Tagged With "Expressive Writing"
Blog Post
This teacher's viral 'check-in' board is a beautiful example of mental health support. (upworthy.com)
Update: We have found the teacher who originate the mental health check-in board! Kudos to Erin Castillo for the brilliant idea and for sharing how she's using it to help kids. She is offering a free download of the board as a poster along with instructions for utilizing it on Teachers Pay Teachers. Thanks, Erin! Excellent teachers do so much more than teach. They can be mentors, role models, guides, and even confidants. Sometimes a teacher is one of the only trusted adults in a child's...
Blog Post
Reclaiming a Sense of Joy (edutopia.org)
When we live in constant stress, our brains start to downshift. According to scholars Geoffrey Caine and Renate Nummela Caine, downshifting is a psychophysiological response to threat that results in a sense of helplessness or fatigue. A downshifted person has a nagging sense of fear or anxiety and begins to lose the ability to feel excitement or pleasure. The good news is that we can upshift our brains by actively infusing joy into our work life. Joyful experiences—even brief ones—flood the...
Blog Post
Rethinking Education, envisioning the future of schools
Lara Kain, 04/14/20 I am an optimist, unapologetic, glass always full, sunshine and rainbows to-a-fault optimist. It annoys people. As my mind begins to clear a little for the first time since the true scope of this pandemic became clear to me, I have the headspace to write down the thoughts, musings, wonderings, and inspirations swirling in my head. That is what typically happens with my writing... an idea begins as a small whisper, something noodling the back of my mind, and then builds...
Blog Post
Safe ways to get emotions out
I wanted to share a few ideas I've used in the classroom that have really helped my ACEs students (mostly middle school, but could be tweaked to use for younger kids): 1. Write the event/name of person upsetting them on an index card. Have them slowly tear the paper and put the pieces in a trash can while calmly repeating, "you are not worth my anger." Write the event/name again on another index card. Tear up the card and throw away the pieces while calmly repeating, "I control myself."...
Comment
Re: Peek Inside a Classroom: Jose
I was riveted by this post, Daun. You write so well and with so much passion and knowledge. Thank you for sharing this. I am forwarding immediately to our trauma-informed schools team.
Comment
Re: Sarah Coffey: Mental health issues need to be part of school discipline consideration [TulsaWorld.com]
It never ceases to amaze me that we are still so primitive in our thinking that we care for children's bodies and understand that pain and disability, or lack of mobility, but we cannot fathom emotional or psychological pain and disability. We live in the 21st century with the internet as a normality. Surely we can begin to realize that "just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there." Children's brains need as much care and attention as their bodies. Our laws are so indicative...
Blog Post
Topeka schools tackle student trauma to boost achievement [trustedk12.com]
Childhood trauma comes in many forms. Whether it’s the shock of a friend’s sudden death or violence in school, we’ve heard far too many stories about students having to recover from traumatic events. But trauma can also rear its head in more subtle ways. It’s easy to write off a misbehaving student as “troubled.” But often, this behavior is a direct result of continued trauma at home. Abuse, neglect, struggles with poverty are all part of a particular type of trauma called Adverse Childhood...
Blog Post
Trail of Tears: From a Middle School Student’s Perspective (indiancountrymedianetwork.com)
This persuasive essay was submitted to ICTMN by Matthew Scraper, Megan Scraper's father. Megan, 12, is a student at Marlow Middle School in Oklahoma. They are citizens of the Cherokee Nation, and Matthew pointed out that their last name is an English translation of the Cherokee word disugasgi, which means something along the lines of the one who repeatedly scrapes the skin. She chose to write about the Trail of Tears on her own when given a class assignment. The Trail of Tears set a...
