I know someone who worked as a Head Start teacher for over 20 years. A recent challenge is the absolute lack of boundaries in the children of the demographics you mention. Taking them out to the playground is a nightmare for all the staff. The kids just run in all directions-into the street, other properties, etc. The staff does their best to herd them and try to teach them to play on the equipment and stay on the playground. It’s just crazy.
Manners and boundaries indicate a respect for other people and their property.
On my M-F run (as opposed to several once a week early dismissals that I do, also), I have six special needs kids. All have disabilities but only one is physically disabled and he’ll be the only one able to ever earn a living when he grows up. The parents of the Native child are OK, the parents of the Vietnamese kids are great and the mom of the Filipino child is excellent. These kids are always clean, ready to go, and on time when the bus arrives.
The single mothers of the Eritrean and black African kids, my last two morning pick ups and first two afternoon drop offs, NEVER have them ready on time. The black African child often has boogers running down to her bottom lip and sometimes dirty clothes. Guess who has to help the child blow her nose! That mother complains if I am two minutes late, even during a snow storm. Though unemployed, at least 3 times a month, she is not home to meet the child coming from the bus, so I have to take this often disruptive child for an hour long drive to drop the other kids off before bringing the child home. In the three years she has been in Canada, the only thing this single mother has accomplished consistently is popping out two kids, with another one on the way, from yet another ‘baby daddy’. Maybe she thinks that by sending her child to a Roman Catholic school, that will somehow appease God for having so many kids out of wedlock. I don’t know.
After several years involved in a church plant, planted by an African pastor, and this bus run, I hate to admit it, but I am becoming ‘prejudiced’, that is, pre-judging foreigners, especially Africans, based on my experience with many. Unfortunately, many that I’ve met, fit well the stereotype and from what I’ve heard, many young African-Americans are much worse! Why is it that Asians seem so less disruptive and willing to work, rather than looking for a handout?
There are only three weeks left in the school year, so that is good.