Kansas City Public Schools’ Post

Over the past few years, educators have spent countless hours training teachers and staff about Childhood Trauma and its impact on school-age children. The 2020 Pandemic only poured gasoline over the trauma that was already causing social and emotional harm. Despite the trauma experienced by many of our students, we must not lose sight of the fact that quality education is now more critical than ever. In addition, we must further equip our school personnel with tools and strategies to ensure that children get the best education, regardless of their circumstances. I had the honor of presenting at the Missouri Alternative Education Network Conference this past Monday. I spoke on the Six Principles of a Trauma-Informed School. The Trauma-Informed Principles are: Safety – emotional and physical (is the environment welcoming)? Trust – is the service sensitive to people's needs? Choice – do you provide opportunities for choice? Collaboration – do you communicate a sense of 'doing with' rather than 'doing to'? Empowerment – is empowering people a key focus? Respect for Diversity – do you respect Diversity in all its forms? Here are my suggestions and recommendations: Get to the "Root" of the problem. *Behavior is a form of communication! *Determining the behavior's cause can help you meet the student's needs. *A student who constantly disrupts your class may need attention. *Anticipate who will disrupt and meet students' needs before class begins Reach out to colleagues for support. *Teachers' skill levels vary in every school.  *Utilize the skills of the entire staff. Some staff members are more effective in maintaining behavior. Reach out to those staff members. Always remain calm Stay relaxed and calm. Refrain from going back and forth. Do not try to answer or respond to a student's "why questions." Use conversation diffusers "I hear you.", "Thanks for sharing." "Redirect to lesson, activity, and goals. Review expectations *Clear - Simple - Firm Create a behavior plan (individual growth and achievement plan)  "i-Gap" *Have a behavior system-Instant rewards, positive behavior support *Make sure your plan is clear *If you don't stick to your rules, students will test the rules and the boundaries! Things to ponder: 1. How can school leaders effectively implement the Six Principles of a Trauma-Informed School in their educational institutions? 2. What specific strategies can be employed to identify and address the trauma experienced by children in a school setting? 3. How can school personnel create and enforce behavior plans tailored to the individual needs of students impacted by childhood trauma? As a school leader, are you focusing on identifying the trauma or putting your staff in a position to be equipped to have the tools and skills to educate children impacted by CHILDHOOD TRAUMA? Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration.  (2014, July 1).

Over the past few years, educators have spent countless hours training teachers and staff about Childhood Trauma and its impact on school-age children. The 2020 Pandemic only poured gasoline over the trauma that was already causing social and emotional harm. Despite the trauma experienced by many of our students, we must not lose sight of the fact that quality education is now more critical than ever. In addition, we must further equip our school personnel with tools and strategies to ensure that children get the best education, regardless of their circumstances. I had the honor of presenting at the Missouri Alternative Education Network Conference this past Monday. I spoke on the Six Principles of a Trauma-Informed School. The Trauma-Informed Principles are: Safety – emotional and physical (is the environment welcoming)? Trust – is the service sensitive to people's needs? Choice – do you provide opportunities for choice? Collaboration – do you communicate a sense of 'doing with' rather than 'doing to'? Empowerment – is empowering people a key focus? Respect for Diversity – do you respect Diversity in all its forms? Here are my suggestions and recommendations: Get to the "Root" of the problem. *Behavior is a form of communication! *Determining the behavior's cause can help you meet the student's needs. *A student who constantly disrupts your class may need attention. *Anticipate who will disrupt and meet students' needs before class begins Reach out to colleagues for support. *Teachers' skill levels vary in every school.  *Utilize the skills of the entire staff. Some staff members are more effective in maintaining behavior. Reach out to those staff members. Always remain calm Stay relaxed and calm. Refrain from going back and forth. Do not try to answer or respond to a student's "why questions." Use conversation diffusers "I hear you.", "Thanks for sharing." "Redirect to lesson, activity, and goals. Review expectations *Clear - Simple - Firm Create a behavior plan (individual growth and achievement plan)  "i-Gap" *Have a behavior system-Instant rewards, positive behavior support *Make sure your plan is clear *If you don't stick to your rules, students will test the rules and the boundaries! Things to ponder: 1. How can school leaders effectively implement the Six Principles of a Trauma-Informed School in their educational institutions? 2. What specific strategies can be employed to identify and address the trauma experienced by children in a school setting? 3. How can school personnel create and enforce behavior plans tailored to the individual needs of students impacted by childhood trauma? As a school leader, are you focusing on identifying the trauma or putting your staff in a position to be equipped to have the tools and skills to educate children impacted by CHILDHOOD TRAUMA? Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration.  (2014, July 1).

