Tagged With "safe schools"
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Re: Trauma-Informed Schools_Teacher Certification
Hi Pamela, Oregon is investing millions into pilot schools implementing trauma-informed practices. They are hiring Trauma Coaches for each school...that's a long way from St Louis Wishing you the best. Jim
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Re: Trauma-Informed Schools_Teacher Certification
Denise, I am so sorry that I did not see this earlier. I realize this post is from August and it may be too late for this information. I do know of a school district near you that is implementing trauma informed care. The district is Francis Howell School District, I have contacts available if you are interested. ~Jackie
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Re: Teachers ACEs Score and perception of discipline practices
That sounds excellent! I don't know of formal research, but I use Mentimeter in my trainings to compare and contrast the groups ACE scores with Resilience scores. Not surprising, our graduate school counseling students had high ACE and high resilience. I was a little surprised that my district teachers/staff group actually had a lower than average ACE scores. I hope you'll share your outcomes!!
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Re: Looking for Suggestions on Policy
Hi Katie, Educational policy, as you well know, is a tricky beast. I would suggest starting with broad, non-mandated policy that may exist within the district. This could be anything from communication policy to policy/practices on how meetings are conducted. When we examine current literature in Trauma Informed anything, the stall point is often at policy, because we get stuck trying to quantify and operationalize a fundamental shift in paradigm and thinking about ourselves and others. That...
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Re: ACES Presentation for Preschool Parents (experiences, tips, etc.)
I work directly with preschool teachers and parents, training them in the application of The 7 Mindsets for Empowerment through Awareness and Compassion. These 7 Mindsets (as determined through extensive research) provide parents with real mental strategies for improving their emotional self-management and for relating with their children in compassionate, aware ways that support the child's healthy development of cognitive skills in a context of social/emotional development. The training...
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Re: schools/classrooms using trauma-informed practices?
Rod, If you haven't seen the videos we have on Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, please take a look. Principal Jim Sporleder is a member here on AC so if you have questions you could ask him for his thoughts. I added some other videos that relate to your topic in education. Resilient: The School Discipline Revolution in Walla Walla, WA (11 min) http://acesconnection.com/video/resilient-the-school-discipline-rev... The Health Center at Lincoln (20 min)...
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Re: schools/classrooms using trauma-informed practices?
Rod: I'm doing a series of stories about trauma-informed schools. Here's the overview: http://acestoohigh.com/2013/03/20/secret-to-fixing-school-discipline/ Here's a story about the work being done by the Washington State Area Health Education Center in Spokane: http://acestoohigh.com/2013/08/20/spokaneschools/ Cherokee Point Elementary in San Diego started out with restorative practices and is now moving to a trauma-informed approach:...
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Re: schools/classrooms using trauma-informed practices?
Hi, Jane: Hope you're stories turned out for you. Loved the links you provided me here. Thanks so much. I've forwarded them already many times. If you have access to any other videos of school-based programs, I'd love to take a look at them. The Lincoln Alternative School looks incredible. Would love to visit it one day. Another question, Jane: do you know of anyone in the Lancaster, PA area who would be willing to present on ACEs? Philadelphia is only about 1:20 away. Harrisburg is about 40...
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Re: schools/classrooms using trauma-informed practices?
Hi - I have been working as a school-based clinician in thePhiladelphia School District (in K-8), and am often training teachers about the impact of trauma on learning. I have also led workshops for 3-4th graders on this topic. Let me know if you'd like to hear more!
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Re: schools/classrooms using trauma-informed practices?
Krys, I am researching childhood trauma and educator/District implications as part of Continuing Ed / PGP in SDP. I will be presenting (and hopefully motivating) to other staff at my K-8 school. I am working on a Power Point that I would love for you to review if you have time. I'd also love to see any presentation materials you have already put together ? Daun Kauffman daunkauffman@gmail.com
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Re: Keynote: "A Culture of Health"
Thank you for sharing. I will never forget Dr. Ginsberg's statement when he came to Walla Walla and presented to our community. He said, "If you work with trauma impacted kids, you have to go through their heart before you can get to their heads." Powerful statement! The next spring, our students made 30 & 40% increases on the state assessments. Unheard of for an alternative high school. Heather Forbes, author of "Help for Billy", reminds us that Maslow's Hierarchy of needs starts from...
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Re: An International "LIVE" Dialogue about ACEs in Education?
