Tagged With "public education"

When reflecting on the factors that derailed them academically, Quad’ir Ford and Nalik Lark-Hightower didn’t mention living in poverty or exposure to trauma as factors. But experts have said that these two distinct yet intertwined conditions in children’s lives can go far in explaining the root cause of the dropout crisis. “Trauma is not a singular event; neither is poverty,” said Chekemma Fulmore-Townsend, executive director of the Philadelphia Youth Network and co-chair of Project U-Turn.

Yes, money matters in Education. Money is absolutely necessary,  but money is Not sufficient.   A key variable has been missing from the discussions about a new Education Paradigm: Childhood Trauma. Childhood trauma is broad in scope and...

By Abraham Gutman, The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 9, 2019 Growing up in Philadelphia can be a traumatizing experience. Poverty, hunger, gun violence, evictions, and mass incarceration are just some of the difficult experiences that bear down on children here. Over the last couple of decades, public health researchers and policymakers have increasingly recognized that the body "remembers” childhood trauma, and these experiences at a young age can predict illness, risky behavior, and...

Effective education 'reform' is student-centered

When you look inside a classroom, there are some things you can not see . . .

Wiry, active, savvy. Jasmine. There were not many good days. . . only random moments of calm in a violent storm, erupting on a ‘hair trigger’ When you look inside a classroom there are some things you can not see….

If schools are to be guided by data, the data says that 2 of 3 children experience at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE): children of all incomes, all colors, all social levels, all educational levels. It is all of us. Is your school trauma-informed?

      Childhood Trauma:     "The elephant in the [class] room".. . and it doesn't "just go away"   Dear Governor Wolf and Education Secretary designee Rivera : I write regarding injured, marginalized children in our schools, to ask that you include them explicitly in a broad, “Healthy State” paradigm in your new administration.   Read more at: WHYY NewsWorks   http://lucidwitness.com/…/childhood-trauma-versus-public-e…/...

A comparison survey of government and departmental treatment (legal vs. healthcare, vs. education) of child safety given prevalence of childhood trauma. http://lucidwitness.com/2014/0...-right-to-be-safe-2/  

    "We won’t have a successful education paradigm,  or even accurately interpret academic success,  while ignoring trauma’s overwhelming presence."  ...

The Special Committee on Gun Violence will be holding a hearing jointly with City Council’s Committee on Public Safety on Monday, March 18 th , 1-4PM, in Council Chambers (Room 400, City Hall). This will be an opportunity for the Office of Violence Prevention to provide some detail on the recently released plan, The Philadelphia Roadmap to Safer Communities.

I just posted this over in the larger ACEs Connection site but I wanted to link it here as well since Philadelphia ACEs Connection is linked in the Philly.com article!   This is a  fantastic piece  written on Philly.com's the Public's...

Thank you for presenting this testimony to City Council. I'd love to know how they reacted, and what type of questions they may have had for you.

Hello Nick, City Council reacted with much interest, and maybe a little surprise, and (I am hoping) eventually some follow through and action. Time will tell. Their questions to-date are all about statistics, or quantitative research learning. I take the fact that they are even asking questions, as a hopeful positive signal. Daun

Thanks, Daun. This does sound hopeful; I wonder if if/how our ACES community can help maintain some momentum with keeping local politicians engaged?

Great question ! Not sure yet. Thinking . . . I'm a little sensitive about being too aggressive, too fast.

Daun, This letter is an incredible example of how we should and can engage in policy change while educating our elected officials and the general public. The way in which you outlined the role of childhood trauma, in particular ACEs, and the implications for education, is incredible! Thank you so much for providing such a great example for those of us wanting to engage in trauma informed policy work!

Wow ! I'm humbled. Thank you Aniela.