Close friendships between children can influence responses to fear

Title: Close friendships between children can influence responses to fear

Source: University of East Anglia

Author: University of East Anglia

Date: December 24, 2016

URL Link:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161224000300.htm

Audience: Educators and Parents

Key Points: To reduce anxiety in children, the University of East Anglia claims that through peer intervention and instilling peer communication, a child can more easily and readily overcome fears and anxieties that could lead to a disorder in their adult years.

Relevance: I think it should be second nature to foster peer interaction in our students, so why not use that as a tool to help students with internal conflicts as well as external. Keeping in mind that though peer interaction could be the source of the anxiety, if cultivated correctly, a peer interaction can be healing and beneficial towards a students ability to learn.

Title: Why Teaching Kindness in Schools Is Essential to Reduce Bullying

Source: Edutopia

Author: Lisa Currie

Date: August 10, 2015

URL Link: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-kindness-essential-reduce-bullying-lisa-currie

Audience: Educators

Key Points: Teacher Responsibility. In addition to discussions and lessons on kindness, students best learn kindness by feeling it towards themselves; then they will be able o reproduce it. Students' participation in kindness/acts of kindness produces an inner sense of belonging, less stress, and happiness. Kindness had a physical affect on of the body producing more serotonin, oxytocin, etc. Kindness fosters good behavior which is the opposite of behavior that would cause bullying. 

Relevance: Kindness and compassion are important to me as an educator. I have received feedback from parents on this specific matter. They noticed a change in their child, and the mother credited to our kindness, compassion and care for her child. She saw a 180 with her child. That was the most important piece of news we got this year at November conferences. When students see and receive kindness they are able to give it back. They see its a natural aspect of their educators' lives, then they will know that it is capable in their lives. 

Title: Turning discipline issues into teachable moments for SEL 

Source: Education DIVE

Author: Tara Garcia Mathewson

Date: December 22,2016

URL Link: http://www.educationdive.com/news/turning-discipline-issues-into-teachable-moments-for-sel/432939/

Audience: Educators

Key Points: SEL (Social and Emotional Learning). Teachers should take advantage of classroom conflicts for SEL  instead of just addressing them with disciplinary actions. Teachers were concerned that it would take up too much academic time, be a waste of academic time. Once the practices were implemented, they found the opposite response; students had a great response.

Teachers are using "I need" and "I feel" statements/techniques with their students. "No Fault Zone(s)"- a term used for an area to take a break. 

Also links to other resources. 

Relevance: I saw this article as being a tool to encourage us, as educators of students with disabilities, to continue doing what we are doing. We've discussed the daily implementation of a more intense PBIS/SEL protocols. We spend a lot of academic time and resources helping our students be successful communicators of their emotions and concerns. We might see progress, therefore being able to just "refresh" on a day to day basis. We are sewing seeds of change and skills that will benefit them as they grow and live their adult lives. We might not reap the full benefits, but their middle school or high school teacher might see the skills they have developed. 

Title: Argentina's tough truths for improving schools

Source: BBC News 

Author: Sean Coughlan

Date: December 21, 2016

URL Link: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38367033

Audience: Educators, Parents, Administration

Key Points: Schools in Argentina are suffering due to poverty, wrong allocation of funds, and poor treatment of teachers. Argentina's education minister is wanting to reform the countries school, specifically the "public" schools. The minister is vying for better teachers, better pay and training for teachers, and longer school days. Currently students are only in school 4 hours a day, and most to not complete secondary education. The minister also game his private number to teachers so they could contact him with concerns and questions, and to their surprise, he returned their calls. 

Relevance: One of underlining issues is the concept of private and public schools. It is a notion that private schools have better teachers, better performance by students, and more money (as well as more). Argentina's education minister addresses that when he admits that the private schools of Argentina are more on par with better performing schools around the world. 

Also, it's stated that the teachers don't have time for preparations. 

What I also appreciated about this article was the depiction of the minister of education. He is truly being an advocate for change, and we all desire that from our administration and government. 

Title: 'Under the radar' young carers denied support, says study

Source: BBC News

Author: Judith Burns

Date: December 26, 2016

URL Link: http://www.bbc.com/news/education-38381725

Audience: Educators and Parents

Key Points: The article pertains to the discrimination to the growing number of young "carers" in England. Secondary school aged children are stepping in to help care for their ailing parents, by either being the respite provider for their other ("healthy" parent) or for other siblings. These young carers are going under the radar; not recieving help. 28,00 out of the estimated 166,000 are getting local relief. 

Relevance: This article brought to mind many relating factors. Even though I do not work with secondary students, I believe that this article is important for both secondary and elementary educators. It is quite possible that we are teaching a student who might be going through a similar situation at home. It guides us back to the resounding factor of knowing our students. In the article, the son was getting some respite at the after school program, but he was not getting full license to "be a child." It is a support group that allows him to be with peers that understand him and relate to him. As an educator, we have access to resources/information to help families and students that need this assistance. 

I can't help but also think about students who babysit their siblings, or in some cases, parent their siblings because their isn't a responsible parent at home. Even though the article says that the son and father have a close bond, it's a lot of pressure to put on a young child/adult to care for an ailing parent. 

Even though the son was receiving respite at an after school program, it is quite possible that he feels school itself is respite. That's were educators come in-creating an environment where students feel safe, wanted, and cared for. A place and person with which to express their concerns and struggles. We can offer extensions and accommodations for students in these conditions. 

Rethinking Poverty and Casual Conversations

Title: Rethinking Poverty and Casual Conversations 

By: Ann Van Etten

December 21, 2016

Teaching Tolerance

http://www.tolerance.org/blog/rethinking-poverty-and-casual-conversations

Key Points:  Ann Van Etten is a middle school language arts teacher.  She presents a critical point about being aware and thoughtful of students’ realities.  These experiences and realities vary from student to student.  With this being said, it is important to create a classroom environment that is accepting of this.  For example, a teacher asking students about the gifts they received during the holidays can marginalize students living in poverty.  Points made by Paul C. Gorski are also included in this blog.  He prompts teachers to challenge their own thinking about families and students living in poverty.  The questioning and thinking extends into exploring ways that teachers and schools perpetuate classist assumptions. Included is a link to Gorski’s article, as well as a list of changes teachers can make with the goal being to create more equitable environments for students living in poverty.     

Audience:  Educators and parents

Relevance:  Even though educators may have the best intent, it is pertinent to examine our own biases and assumptions so we do not further perpetuate marginalization or isolate students.  Educators have great influence in their classrooms and working together for the school as a whole.  The first step is asking questions about one’s own thinking and actions.  This will require intentional effort.  Also, taking time to talk with each student with the hope to gain a better sense of their reality will be valuable.  By knowing more about our students, we can then build on their experiences, and support them in finding relevance to content and making connections. 

'Family matters, not Legos':

Heartwarming responses of underprivileged children when they are asked to choose between receiving gifts for themselves - or their families

Link to Story & Video

Source: dailymail.com ; experiment conducted by UPtv 

Key Points: UPtv conducted an experiment with some students at an Atlanta Boys & Girls Club. They asked children what they would want to get for Christmas and what their family would want for Christmas. Many of them asked for popular toys and said their parents would like jewelry or help at home. Then they were tested by being presented with both gifts and only being able to select one. Watch the short video to find out results.

Relevance: So many of our students live in harsh circumstances, especially the students from Title I schools. This video reminds us that it does not matter what their situation at home may be like, but for the most part our student end up making tough decisions every day. 

Audience: Educators and families