Thanks Jim. If you have some time in the next few weeks, I'd love to check in with you about how things are going at your school. Hopefully we can connect soon. Leisa
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Re: An International "LIVE" Dialogue about ACEs in Education?
I would also be very interested in participating in this dialogue. I am currently working with several school districts in New York State and would love to learn from and share with others. Thanks for getting this started. Elizabeth
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Re: An International "LIVE" Dialogue about ACEs in Education?
Yes, I am interested too. I have to balance my love for this topic and website with my school studies. But I am passionate about prevention in schools!!!
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Re: An International "LIVE" Dialogue about ACEs in Education?
I just joined today and would love to join. I'm on mountain time and once school starts a the end of August it'll be nearly impossible to join the conversation during school hours (7:30-4) except on most Fridays when I can usually be at home. I look forward to joining the conversation. Dana
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Re: An International "LIVE" Dialogue about ACEs in Education?
Hi Leisa and other members, I am very excited about this opportunity for open discussion. I'm at EST+10. Although most of my childhood was spent in North Carolina I now live and work in the Kingdom of Bhutan. Child protection is an emergent topic here with the first legislation appearing in 2011 in conjunction with acceptance for the convention on the rights of the child. I'm looking forward to learning more about tangible practices for preventing childhood trauma, particularly at school,...
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Re: schools/classrooms using trauma-informed practices?
Greetings - I am grateful to Jane for sharing this information. I will share a little bit here about what my original intent was in creating the course (Creating Compassionate Schools), how it was designed, and "what's next" or pending in terms of professional development. First, as we all know, we are all taking a "it takes a village" approach. This applies to all professional fields, not only to traditionally defined K-12 education. That said, it was about 5 years ago that I learned about...
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Re: Seeking Speakers/Trainers in Virginia on Trauma Informed Schools
I work for a PD company and we work with Heather Forbes author of Help for Billy - we have online programming featuring Heather's book, her conferences and classroom scenarios with commentary. Over 40 hours of online video and mini courses in four tracks. We recommend using it in a blended approach so teachers and administrators can discuss. We focus on practical take-aways. http://www.educationalimpact.info/trauma/
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Re: Seeking Speakers/Trainers in Virginia on Trauma Informed Schools
John Richardson-Lauve, LCSW 200 N 22nd Street , Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 644.9590 jrl@childsavers.org | childsavers.org
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Re: Masters Degrees
Ki would strongly suggest Social. Work or School Social Work. A MSSW is a very flexible degree opening doors to community work, counseling, therapy, public service, program management and development, etc (social workers are systems thinkers)
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Re: Identifying risk factors in youth
Leisa, You may want to take a look at the Research section/ #5 Other ACE studies/surveys in our Resource Center . Many of the resources listed include questions. You may want to first look at the Lincoln High School Annual Survey (incls ACE questions ) - Lincoln High School, Walla Walla, Washington. AC member Jim Sporleder could answer any questions you have on that survey since he is the principal.
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
I'm very interested hearing from people that work in schools that are taking a trauma-informed approach. A large part of the job I recently left as a Behavior Strategist in a private special education school/ residential treatment facility was to work with staff on a trauma-informed (responsive) approach with the kids we served. I really developed a passion for it and would love to continue working within that focus. When recently moving to Texas I was hoping to find something within an...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Hi Lee, Thanks for replying. I work in a school that has implemented trauma-informed practices. But it has been a real struggle. Trauma-informed practices when delivered to one student at a time, via the school counselors, dean of students, social workers, etc., seem to be working for us fairly well. However, at the school wide level, we have not been as successful. We aren't giving up - ever - but I am hoping to hear some ideas how other schools are doing this. The biggest challenge, based...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
That was our numbers as well. I think you will continue to struggle and see turn over if it is something left up to certain school staff to "deliver" the trauma-informed practices. To me, a trauma-informed school is one that practices the approach in all of their interactions using "universal precautions." How long has it been since the school has implemented the practices...and what exactly are the practices? I'm curious as to what certain counselors, social workers do. I can tell you what...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
