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What is a non-traditional family?
A non-traditional family includes but not limited to step-parents, single parents, adoptive parents, same-sex marriages with and with out children, foster parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and adult children living with and caring for their parents.
Facts and statistics
What do American families look like today?
Statistics relating to U.S. families today in regards to single parents, divorced parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, parents of mixed races, and gay/lesbian parenting:
http://www.womedia.org/taf_statistics.htm
Facts we should know about American families:
http://www.rainbows.org/statistics.html
There are many ways to make a family! This site describes and defines the wide variety of family structures that exist. (Module 1)
http://www.familyhelper.net/ad/adteach.html#one
Tips for Teachers
Watch your language.
(Module four): Terms people will unthinkingly use and suggestions for preferred terms.
http://www.familyhelper.net/ad/adteach.html#four
This site provides suggested methods that teachers and schools can use to encourage specific kinds of non traditional parents become more involved in their students’ learning.
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/ReachFam/sg.html
This site will help teachers understand the strengths of single parent families. The site branches off into links for understanding single parent family dynamics.
http://www.metlife.com/Applications/Corporate/WPS/CDA/PageGenerator/0,4132,P988,00.html
This site gives insight to educators about some of the difficulties and challenges children from non-traditional families might face.
http://www.cyfernet.org/parent/nontradfam.html
Children’s Literature
This link has many books written for children about adoption. Some of the titles include A mother for Choco and How I was adopted.
http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/books.php?cat=3
This link has many valuable resources to assist with including gay/lesbian parent families in the classroom including a book list.
http://www.teachers.ab.ca/NR/rdonlyres/9B31CA70-1B36-4839-B5C1-8F944642FE7A/0/GayLesbianMaterialsforYoungChildren.ppt#257,2,What%20Are%20Gay/Lesbian%20Materials%20for%20Young%20Children
Many Shades of You! This link has many books featuring African/African Americans, Asian/Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latinas (os), Native Americans, and Multiethnic people.
http://www.manyshadesofyou.com/book_links.html
This link features children’s books about family relationships and experiences. Some titles include, Kyle lives with his Granny – Where are his mommy and daddy? And Do I have a daddy?
http://www.journal.naeyc.org/btj/200505/07Birckmayer.asp
Other Resources
1) “That's a Family! Is an excellent film aimed at school children. Given the importance of family for individuals, communities, and the greater society at large, Debra Chasnoff's film makes a great learning tool for class discussions on the family."
-The Educational Digest
This website includes a full review for the DVD called “That’s a Family!” which is a movie that is narrated by children from non-traditional homes discussing their family structures. The movie comes complete with its own teaching guide full of lessons for non-traditional children in the classroom.
http://www.newday.com/reviews.lasso?filmid=FBAIxPOKG
2) It’s Elementary—Talking About Gay Issues in School (1996), the inspiring, award-winning film that explores how teachers can include discussions about gay people in their classrooms with elementary and middle school students. This website includes reviews on various DVD’s that can be used in the classroom for non-traditional families.
http://www.womedia.org/respectforall.htm
Lesson Plans and Activities
This website has a variety of biased classroom assignments and how to fix them so all students can participate. This is located in Module Three of the website.
http://www.familyhelper.net/ad/adteach.html
This is a mini-unit for teaching students more about family dynamics. There are four lesson plans.
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-literature/CKHOOSTE/___FAMILY2.HTM
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