The essential role of a class teacher is to tutor pupils, basically for their academic improvement. They typically use classroom based strategies of teaching which entails continually monitoring the performance and learning needs of pupils. Thus, they are more academically minded, yes social and safeguarding is part of their work but those are given less attention and focus. For this reason, they concentrate directly at how a child is progressing academically and get frustrated when a child is doing below their expectations without looking at the whole picture to understand the reason behind the poor performance or bad behaviour of the child.
There are lots of social ills that children exhibit at home and in school like bullying, aggression, abuse, self-harming, suicidal thoughts etc. These may be caused by upbringing, family background, peer influence and other sociological or psychological factors. This plays a tremendous role in the life of a child which affects the learning and character of that child in a socially awkward manner.
Social Work is a profession that is saddled with the responsibility of addressing social issues in families, schools and the society. The aim is to help improve peopleโs lives and alleviate social and interpersonal difficulties, to protect human rights and promote social wellbeing. Social workers protect children and adults with numerous supports against harm, abuse and distress. From helping them to overcome these, to keeping a family under pressure together, to supporting someone with mental health problems, social work is varied, demanding, often emotional and a very rewarding career.
Every school should have a social worker, someone at school that pupils can talk to about issues they may not feel comfortable to share with their teachers and family. Social workers understand better how children behave in families, schools and communities and are more equipped with the skills and knowledge to tackle social misdemeanours, correct and educate the concerned.
Apart from helping pupils to address social issues, to protect their rights and promote their social well being, social workers can also teach children in the course of their work in many ways which include;
1.They can teach pupils about social justice, human rights and advocacy, which are critical concepts for anyone interested in making a positive impact in society.
- Social workers create the awareness needed to understand and address social issues in communities. Some children do not understand the implications of their actions and how if affects them and others. Being conscious of this will enable them to make a positive difference and become effective agents of change in their communities.
- Social workers can help pupils develop their emotional intelligence and empathy. They teach pupils how to deal with their emotions and those of others, which is a valuable skill in human relationship. By learning how to empathize with others, pupils can develop a better understanding of the challenges faced by different groups in society, and become more motivated to help address these challenges.
- Social workers help to enlighten pupils on laws and regulations and make them understand the principles of cause and effect, the implications and consequences of every action. They inculcate the value of responsibility and accountability needed for an informed and intentional living.
As long as pupils relate to eachother in schools, the importance of a social worker is boundless. Dealing with people can be emotionally demanding just like managing ones emotions can be difficult. It is important that pupils are taught how to deal with others and manage their divergence characters, as well as deal with unanticipated situations like trauma, grief, or other challenges.
Social workers collaborate with schools, teachers and parents for the best interest of the pupils. It is important to promote the value and importance of social work in Nigerian society especially in schools, to provide pupils with the necessary skills and support needed to overcome and tackle social issues which are prevalent in our society.
Social Work is a viable career option. Higher Institutions need to embrace the usefulness and promote the importance of the profession for degree studies. They also need to equip students with the necessary skills and support needed to excel in it. Having more graduates in this field means having more professionals and on the long run, protecting the vulnerable ones while reducing the prevalence of social issues in schools, families and the society.
Amara Ann Unachukwu.
