As the world evolves many educators have noticed that their classrooms are being populated with a diverse number of students. These students come from different cultures, religions, racial and ethnic backgrounds – they also come from assorted family situations, including adoptive families. The dynamics of these adoptive families can be extremely diverse in themselves. The families might have adopted children out of their own race, special needs children, children who belong to another family member, babies or adolescents. Despite the type of adoption and the reasoning behind it, most children who have been adopted will experience many emotional issues about being adopted.

It is with this in mind that I encourage all educators to engage in a personal connection with adoption, since the dynamics behind it can (and usually do) have a big impact on a student’s school performance and overall well-being. I would like to discuss a few points that educators can action that will help adoptees deal with the intricate issues of adoption in the school environment as well as to help all students to have a good understanding of how adoption is a normal and acceptable way to build a family.

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These points are as follows:

• Adoption language.

Firstly, it is important that teachers use the language of adoption in a positive light and that they have a good understanding of the terms used, and when they should be used. Using the appropriate terminology is the very first step in providing the correct information to students.

For example:

When referring to the biological parents of a child, it is preferable to use the terms “birth parent” or “birth mother and father”, rather than referring to them as their “real” parent/s (which might give the indication that you regard adoptive parents as being less real than the individuals who conceived and gave birth to them).

In the same sense, you should rather refer to children that someone has given birth to as their “birth child”, instead of saying “real” child or “own” child – which can cause conflicting emotions in siblings that have been adopted.

• Encourage healthy discussions about adoption

Create or ignite opportunities in your lessons where the subject of adoption can be broached, with the idea of discussing it in a matter-of-fact way, but more importantly, in a positive manner. In a very casual way you can help reinforce the idea that adoption is simply another way of forming a family. 

These opportunities can arise when discussing different cultures and blended families, in biology when you discuss genetics or inherited characteristics or when studying books where foster care or adoption are one of the themes.

• Plan organized lessons where adoption is the main subject and focus

Many educators run their lessons by “themes”, why not make adoption one of them? For example, November is National Adoption Month. During this month you could get adult adoptees to come give talks, or perhaps join forces and plan a fundraiser to raise funds for an orphanage – you could even visit an orphanage as a field trip to encourage your students (and yourself) to do some volunteer work.

During November each year there is a day to celebrate adoption (the date changes), drawing a smiley face on your hand is one way that you can celebrate the day, since this is a way that the day is symbolized around the world. This is my little boy’s hand:

Educators are in a good position to be advocates of adoption and should be readily prepared and able to assist adopted children in the classroom, especially since it is in the learning environment that an adopted child might be questioned by other students, or in a worse case, teased and taunted. Teachers need to be able to react and respond to this behavior our inquisitiveness in an appropriate manner.

* Remember to always address adoption in general terms, rather than to pinpoint or refer to someone’s personal situation.

To end, as an adoptive parent, I would like to encourage all educators to communicate with parents of adopted children so that the parents can perhaps advise them on how to handle each personal situation in the best manner suited to the child/children in question.

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