Meeting the challenge of HIV and AIDS in the classroom

Abstract

Contemporary early childhood teachers are facing new challenges as children who test HIV positive or who have AIDS enter the classroom. Providing appropriate health care and educational programs for these children is a major concern of teachers. This article presents a brief discussion of guidelines and issues that might be addressed in an in-service for teachers in general education to prepare them for a student with HIV or AIDS in their classrooms.

Influences on teacher education student attitudes toward youth who are HIV+

“…Wodrich et al (1999) identify four areas that can influence a teacher's future interactions with an infected child: development of teacher knowledge, development of teacher skills, development of teacher self-confidence, and development of teacher objectivity. There is evidence to suggest that teachers who lack knowledge about the disease tend to have negative perceptions of children and youth who are HIV ϩ that are based upon unfounded fears (Adams & Biddle, 1997;Jessee, 1993;Wadsworth & Knight, 1996;Wu, Yow Wu, 1990). Teachers who are misinformed or largely unaware of their HIV/AIDS beliefs may unintentionally display negative attitudes to a class, or let them negatively influence their interactions with children and youth that have the disease.…”

Preparing the Inclusion Classroom for Students with Special Physical and Health Needs

“…Typical conditions included in the category of major health impairments, on the other hand, are congenital heart defects, hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, diabetes, and childhood cancer and leukemia. A more recent group of students with special needs entering the classroom consists of those who are ventilatordependent (Wadsworth, Knight, & Balser, 1993) and those with infectious diseases such as AIDs or those who are HIV-positive (Wadsworth & Knight, 1996). Students who have multiple impairments present even more challenges to the classroom teacher.…”