Blog Post
Training course: Building Resilience and Challenging Systemic Racism
The Summer Peacebuilding Institute (SPI) is here to help you gain the skills necessary to change your community and the world. We will be offering a three-day training course June 10 - 12, 2019, taught by Dr. Ram Bhagat , related to challenging the status quo in the education system that allows systemic racism to flourish . Course details are: The framework for Building Resilience for Challenging Systemic Racism is grounded in Restorative Justice theory, values, and praxis. This three day...
Blog Post
Trauma education and mindfulness help youth living amid gun violence
Armon Hurst, 2nd from left, first row, Teens on Target, courtesy of YouthAlive! Eighteen-year-old Armon Hurst serves as vice president of the student body at Castlemont High School in Oakland, Calif. He has a 4.0 grade point average, is an avid baseball player, and is slated to go to college next year. But until a few years ago, Hurst would find himself waking from nightmares in the middle of the night. It was difficult to concentrate at school, and he wasn’t eating well. Armon Hurst “There...
Blog Post
Trauma informed education in juvenile justice settings
Jane Stevens contacted me about posting our presentation delivered at the correctional educators conference this last spring. We have been delivering online professional development to all of the educators in the Ohio Juvenile Justice setting in order...
Blog Post
Trauma-informed groups rev up to address race, inclusion
Eighteen-year-old Kia Hanson has always enjoyed her time as a youth leader at the East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC). She’s worked mostly with five- and six-year-olds since she began in 2016. Recently, she tapped into new skills, especially if the kids were having a meltdown. Kia Hanson “If they’re off, we ask them, ‘What’s wrong?’ ‘Do you want to talk about anything?’,” she explains. “Basically asking before assuming they’re mad at the world for no reason.” What made the...
Blog Post
Trauma Informed Schools—An Essential for Student & Staff Success, Part 3: The Holistic Approach
In the first two parts of this series ( part one , part two ), we talk about the implications of trauma and student behavior and how to create a trauma informed school. The success of creating a trauma informed school weighs heavily on the school and community embracing the holistic approach. At Los Angeles Education Partnership, we achieve this through our Community School model. As former teachers, we are aware that the more we pile on our teachers, the less effective the approach becomes.
Blog Post
Using Creative Expression to build SEL skills in Elementary-aged Kids
For over twenty years, Art with Heart has been spreading the healing power of creative expression to kids experiencing trauma or adversity. Our therapeutic activity books for youth, and resources for the adults who serve them transform pain into possibility for young people around the world. Now in our third decade, we’ll reach 3.5 million more kids through our innovative online learning community and through collaboration with many personal, unique partnerships. Join certified trainer Lulu...
Blog Post
Want Your Students to Be Kinder? Try This Assignment (edweek.org)
Justin Parmenter is a 7th grade language arts teacher at Waddell Language Academy in Charlotte, N.C. He was a fellow with Hope Street Group's NC Teacher Voice Network from 2016-2018 and currently serves on that organization's design team. You can find him on Twitter at @JustinParmenter . A few years ago, researchers at the University of Wisconsin set out to answer the question, “Can compassion be learned?” They wanted to see whether practicing the mindset of caring would lead to more caring...
Blog Post
We need trauma sensitive schools in Pakistan
By Kanwal Tariq - The Express Tribune - Pakistan Published: August 2, 2016 Trauma is an umbrella term for stress, which continues beyond one’s ability to cope. While interest in adult trauma has comparatively spiked, strategies to deal with stress and trauma in children are yet to be developed. Without proper means to address this trauma, we will remain powerless in helping affected children. In Pakistan, a leading cause of childhood trauma is poverty. Increasing violence in society and use...
Blog Post
Wellness and Resiliency Toolkit for Kids with Trauma
I'm excited to share a booklet created for youth in Oregon foster care at a Wellness camp this summer. Youth were provided with these quick, easy and effective (and evidence based) "Mindful Moments" exercises in their Wellness Toolkits and they were practiced throughout the day at camp so that they could be remembered in times of stress and dysregulation. The exercised are designed to quickly bring them back to a state of calm. The youth really enjoyed them, and found them easy and...
