didn’t do anything about it.
ReplyDeleteI think after reading the power point it has opened up my eyes and broadened the term child abuse to me. I did not realize that there were so many forms of abuse. As a teacher you are responsible for protecting the children from harm and promoting their welfare. When you have concerns about a child possibly being abused it is best to talk to a colleague, the principal, social work and anyone else from your support team. If you feel that a child is in immediate risk of harm you need to report it to Child Protective Services. I cannot stress enough how important it is for a teacher to be there for their students in this way and to really get to know how their family life is. Many children who struggle in school are looked at as problem children. These children might be going through some sort of child neglect or abuse and may not have the ability or desire to concentrate or try to learn. If a student is like this you should really try and figure out why they are acting out or why they are not trying or why they just aren’t doing so well in class.
In the book, it starts as suspected child abuse. Jadie makes certain sexual innuendos that children her age should not know of and this disturbs Torey. Jadie has also mentioned many times of people harming her, her friend Tashie and her sisters. Jadie is also afraid that certain people will hear what she says because they said that they could kill her. If I were Torey I would be so scared for the child. I think it would be really hard not to go home and cry hysterically. To imagine something so awful is happening to a child is sickening. I think that Torey is a very brave teacher and she has taught me a lot through her book. I think that she handled the situation very well. This was a very hard situation to deal with. At times Torey felt as if though she were imagining it. Like there was no way that any of that could happen. So how she handled the situation in my opinion was very smart. She always thought of Jadie’s best interests and wanted to ensure her safety.
My reaction to the power point was some what relief. I was already aware of most of the pointd of the different kinds of abuse and what they involve. I was relieved to see what teachers are suppose to do and the process and actions they need to take to make sure the abuse is stopped or prevented.
ReplyDeleteIf there is child abuse or suspected child abuse, a teacher has legal actions they must take. It should be normal that a teacher discusses a child's safety with their guardians. They should also make it known what agencies and social services are there. However, if there is suspected abuse, a teacher has to make a referral to Child Protective Services regardless of whether the teacher has the guardians' consent ot not.
In Ghost Girl, a lot of the abuse is suspected abuse,specifically sexual abuse. Torey does finally say something and they bring in all the proper personnel to investigate the case. In the end, they couldn't find evidence such as semen in the girls to say yes there was definitely sexual abuse going on here. But with all the signs and all the things Jadie said that went along with Satanism so well, it was hard to only suspect. To me, there was definitely sexual abuse and other forms of abuse as well. If all these nasty, disgusting thnigs were occuring, there were many levels of abuse occuring as well. Consider Jadie's physcological state. That right there should be an indicator that something is very wrong in her home life.
If I were Torey Hayden I would feel almost torn. Yet with all the things Jadie said, I would feel like I would have to report it. Even if I wasn't sure if the parents were involved with it or even if any of it wasn't true, I would feel disgusted enough with hearing a young child talk of such descriptive sexual and horrific acts that I would at least have to tell some higher authority that would know what to do next with the situation.
For the most part, I agree with the way Torey acted as a teacher in the whole situation. I think I would have said something to the principal a little sooner but then again, I know she didn't want to harm her relationship with Jadie. I understand hard facts and evidence are very crucial in a case of sexual abuse and Torey was waiting for Jadie to say who did these things to her and not just these "Dallas" characters. You never know how you would actually act in a situation until you're in it. I think Torey did what she thought was the best way to go and I believe that was wise. If I am ever in such a position as Torey was, I hope I have the knowledge and courage to do the right thing at the right time.
In St. Joseph county every June there is a roof sit for child abuse. The radio station, U93, has their morning crew sit on top of Martin's Supermarket in South Bend for a whole week in June raising money to prevent child abuse and to make people aware of it. They are constantly on the radio talking to professionals they brought in to tell the listeners about their knowledge. They air stories of real children who were in abusive homes and where they are today. The whole week it seems so sad to listen to the radio station but it makes you think about how there is so much more abuse going on in our neighborhood that is sickening. And to think it is happening to such young children! It makes you want to go out and find someone who is abusing a child and turn them in! The whole week they give you tips on how to prevent yourself from abusing your children (especially if you were abused as a child) and also for others to recognize possible abuse and who to report it to. It is an eye opener for sure and every year they make more and more money in hopes to finally beat the battle with child abuse.
