Considerations for Instruction in Home Economics Education

When selecting and developing learning activities, consideration must be given to safety, gender equity, sensitive content, confidentiality, establishing classroom procedures and expectations, and diverse student needs.

Safety

The nature of home economics requires that correct safety practices be established as soon as students begin their studies. It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that students are aware of the hazards in facilities and that established safety procedures are followed and reinforced on an ongoing basis.

It is essential that teachers address the following questions before, during, and after an activity:

• Have students been alerted to the hazards in the facility area?
• Have students been made aware of appropriate home, school, and workplace safety standards?
• Are the tools and equipment in good repair and suitably arranged?
• Have students been given specific instruction about how to use and handle equipment and tools correctly?
• Are students properly supervised?
• Are students wearing appropriate clothing and footwear?
• Do students follow established rules and routines?
• Do the facilities provide adequate lighting and ventilation for the activity?
• Do students select tasks that are appropriate to their levels of skill?
• Are students demonstrating self-control and showing respect for the safety of others?
• Do students follow correct sanitation and hygiene practices to prevent the spread of food-borne diseases?
• Have perishable foods been stored at correct temperatures to prevent food poisoning?

Gender Equity

The education system is committed to helping all students succeed in their daily lives. This is particularly important in subject areas where males or females are underrepresented. Teaching practices, learning activities, assessment materials, and classroom environments must place value on the experiences and contributions of both young women and young men. Teachers should consider gender bias in learning resources and be aware of the potential for gender bias when teaching and planning projects.

The following instructional strategies are suggested to help teachers implement a gender-sensitive home economics curriculum:

• Invite both male and female guest speakers.
• Feature atypical role models (e.g., families in which a single father is the primary care giver, male clothing retailers, female executives in textile manufacturing, female chefs).
• Design instruction to acknowledge differences in experiences, interests, and learning styles between young men and young women (e.g., include textile projects such as constructing active wear, reupholstering, and designing sports team motifs; encourage awareness of community services such as home care and support groups as ways of nurturing human growth and development; use case studies that feature both male and female characters in primary roles; emphasize technological topics such as computer-assisted pattern drafting and Internet research).
• Address gender-related stereotypes, biasses, and pressures in society, the workplace, and the home.
• Provide practical learning opportunities designed to develop confidence and interest in non-traditional roles (e.g., opportunities for boys to explore nutritional issues, girls to study financial management).
• Explore historical, social, and ethical considerations in addition to the technical applications of home economics.
• Reinforce the significance of home economics in daily life and in the workplace.

Some components of the home economics curriculum address issues related to family activities and responsibilities. These issues may be a source of concern for some students and their parents.

The following are suggested guidelines for dealing with such sensitive issues:

• Obtain appropriate in-service training before beginning instruction in a new, unfamiliar, or potentially sensitive area of study. Be aware of problems that may arise in addressing issues related to dys- functional families.
• Obtain the support of the school administration before beginning instruction on any potentially sensitive issues.
• Provide opportunities for parents to be involved in their children's learning.
• Promote critical thinking and refrain from taking sides, denigrating, or propagandizing one point of view.
• Be aware of provincial and district policy and legislation on disclosure related to child abuse or other issues.

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act applies to districts, schools, teachers, and students as well as to all curricula. Recommendations that teachers, school administrators, and district staff are expected to consider are:

• Be aware of legislation and guidelines regarding the collection, protection, use, and disclosure of students' personal information.
• Be aware of district and school guidelines regarding the provisions of the Act and how it applies to all courses, including home economics.
• Minimize the type and amount of personal information collected and ensure it is used only for valid instructional purposes.
• Inform students that they will be the only ones recording personal information about themselves unless they have consented to teachers collecting that information from other people, including parents.
• Inform students why they are being asked to provide any personal information in the context of the curriculum.
• Ensure that any personal information used in assessing students' progress is up-to-date, accurate, and complete.
• Be aware of the limit of parents' rights to have access to their children's personal information.

In order to establish and maintain a classroom climate conducive to student learning in home economics (open to free inquiry and to various points of view), it is advisable, early in the course, to:

• Involve students in establishing guidelines for group discussion (these might include demonstrating respect for others by using appropriate listening and speaking skills and agreeing to maintain confidentiality if sharing personal information).
• Promote critical thinking and open-mindedness.

Skills and knowledge about families, social relationships, and personal and practical living are crucial for many students with special needs. Some of these students require significant assistance to successfully develop strategies for living independently and managing relationships.

Instruction and assessment methods should be adapted to meet the needs of all students, including those with special needs. When students with special needs can be expected to achieve or surpass the learning outcomes set out in the home economics curriculum, regular grading practices and reporting procedures are followed. However, when students are not able to achieve the learning outcomes because of disabilities, modifications must be noted in their Independent Education Plans (IEPs).

The following strategies may help students with special needs succeed in home economics education:

• Adapt the Environment
  • Use co-operative activities and experiences to encourage students to work in pairs and teams.
  • Vary student seating arrangements to permit interaction.
• Adapt Presentations
  • Use open and inclusive language to engage all learners.
  • Demonstrate and model new concepts.
  • Make connections with student interests and experiences and link these with other curricular areas.
  • Use bilingual peers and volunteers to help ESL students.
  • Adjust the pace of activities and learning as required.
• Adapt Materials
  • Use multi-sensory, hands-on, practical applications.
  • Use techniques that make the organization of activities more explicit (e.g., colour-code the steps used to solve problems and complete projects).
  • Use concrete materials, manipulatives, or large-print materials.
  • Use visual, verbal, and physical representations.
  • Use translated materials for information such as safety rules.
• Adapt Methods of Assistance
  • Use peer volunteers to help students.
  • Have teacher assistants work with students.
  • Work with consultants and support teachers to develop appropriate problem-solving activities and strategies.
• Adapt Methods of Assessment
  • Allow students to demonstrate their understanding of home economics concepts in a variety of ways (e.g., posters, display models, puzzles, and game boards).
  • Modify assessment tools to match student needs (e.g., oral tests, open-book tests, tests with no time limit).
  • Set achievable goals.
  • Use computer programs that allow students to practise word processing and to record and track their results.
  • Use audiotape or videotape to record individual student presentations.
• Provide Opportunities for Extension and Practise
  • Vary the amount of work for completion at any given time.
  • When required, simplify the way questions are worded to match the student's level of understanding.
  • Provide opportunities for students to practise skills.
  • Design creative learning experiences and critical-thinking activities for students with exceptional gifts or talents.

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