Blog Post
Why Adults Should Listen, Learn, Trust, and Expect More From Kids (kqed.org)
When Adora Svitak was twelve-years-old she spoke on the TED stage, saying she hates the world "childish" if it's being used to describe irrational demands or irresponsible behavior. She said she sees enough of that in the adult world to know it's not the exclusive domain of children. In fact, she made the point that adults could learn a thing or two if they'd only open their minds to the possibility that kids have a lot to offer the world. "We kids still dream about perfection and that's a...
Blog Post
Why I believe Gregory Williams, and his book, Shattered By The Darkness, will help save lives and revolutionize healthcare.
When you first hear about it, it sounds unlikely, fact that something that happened to someone in utero, at the age of two months, or four years, or any time in childhood, is what is killing them as an adult, or making them want to die, or making them want to hurt themselves or others. Yet the connection between childhood trauma and adult disease, mental illness, addiction, suicide, violence – most all of society’s ills – is as irrefutable as the myriad truths revealed about it in the...
Blog Post
Why It's 'Self-Reg,' Not Self-Control, That Matters Most For Kids (npr.org)
Great article by Barbara J. King. An excerpt: The biggest lesson that I've taken from Self-Reg is that when a child insists that a teacher's voice is harsh, or a restaurant or classroom is unbearably bright or loud, we need to recognize (even though we might not experience things that way at all) that the child is very probably not lying, exaggerating or trying to be oppositional. Instead, the child's biological sensitivities may make her exquisitely reactive in a way that triggers a...
Blog Post
Why Schools Fail To Teach Slavery's 'Hard History' (npr.org)
"In the ways that we teach and learn about the history of American slavery," write the authors of a new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), "the nation needs an intervention." This new report, titled Teaching Hard History: American Slavery, is meant to be that intervention: a resource for teachers who are eager to help their students better understand slavery — not as some "peculiar institution" but as the blood-soaked bedrock on which the United States was built. The report,...
Blog Post
Why Social And Emotional Skill Building In Early Childhood Matters [ChildTrends.org]
I started my career as a preschool teacher. For 13 years, I helped 3- to 5-year-old children learn how to write their name; count, sort and use other foundational math concepts; manage their toileting and dressing independently; and meet other easily-observable school-readiness milestones. The children were flourishing, and their families were delighted with their achievements! But woven throughout the multi-faceted learning experiences supporting cognitive, language, physical, and self-help...
Blog Post
Why Teach about Grief and Loss?
For the Special Issues in Grieving and Loss class that I started last month, I was asked to write an informal paper and explain why I chose to enroll in this class, what outcomes I expected and what my goals were. Three years ago, I enrolled in the M.S. in Guidance and Counseling program at STU after one of my students attempted suicide, and nothing had been done by support staff or administration who had been informed of his intentions, to prevent it. I’ve been wanting to take the training...
Blog Post
YBRS survey and report from Monroe County, New York
Elizabeth Meeker, an ACEs Connection member from Monroe County, New York shared that her county schools added ACEs questions to their Youth Behavioral Risk Survey (YBRS) in 2015, which is administered to students in schools. They were kind enough to share the instrument as well as a summary report of findings (both attached here). Elizabeth has indicated that she is available to answer questions that you all may have about the implementation of the survey. Thank you Elizabeth, for sharing!
Blog Post
you are one of the cool kids
We spend a great deal of our energy on fitting in. While insecurity and ego are sometimes part of this effort, it’s inappropriate to think of “fitting in” as a weakness or a crutch. The drive to connect is built into the essence of being human. Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk in his (one of the best I’ve read in the last five years) book, “The Body Keeps the Score,” says, “Our culture teaches us to focus on personal uniqueness, but at a deeper level, we barely exist as individual organisms. Our...