K-12 student mental health needs are growing. Discover actionable strategies school districts can use to improve student well-being and ensure success, even with limited funds. Read more on our blog! https://hubs.ly/Q02Cf66K0

Most disruptive pupils to emerge in year 7, here is what I found... Reasons why so many children start to employ evading tactics. It begins with turning up late for lessons, being disruptive, or avoiding lessons, then children may recruit an accomplice & disruption escalates & continues throughout KS3. Disruption continues because the root causes (see chart) are now firmly concealed behind behaviour, which everyone focuses on. Solutions: detentions, inclusions, report cards, suspensions, phone calls/meetings, managed moves or eventually permanent exclusion (historically exclusions peak in yr 9), not a single solution focuses on the actual causes. If the child hasn't been excluded by Yr 9, they usually stop running around school into Yr 10 & now they just stop turning up, some call it emotional school based avoidance. Solutions? Apply adaptive teaching principles at a strategic level to ensure greater efficacy at an operational level, some examples of principles in practice: 1. Find out the child's knowledge strengths/weaknesses & sequence the curriculum accordingly (Meaningful Learning Theory, Ausubel). KS2 scores of <80-120 is evidence the entire cohort is not ready to access the curriculum on a universal basis. Key conceptual knowledge is missing, how much existing knowledge are some children bringing to a task? 2. In the first half term gather learner voice every week, some examples of questions to ask: - I need help in X subject - I find work hard in X subject - I find it hard to understand in x subject - I feel Happy – Sad – OK – in X subject (then investigate if ACEs/relationship with teacher/work) - After the front of class teaching, I still need help in X subject - I lack knowledge in X subject - I find it hard to keep up with the teacher in X subject - I don’t understand the words in X subject - I had a teaching assistant to help me in primary school (yes or no) - I had intervention for X in primary school 3. Ensure all staff are trained & understand how to make children with trauma/ACEs feel 'psychologically safe'. This should be mandatory because it is impossible for these children to learn & thrive until they feel safe. 4. Ensure staff know (so they can adapt accordingly) which children in the class are: - weakest/strongest readers - weakest/strongest academically - furthest away from targets so intervention can be provided - have ACEs/ trauma - have SEND & the child's specific barriers to learning & how to adapt to meet those needs. Leaders quality assure. - SEND team target the right children with additional support Find as much info as possible from primary/parents & act on it. Tackling root causes, which your consumers provide honest feedback of, will stop children from employing evading tactics. If root causes are not tackled & left to fester, you will produce all the things that you do not want. Whilst a small sample, their voice is representative of the countless children I have assessed over the years.

K-12 student mental health needs are growing. Discover actionable strategies school districts can use to improve student well-being and ensure success, even with limited funds. Read more on our blog! https://hubs.ly/Q02GrCss0

Learning is an interconnected process that involves the whole learner. Loved hearing how these districts are continuing to follow up and build on this understanding! Powerful insights and examples! #wholechild #learnervariability #learningdifferences #equitymatters