I have been working within the SDP for the past several years as a school-based outpatient clinician, as well as a school-based clinician within an STS program. As I establish relationships with teachers and administrators , I use language that introduces them to trauma-informed concepts (safety plans, triggers, de-escalation techniques, viewing the child as "injured," not "bad." I then offer to present in-service trainings for teachers about the impact of trauma on learning, where...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Lee ~ You hit on a key point. No one should be surprised that we don't "punish" the students. We use a restorative justice model to teach students how their actions/behaviors impact the community as a whole. It's time intensive, but it has helped prevent suspensions and expulsions, which has helped create stability in the lives of our students. While I'd like to believe that everyone was on board with the restorative justice model, I know that for some of the staff who had been in the school...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Leisa - as someone who is trying to introduce trauma-informed practice to a school here in the UK, I found your post incredibly helpful in its detail and I shall be thinking further on the issues and solutions you've posited. What resonated with me most in your comments was the importance of adding an intake survey, which I am pressing to be added to our pre-admissions assessment process. I am in the currently constructing something along those lines, and I would be very interested in seeing...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Thank you all for your positive input. In the Netherlands we are wrestling with the same topics you are. My wife and I wrote a book about trauma and attachment related problems in school. In our research we found the following English/American literature very helpful: Attachment in the Classroom - Heather Geddes What about me? - Louise Michelle Bomber Inside I'M Hurting - Louise Michelle Bomber Teenagers and Attachment - Edited by Andrea Perry Settling to Learn Louise Michelle Bomber &...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Hi Krys, I like that you are also working with the children about the "brain on stress." This is a component that we are adding this year. So far, we have been making all of these changes and the staff have been in the loop as to why we have made the changes, but for the most part, we have not talked to the students about "why" we are doing these things. They have not complained, they seem to be appreciating having more choices and more say in their education. But now that most of the...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Hi Dominic, I am happy to share our intake survey. I am attaching two documents. The word document is the one that we have all students fill out. We also have the Risk Assessment Survey questions as a separate document (PDF) in case a student does not feel comfortable answering the questions with their name on document. We have recently converted this document to a "google form" so that students can fill it out electronically. All of our students are assigned a chromebook during orientation.
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
I will jump in here. I am a special ed director for a school district, but I am also a parent of two children who have trauma backgrounds (we adopted about three years ago). I feel like the old Hair Club for Men commercial where the guy at the end says, "I am not only the president, but I am also a client." I have had the opportunity to do a presentation at the state CEC conference, and will be doing another this summer at the state conference for sp. ed. directors. Some other avenues have...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
This is a fascinating discussion! Here are some stories I did about trauma-informed schools in Spokane and San Francisco that might provide more information about school-wide approaches. These stories are part of a series about schools that are taking a compassionate approach to school discipline. Later this year, I'll do a story about what a school and district need to have the most success, in terms of reductions in referrals, suspensions, expulsions, absenteeism, and an increase in...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Melanie, You are so right when you say that teachers (and administrators) don't always listen to people who have not "been in the classroom." You are in an incredibly unique position being both a special education director and a parent of children who have experienced trauma. If anyone can get through to the teachers and admin, it should be you. I think its terribly unfortunate when some school personnel don't want new information, or won't even listen to new information because they...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Hi Dominic, You are correct. Our students are between the ages of 15 and 20, with the average age being 17 yrs and 9 months. Screening at younger ages may need to be done face to face, or by having a parent/guardian fill out a survey? We also do a comprehensive file review when a new student enrolls. We request records from all previous schools, medical records (when applicable), and in some cases we will call the previous school(s) to try to gain a better understanding of what the child has...
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Re: Has anyone surveyed teacher attitudes about trauma-informed care as a way to collect some baseline data?
No, I haven't but as we prepare to start a new school year, I would be very interested in seeing what kind of tool others would be using or in working with others to develop a tool. Thanks for putting this question out there.I will keep watching responses. Nellie
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Re: Has anyone surveyed teacher attitudes about trauma-informed care as a way to collect some baseline data?
Hi Kris, I have a staff survey that I give shortly after I have trained a school how to implement trauma-informed strategies into their daily practice. It's a simple tool that I use to measure growth. I give the same survey towards the end of the school year to give me a perspective where the staff is on the implementation process. It allows me to see where there are gaps that need additional support or it shows me what's really going well with the implementation. It's a tool for measurement...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Hi Wendy, I could not agree more. We recently hired a whole group of new staff who are school counselors but also have teaching certifications. The new staff members are called "student success coordinators" and are going to be serving as a hybrid teacher/case manager/counselor. This new group of staff members are going to be on the front line of education, working with their students everyday. With their counseling training and experience and their direct interaction with students, they...
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Re: How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Hi i'd really like to know the 25 questions you refer to and if they include strengths and interests in addition to the ACEs and triggers. We consult and provide mental health and school culture supports at many public schools in NYC and are considering using a modified ACE questionnaire in our intake interviews with students and families. Any chance you could share it in this thread? Thanks and all the best, Kristen
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Re: Has anyone surveyed teacher attitudes about trauma-informed care as a way to collect some baseline data?
