Blog

Education for Liberation requires bold critique, creative acts, and, particularly for teachers, a willingness to take risks outside the status quo. Below we offer suggestions based on the ways many teachers and other youth advocates are building the capacity to challenge the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC). We know teachers are already practicing, generating and sharing other interventions. This is not a checklist of must-dos, nor is it an exhaustive list or intended to apply to every...

This pandemic has been stressful for millions of children like Kai. Some have lost a loved one to COVID-19, and many families have lost jobs, their homes and even reliable access to food. If that stress isn't buffered by caring adults, it can have lifelong consequences. "Kids have had extended exposure to chaos, crisis and uncertainty," says Matt Biel, a child psychiatrist at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. "If kids don't return to school and get a lot of attention paid to security,...

"The level of stress is exponentially higher. It's like nothing I've experienced before." It's a sentiment that NPR heard from teachers across the United States. After a year of uncertainty, long hours and juggling personal and work responsibilities, many told NPR they had reached a breaking point. Teaching is one of the most stressful occupations in the U.S., tied only with nurses, a 2013 Gallup poll found . Jennifer Greif Green, an education professor at Boston University, says the...

By Carolyn Jones, EdSource, April 15, 2021 The best way schools can help students catch up academically after a year of distance learning is to ensure they feel relaxed, safe and connected to their friends and teachers as they return to the classroom. A year after the pandemic forced school districts to close campuses, students across California are beginning to return to the classroom at least a few days a week. But their experiences during the pandemic and their needs upon returning to...

Wellness Together School Mental Health, in partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education and the California Department of Education, will host Mind Out Loud – a free three-day virtual event on May 4-6, 2021 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. for middle and high school students to convene and boldly discuss mental health; connect with peers across California; hear from engaging speakers to become equipped with practical tools for wellness; increase mental health awareness and advocacy for...

Check out the replay of the wonderful interview DANA BROWN gave me on my transformational talk show, Mary Giuliani LIVE on 2-28-18 on how we can all help prevent school shootings through understanding and implementing ACEs science. I had such a heartfelt talk with Dana Brown, an Expert Youth and Teen Advocate, Community Leader, & Southern California Regional Community Facilitator with ACEs Connection.com. Dana and I discussed the core issues that underlie these horrific school shootings...

A group of puppeteers is taking a creative approach to helping Vermont students manage their anxiety this school year. For almost 40 years, Puppets in Education — a part of the Vermont Family Network — has staged live presentations in schools around the state addressing issues such as bullying, abuse, health and stress. As the pandemic has progressed, so has concern about child mental health Through their presentations, Puppets in Education offers information about anxiety, leads discussions...

“Kids think and talk about the pandemic all of the time, so it’s important they get accurate information based in science,” says Barnes. “When they research [the pandemic] on their own and perform experiments, they have deeper levels of understanding and ownership over topics that otherwise just seem scary and unpleasant.” Though educators may be worried about inundating students with doom and gloom, weaving real-world context into lessons, especially during challenging times, can make...

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...

Students across the country are grappling with difficult feelings, situations and events as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are no easy solutions. A national study published in November found that over 80 percent of young adults reported a decline in mental health during the two months after the start of the pandemic. But arts education has the power to emotionally and academically rebuild students — and the world around us. At the start of this crisis, I saw people in need of a...

We have some very exciting news! As of today, ACEs Connection is now PACEs Connection. PACEs stands for Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences.

The message in this school is clear: Cultures are welcome and cultural differences are worth embracing. Our public charter school in Washington, D.C., has "international" in its name and cultural competence in its mission statement. But it's not just the classes in Chinese, French, and Spanish or trips to embassies that prepare students to take on the world. Instead, the journey to global readiness begins the first week of 6th grade—when students bring objects from home to share with...