Mental health in education is a crucially important topic that has gained increasing attention in recent years. Here are some key points to consider: // Awareness and Recognition: There's a growing recognition of mental health issues among students, including anxiety, depression, stress, and more. Educators and school administrators are becoming more aware of the signs and symptoms of these issues so they can provide appropriate support. // Prevention and Early Intervention: Schools are implementing programs aimed at preventing mental health problems and intervening early when issues arise. This can include teaching coping skills, promoting resilience, and providing access to mental health resources. // Reducing Stigma: Efforts are being made to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues in schools. This involves creating a culture where students feel comfortable seeking help and talking openly about their mental health. // Access to Support Services: Schools are working to improve access to mental health support services, such as counselors, therapists, and support groups. This may involve partnering with community mental health organisations or hiring additional staff members dedicated to mental health support. // Incorporating Mental Health into the Curriculum: Some schools are integrating mental health education into the curriculum, teaching students about topics like stress management, emotional regulation, and interpersonal relationships. // Teacher Training: Educators are receiving training on how to support students' mental health needs effectively. This may include learning how to recognise signs of distress, how to provide emotional support, and when to refer students to additional resources. // Parental Involvement: Schools are involving parents and guardians in discussions about mental health and providing resources to support families in promoting their children's well-being. // Creating Supportive Environments: Schools are striving to create environments that promote positive mental health, including fostering a sense of belonging, providing opportunities for physical activity, and addressing issues like bullying and peer pressure. Overall, mental health in education is about creating supportive environments where students can thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. It requires a collaborative effort involving educators, administrators, parents, and the broader community. To gain deeper insights into this broad topic, click below to receive your very own infographic, tailored to your institution. https://lnkd.in/gSss85rb

How are global approaches to #SEL shaping how #EdLeaders address student mental health and well-being in the U.S.? In 2023, Digital Promise released a report from a working group of 14 districts, outlining findings and takeaways from their visits to school systems in Australia and Canada around SEL and learning differences.   These districts recently connected virtually to discuss the ways in which they are continuing to implement SEL initiatives in their districts – from investing in professional learning for faculty and staff to building community support and buy-in around SEL initiatives.  Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ew4TkNWK #InternationalDayOfEducation

Has my son’s school trauma made me anti-school? Its been 14 months since my autistic son stopped going to school and I have thought a lot about this question. Firstly, my daughter is in year 6. She loves school. She can’t wait to get up and go. What my daughter actually loves about school is seeing her friends. She also loves Maths. The rest her day she says is pretty “meh”. Having worked in schools for many years I know that the majority for teachers come to work to do their best for young people. They work hard, often ridiculously hard to prepare and deliver engaging lessons and to provide feedback through marking. Many spend hours of their own time supporting young people with additional exam preparation after school. They don't set out to harm young people. They do what they have been trained to do to the best of their ability. For some children and young people school is a haven. It’s a place that is warm and safe. Others love the structure of the day and the satisfaction of being able to do all the things the teacher asks. Some are inspired by favourite teachers and go on to pursue careers in the subjects they loved at school. For others it’s a place that is tolerable and they go to see friends or join clubs to pursue their interests. For others it is a daily living hell. In January last year I asked my son what he would do to improve the experience he had at school . His response was “blow up the school”. At that time I had a lot of sympathy for his response. I inevitably felt a huge amount of anger towards a place that had stripped him of his physical and mental health. A year on, my response is more measured. In a society that necessitates both parents or carers in most family units working, school serves a role in occupying and looking after children during the school day. We need schools in some format. I am not anti-school but I do think the solution must be in thinking about how schools can be different places that better meet the needs of young people in today’s society. This needs to happen alongside investing in and raising the profile of a whole range of alternatives to school so that we can genuinely boast a world class education system that meets the needs of all and not just a mediocre school system that meets the needs of some. When I was doing my NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship) 20 years ago, one of the workshops asked us to work in groups to design the school of the future. I remember then a colleague suggesting that the school might not be in a building, it might all be online. At that time that seemed to beyond our comprehension but now it has happened. I hope that some of our future leaders are thinking creatively about what schools of the future might look like. How can we change, recognising that we live in diverse society that requires different ways of thinking and diverse range of solutions. #schoolleadership #autism #schoolattendance #teachers #traineeteachers #neurodiversity

The number of students needing mental health support has been steadily increasing, especially since the COVID-19 epidemic.  According to the NEA, “Schools are experiencing an ongoing nationwide school counselor shortage. Forty-eight states are above the recommended students to school counselor ratio of 250:1”. With that ratio in mind, it is clear that students are not receiving the adequate mental health care they need through the school system, and that needs to change. YouROK’s app K’Bro is a useful tool in this time of need, by providing affordable self care interventions to students reducing demand for Tier 2 supports. https://lnkd.in/dtN2qC5y