Objective:
To create a pros and cons list regarding 50–50 joint custody parenting from various perspectives and to evaluate your list.
Assignment incomplete without self reflection
Scenario:
You are a first-year teacher who has just learned that the parents of Kyla, a child in your class, have divorced. Kyla’s mother tells you that she and Kyla’s father are working out the details of a 50–50 joint custody parenting arrangement for Kyla and her two older brothers. You imagine that this new arrangement will be stressful for everyone concerned and would like to have a deeper understanding of the possible implications. Your director suggests you watch the video Divorce and Children. After watching the video, you decide to clarify your thinking about what the pros and cons of 50–50 shared parenting might be from the perspectives of Kyla and her brothers. Next, you think about the possible implications for Kyla’s parents. Last, you consider the pros and cons from your point of view as well as that of the people who interact with Kyla at school.
Focus Assignment
1. Create a two-column pros and cons list to help clarify your thinking about 50–50 joint custody parenting. List three possible pros and three cons from Kyla and her brothers’ perspectives. Add a few sentences to elaborate on your thinking about each pro and con. Now, list three possible pros and three cons from Kyla’s parents’ perspectives. Finally, list three possible pros and three cons from your perspective as Kyla’s teacher and from the standpoint of the larger school community.
2. Be sure to read the SELF-EVALUATION section below to guide your thinking. Write your self-evaluation after you have completed your pros and cons list.
Self-Evaluation
1. For each item on your pros and cons list:
a. Explain how this item addresses the issues in the scenario.
2. Describe and justify how your pros and cons list would improve teaching and learning in the scenario.