Tagged With "W.R. Cummings"

Author, Leora Wolf-Prusan, EdD, School Mental Health lead for SAMHSA's Mental Health Technology Center Pacific Southwest http://mhttcnetwork.org/mhttc/mhttc-psw.html Creating compassionate policies is a cornerstone strategy of educational leadership. This guide provides a deep dive into developing, implementing, and evaluating trauma-informed and compassionate school policies. It highlights four "choice points" for education and mental health leadership: Choice Point 1: Names &...

Laura's note: As the first paragraph of the following blog post excerpt implies, a lot of adults need someone to tell them their "normal" isn't "normal" too. If it's all you've ever known and you're surrounded by friends and family who've had similarly unhealthy early experiences, how would you know otherwise? It took me a quarter of a century (literally) to realize that I experienced trauma throughout certain points in my childhood. It took me another year to realize that my behaviors were...

Thank you so much for your post. I teach my practitioner candidates that ‘normal’ is only ‘familiar’ and that each of us grows up in our own ‘universe’ of rules, beliefs and yes...’normal.’ it’s always an eye-opener when we become aware of our beliefs. I hope to spread more of this knowledge to children, youth and those who work with them.

Happy to share, Jondi. The article really struck me--I could have written it myself. For some ACEs survivors, half the battle is realizing that what was "normal" for them was actually traumatic for them and may be the very reason that they are contending with depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, employment problems, medical issues, or any of the host of social and physical issues that can stem from childhood trauma. And I almost commented in my note on the post that even though I often use...

Rudy’s early childhood was ordinary and happy; he enjoyed school, played sports, and had lots of friends. He always had a huge appetite for learning and was nicknamed “Speedy” by his fourth-grade teacher for his desire to finish his schoolwork before his classmates. Early on, Rudy’s home environment was solid and enjoyable. He was raised by two working class parents who taught him the importance of discipline, education, and respect. However, his father was an alcoholic and a drug addict who...

By Brittany R. Collins, Education Week, November 12, 2020 Over the past few decades, trauma-informed teaching has gained ground in the United States, yet rarely is grief included in the conversation. In the midst of a global pandemic, with teachers and students confronting loss in and outside the classroom in new and myriad ways, it is more critical than ever to apply a grief-sensitive lens to our conversations about curricula and trauma in the school system. We are not the people we were a...

We are looking for Middle School and High School student leaders for two new student-led initiatives with the 16 Strong Project. The time is now. Given the raging COVID-19 pandemic that has upended all of our lives, our youth are struggling. It is imperative that we engage and listen to students about their needs. We need to educate them on what it means to face adversity and more importantly, how we can overcome it and thrive despite that adversity. Arguably every single young person now...

The California Essentials for Childhood Initiative is excited to share a newly developed attached, “Strategies for Trauma-Informed School Communities: Practices to Improve Resiliency in School-Aged Children and Address Adverse Childhood Experiences”. This new resource is intended to assist state and local public health programs, child-serving systems, non-profits, and philanthropic organizations in their efforts to educate about the need for trauma-informed school policies and practices that...

Maddy R. had a tough childhood, being in foster care, living with various relatives and the ensuing trauma and anxiety that left her feeling lost. “Striving for academic success was the only thing that kept me alive for many years and Learn4Life sort of became my way out,” she explained. “I got the one-on-one time and patience that I needed and deserved. I had to learn that it was okay to ask for help.” Now, Maddy is helping current students learn that important life skill. After graduating...

Photo: (left to right) Assemblymember Ramos’ Staff, Anais Franco, Assistant Principal Sarah Sinopoli, Area Superintendent Janet Wilson, Chairman (former) Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians Dr. Anthony R. Pico, Assemblymember James Ramos, PACEs Science Statewide Facilitator Dana Brown, Chief External Affairs Officer Bob Morales, Community Liaison Stephani Congdon, and Regional College & Career Coordinator Cherie Padilla. Bob Morales invited Assemblymember James Ramos to visit with our...

SDCOE and CIEFA's Native Ways of Knowing Book List: Decolonizing and Indigenizing Classrooms and Libraries To help educators and parents choose high-quality Indigenous authored books, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) and California Indian Education (CIEFA) have designed this Native Ways of Knowing Book List: Decolonizing and Indigenizing Classrooms and Libraries. These books have been vetted by Native American scholars, CIEFA, and SDCOE staff. Please consider adding these...