Blog

When Christina Bethell was little, she lived in a low-income housing complex in Los Angeles where her neighbor, a quiet lady the kids called Mrs. Raccoon, always had her door open for the neighborhood kids. Every Saturday she threw a little tea party with candy to celebrate any child with a birthday that week. Bethell fondly remembers the woman’s kindness as source of comfort during her challenging childhood. Dr. Bethell, now a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public...

Supporting School Mental Health in the Context of Racial Violence is a two-part learning series intended for students, families, educators and school mental health professionals who are navigating the impact of racial violence on student mental health. Each 1.5 hour learning session will feature a moderator who will engage advocates, leaders and the school mental health workforce in a conversation that focuses on: Strategies for supporting students’ mental health while navigating racial...

By Joseph P. Bishop, Ed Source, July 20, 2020 Due to the coronavirus crisis , California, like many states, is seeing surging unemployment, the highest in 50 years . Communities of color are prone to suffer higher rates of infection from the virus, and the economic burden disproportionately falls on black and Latinx parents , who are less likely to be able to work from home during the pandemic. Moreover, data from Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the state, show that 599,000...

By Thalia Gonzalez and Rebecca Epstein, The National Law Journal, July 9, 2020 In this historic moment, cities across the nation are recognizing the damage caused by police presence in schools. From disproportionate action in response to small offenses, to police involvement in tantrums and dress code violations, officers militarize school environments in ways that harm all students, but especially students of color. In New York City, the schools chancellor recently announced that police...

Trauma Sensitive School practice has gained momentum in the last several years, inspiring changes in educator perspective, administrative policy, and classroom practice. I am often inspired by efforts to understand student challenges in new ways and use innovative strategies. What can give me pause is when this work is applied to institutions or systems where structural bias and inequity are not acknowledged or confronted. In this case, sometimes labels like “trauma kids” or “high-trauma...

Please join us tomorrow, Thursday July 23rd as Emily Read Daniels and myself facilitate a discussion around what we can learn from the PolyVagal theory and cultivating a felt sense of safety as we plan to retun to school. We will do a brief presentation and then breakout session to discuss in small groups. Weekly themes include: How do we create physical and psychological safety, especially in the face of so much uncertainty? What strategies can we use to create a culture of collective care?

The many challenges of this year have required people to cope with a range of external stressors. The United States is still navigating community response to George Floyd’s killing and racial inequities. Many are physically distancing and trying to survive economic fallout from the pandemic. As an adult, I find it hard to take things one day at a time, focus on my breath, and move forward with purpose and gratitude. Young people are looking for ways to cope and heal as well. At our middle...

In this article, the author makes the case that school organizations need to adopt a universal precaution approach for addressing trauma, and the systemic changes required to do so. With this approach, every adult has the potential for a positive impact on each child in his or her care. (The entire PDF document is attached and can be downloaded.)

I have written an adult book titled (sadly but aptly): Trauma Doesn't Stop at the School Door: Strategies and Solutions for Educators, PreK-12. It is available at Teachers College Press and Amazon as an ebook and paperback. What I have now created, by popular demand, is a set of items that animate the trauma responsive suggestions within the book. There are many concrete suggestions already within the book that are transportable to a reader's home institution and adjusted for culture and...

In less than a month, school is supposed to start. The starting date has been pushed back until after Labor Day by our governor. This week, the state school board will vote on whether or not to uphold the governor's decision.(Why that's even a thing, I have no idea) With all of the uncertainty created by Covid, this will look different all across the United States, actually even district by district. Right now, it is really difficult to be a teacher. I have had to step away from reading...

Great strategies! I am really happy with the information, techniques, and discussion from today's webinar. Thank you! Rated 5 out of 5 - Assistant Principal, Lancaster School District, California DMind is just as powerful for school staff as it is for students. Thank you for another wonderful discussion. Rated 5 out of 5 - School Counselor, Houston This is just a sample of the reviews from Niroga Institute’s recent free webinar Prevent Teacher Burnout. It's not too late to learn, practice...

Remote learning will likely play a role in students’ lives once schools reopen. Here’s how teachers and parents can help kids manage stress, build resilience, and stay connected. By Sarah Gonser July 7, 2020 As the pandemic grinds on and protests against police brutality and systemic racism continue, young people are coping with high levels of stress and uncertainty, writes Dr. Pamela Cantor in “ The Stress of This Moment Might Be Hurting Kids’ Development ” for Education Next. With the...