Does your survey consider teacher self-care from the trauma experienced via workplace bullying in education? Does your district have a workplace bullying policy? A year ago, the AFT and Badass Teachers Association conducted an unscientific, national survey ("Quality of Work life Survey") which indicated teachers were deeply stressed... That survey lef to an amendment in ESSA (co-authored by Senators Booker and Baker) so that school district communities can apply for Title II funding in order...
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Re: Has anyone surveyed teacher attitudes about trauma-informed care as a way to collect some baseline data?
Jim - Is this a tool you can share? I'm training 3 districts with the ACE Interface next week, and it might be handy for them to use for self-reflection or for follow up work.
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An Opportunity to Inform an Educational Council
Hello ACES in Education Community! I have a rare opportunity to speak to our Congressman's Educational Council in their upcoming meeting on March 29 Here's the thing: I'm not a teacher or parent! And I know that Virginia as a whole may be somewhat behind other States. But I'm not letting these things deter me. I'm passionate about ACEs and trauma-informed approaches! And as a concerned citizen, I know that spreading awareness to the schools can help shift the school/youth violence tide. We...
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Behavioral Health in Schools
Hello--I work for a health foundation in Alaska and our (geographically large) borough is beginning its third cohort of trauma-sensitive schools. With this work and intention, our schools are contracting with local behavioral health providers to offer accessible, onsite services to meet student needs, particularly emergent and episodic. We need to determine a strategic, standardized and sustainable model for the long-term as need and capacity grows in our school district. There are...
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Can Every 15 Minutes be trauma-informed?
Every other year, our community comes together to put on Every 15 Minutes (E15M), a staged event graphically reenacting a drunk/drugged driving accident at our high school involving our students. It has been brought to the organizers' attention that this event can be triggering to some students, and that we should no longer do E15M. We have a follow-up overnight retreat with the key players and their parents where they process what happened and the emotions that arise. At the school,...
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Can Trauma-Informed Mermaids Help Children & Families? (New Kids Book Series)
Dear ACEs in Education Community, We just launched a new trauma-informed children's book series called Venus and Her Fly Trip . The series has been developed in collaboration with therapists, educators, parents and healers and is designed to promote mental/social/emotional health, body positivity and imaginative play in kids 4-10 , with the ultimate goal of preventing self-hatred. We will also be developing an elementary school curriculum to complement the story books. I would greatly value...
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Does Eric Jensen's Brain Based Learning Align with Trauma Informed Approaches?
Hi all, I'm working with a school where someone is strongly advocating that the next school-wide training they receive be this Brain Based Learning Training. I'm not familiar with it so wanted to see if anyone here was and if you thought it aligned with TI principals. It sounds like he incorporates strategies for reducing stress in the classroom, and that he takes a universal environment approach to reach all students but it's hard to gauge from the website, which frankly seems very...
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Educator Input
Hello! I am currently completing some Post-Graduate research on support systems within school districts. This is to better Identify how prevalent mental health and early intervention supports are within schools across the U.S. Is there anyone willing to complete my brief anonymous survey? I would greatly appreciate the input! In advance, thank you for your time. Much appreciation, Chris Pennington https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BRZGHLG
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Healing ACE's
February 11, 2019 ACE’s Connection Resource Center - ACE's in Education. To Whom it may concern, I am writing you this post as a past president of the Michigan Association of School Psychologists and adoptive father of two foster children with special needs. My wife, Barbara, and I have written two books concerning educating and raising abused and abandoned children. Because these books will be helpful to both parents and teachers I am posting this letter to education and parenting pages.
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Help!
I would like to start talking about ACEs, trauma, mindfulness etc to my group of emotional support high school students. I will not be offered training most likely. Are there resources I can use on my own? Thanks! Audrey Garber
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Hey Hi (What are practical strategies I can offer teachers who pick up stressed kids)
We had our trauma informed meeting today. Our school group will be asking a member of the Local Community Mental Health to present at the beginning of the school year to the teachers on trauma symptoms and strategies to use with suspected...
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How are schools incorporating trauma informed practices, if they are at all?
Schools promoting "trauma-informed" teaching to reach troubled students If 1 in 4 children, nationally, have been exposed to violence (as cited in this article) what is preventing more schools from adopting trauma-informed or trauma-sensitive...