My reaction to the powerpoint is that there is lots of information about child abuse if you just look for it. Signs are there we just have to see it. As teachers, we are legally bound to report any types of possible child abuse we suspect. I have a better understanding of what child abuse is. Most people think of child abuse as only being physical or sexual but also included on this list is neglect and emotional abuse. Sometimes emotional abuse is the worse because we can't see the actual signs physically on the body. We have to pay closer attention to neglect and emotional abuse.
ReplyDeleteIn Ghost Girl, Tory Hayden suspects abuse for most of the time she gets Jadie to open up more specifically sexual abuse. Jadie talks alot of about killing and ghosts. Jadie opens up to Hayden about her abuse. Jadie kept referring to her abuse as characters from a TV show. Hayden started to doubt what Jadie had said when she saw a distinguished mark on Jadie's little sister and Amber says that Jadie did it.
I would have been scared if I were in Hayden's situation. We are all taught the signs and what to expect but when it is right there in front of us it becomes a whole different ball game. All signs start out as suspected abuse. Some times there is actually abuse and sometimes there is not. I don't know exactly how I would have handled the situation if I was Hayden. All I know is that I would have said something to someone. I agree with how Hayden handled Jadie's situation. She talked to someone about it as soon as she started to suspect it.
I Googled "child abuse help in LaPorte, IN" and the first thing that popped up was about Dunebrook. I personally know of Dunebrook because some of my family friend's have worked there. I know it is a great program. Also, every summer there is a radio station out of South Bend/ Mishawaka area that holds a week long even called "Roof Sit." They raise money for abused children in out area. Last week, the local radio station did a Roof Sit as well for LaPorte country. There is plenty of information and help out there, we just have to look for it.
My first reaction to the child abuse powerpoint presentation is immediately going through all of the children that I watch at a daycare in my head, and making sure that they do not show any of the signs mentioned on the presentation. It seems crazy to think that any kinds of abuse could be happening to these children, but after reading Ghost Girl, it opens my eyes to the possibilities. There are many responsibilities as a teacher when it comes to child abuse or suspected child abuse. A teacher needs to discuss their different thoughts and concerns that have to do with the possible abuse that may be happening at a student’s home. Legally, it must be told to the Child Protective Services regardless of the parents or guardians knowing or not knowing. There are so many signs that may show different forms of abuse. As a teacher, one should find a trusted person to talk to, like a principal, to think of the certain ways to protect a child from harm and to promote his/her welfare.
ReplyDeleteIn Ghost Girl, the child abuse is suspected. Jadie has so many different stories for Torey. Some don’t seem to be possible, but others have so much detail that a child shouldn’t even know about. The only physical marking that shows up is the “X” on Jadie’s sister’s leg, and Jadie’s sister claims that it was Jadie who put it there. There are many behavioral signs that Jadie shows though. She has an extreme fear of spiders, she talks about wanting to be a ghost, she shows severe social stress by the way she holds her back, and many other things that point to abuse. Finally bringing out her experiences to the cop is what helped to finalize separating the children from their parents. The end of the book shows more evidence to the abuse occurring when it told about Jadie’s father later being arrested and convicted for molesting an eight year old girl.
If I was Tory Hayden I would feel overwhelmed, but also committed to helping and ending what Jadie was going through. I wouldn’t be able to just put what I felt might be happening aside. It wouldn’t be right, and I don’t know how any teacher would be able to that. Children coming into my room wouldn’t just be looked at as a job. It would also be seen as a responsibility to help the students in every way possible. I feel that Torey did a good job in helping Jadie. She did research to try to understand more of what could be going on, and she was able to get the trust from Jadie so that she felt it was okay to open up to her. I do feel though that Jadie should have opened up more to another teacher or professional that she felt she could trust. She did somewhat open up to Arkie, but Arkie wasn’t helping or really helping to look into the situation. Torey did bring out the trust that Jadie needed to let it out what was happening at home though, enough that Jadie was able to tell another adult. Torey worked hard and stayed committed to fixing the horrible life that Jadie was experiencing.
There are many websites and organizations that can be found to help preventing/stopping child abuse. One organization in LaPorte County is Dunebrook. They provide different services and education to the community. They can be found at dunebrook.org. Another website is preventchildabuse.org. They have the listings of different events, conferences, and meetings that have to do with child abuse. It also gives out different suggestions on how to support kids and parents that can help reduce the stress that often leads to abuse and neglect.