Ask the Community
Research into the effectiveness of TIC in Camden, NJ
Hello, everyone! Hopeworks N Camden is embarking on formal academic study of the difference that our implementation of Trauma Informed Care has had on our outcomes with youth. We are lucky in that we have strong "before" and "after" datasets. Natasha Fletcher, of the Center for Urban Research and Education, is leading the study. I have posted a brief summary of the study below. Who is excited by this? Who would like to continue to hear more about our progress in this? We think it is a really...
Ask the Community
Trauma informed Classroom for Deaf students
Recently, I attended an IEP for a primary age Deaf child whose 'back to school' weeks have come from Hell. I'm both an adult with disAbilities and a long time teacher (both general and special education) - 44 years. It was as though the school knew nothing about trauma and even less about what it's like to live with trauma from having a disability. Child had gotten a new teacher this year. This child, like other kids born deaf to hearing parents, lived thru several years without language...
Comment
Re: How Creative Writing Can Increase Students’ Resilience [greatergood.berkeley.edu]
I've been a creative writer for the past 4 decades. I've always believed that I HAVE to write, that writing nearly everyday was not a choice. I would have to say that every one of my writings - thousands of articles and over a dozen books - was a response to and a cure for anxiety and / or depression experienced from activated early trauma. The inspiration, inner peace and sense of core-satisfaction I derive from writing has been a life-saver and a joy bringer. It's great to know that there...
Comment
Re: Trauma is Messy
As a teacher, keep in mind the great potential role of Theatre as enabling people to speak about the unspeakable: "Hey, I'm not talking about me! We're talking about what's up there on the stage." So, what if you were to ask a class if they've ever written a play. No? "So let's write a play today. Let's write a play, Hmm, let's write a play about someone who's growing up in a house where someone's getting hurt. What's his or her name? And where's the house: In town or out in the country? And...
Comment
Re: Our opinion: District and city must unite to ward off trauma’s effects [thenotebook.org]
To help children comfortably discuss these issues in school, consider a group exercise where they write a play about a kid who is getting hurt at home. "What should the kid's name be?" "And where does he or she live - in town or out in the country?" "And who else lives in the house? What are their names?" "And what are they like?" Etc. The advantage of this approach is that no one is talking about themselves. This is make believe. We're learning to write a play.
Comment
Re: Our opinion: District and city must unite to ward off trauma’s effects [thenotebook.org]
I was in a writing group with Nancy Slonim Aronie of Writing from the Heart. The prompt she has given to every workshop for more than three decades is the one she says gets people to open up, in a safe way about childhood. She asks people to write about "Dinner at My House" and she has them (us) do so for ten minutes straight without stopping. She does other exercises as well and when people feel safe, and invited, people are eager to share. And when she receives stories, about loss, trauma,...
Comment
Re: How Facial Expressions of Adults Affect Children
We are our children's mirrors , they reflect our moods and actions. Putting on a happy face is one skill we parents need to learn. It is tough but crucial for their mental well-being.
Comment
Re: Rethinking Education, envisioning the future of schools
This is splendid Lara!!! From your “pen” out to the universe of true and inspired change! Grateful you were moved to write.
Comment
Re: Safety First - Toxic Stress in Education
A tool to consider in terms of ACEs and Education is the use of Theatre. What if one got a group of people together in a school or even Juvenile Hall and told them they were going to learn how to write a play, today. "Let's write a play about a kid who is growing up in a home where someone is getting hurt." "What's the kid's name? And is the house in town or out in the country? Who lives there? What are their names? What are they like?" etc. Given the anonymity of 'make-believe', people are...
Comment
Re: Safety First - Toxic Stress in Education
Thank you Dr. Felitti! Wonderful ideas! Will share!
Comment
Re: 10 Simple Steps for Reducing Toxic Stress in the Classroom
Theatre can play a big role here: "Let's write a play about a kid who is growing up in a house where someone is getting hurt." This allows one to speak about the otherwise unspeakable. "Hey, I'm not talking about me! This is make believe. We're learning about how to write a play."