Safe (Part 3) – An Expedition

Reflection and Discovery showed us how you and your learners (and possibly colleagues) perceive the safeness of our learning environments.  An Expedition will explore the science and psychology behind how learners perceive their surroundings and a few tools to help increase learner resiliency to positively effect on learner mindsets. Read through the following resources to explore those concepts and tools.

Where do we begin? Well, let’s start with the things that build a learner’s brain which create the conditions through which they see the world. That way we can try to understand the full situation that learners are experiencing.

What causes negative some of the behaviors and reactions to situations in children? Most signs point to adverse childhood experiences.

Adverse Experiences In and Out of School

• ACE Study (Explanation Video – MUST WATCH; Overview)
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences:Assessing The Impact On Health And School Engagement And The Mitigating Role Of Resilience (Article)
  • The Truth About ACEs – Community Resilience Cookbook (Infographic)
  • • Harvard Center on the Developing Child – “Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development” (Article/Video)
    • What Is Toxic Stress? – Megan Zhang, NYU Neuroscience and Education Lab Blog (Article)
    • The effect of trauma on the brain and how it affects behaviors – Dr. John Rigg TED Talk (Video)
    • The Neuroscience Behind Stress and Learning – Edutopia (Article)

• Neuroscience
  • Path Out of Poverty? Education Plus Neuroscience – Martha Burns, Scientific Learning (Article)
  • SCARF Model Categories of Stresses – David Rock
    • Overview – short (Video),  TEDx – medium (Video), Google Talks – long (Video)
    • SCARF: a brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others (Article)
•  Poverty
  • How does ‘toxic stress’ of poverty hurt the developing brain? – PBS NewsHour (Video)
  • Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools, Chapter 8. Fostering a Healthy, Safe, and Supportive Learning Environment: How HP/HP Schools Do It – William H. Parrett and Kathleen M. Budge, ASCD (Book – Chapter)
  • 60 Minutes Piece on Homelessness: Hard Times Generation (Part 1) (Part 2)

• Bullying/Harassment
  • Be An Ally – Teaching Channel (Video)
  • StopBullying.gov
    • How to Talk About Bullying
    • Prevention at School
    • Training Center

How do educators create an experience to mitigate stress and foster skills to help deal with stressful experiences?

• Decrease Stress

  • The Neuroscience of Joyful Education – ASCD (Article)
  • The Amazing Tumultuous Wild Wonderful Teenage Brain – Daniel Siegel, MD – Mindful Magazine (Article)
  • Outsmart Evolution and Master Your Emotions – Paul Ekman, Big Think (Video)
  • Be Inclusive
    • Preparing for Cultural Diversity: Resources for Teachers – Matt Davis, Edutopia (Article)
    • Why Representation Matters – Laura Thomas, Edutopia (Article)
    • Creating a Safe Learning Environment – University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Article)
    • Create a supportive environment for all – Joellen Killion, Teachers Teaching Teachers (Article)
  • 20 Tips for Creating a Safe Learning Environment – Rebecca Alber, Edutopia (Article)

• Foster Skills

  • Build Trust
    • Assuming Positive Intent – Laura Thomas, Edutopia (Article)
    • Verna Myers: How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them – Vernā Meyers, TEDTalk (Video)
    • Fostering Identity Safety in Your Classroom – Shane Safir, Edutopia (Article)
    • The Power of Empathy – Helen Riess, TEDx Talk (Video)
    • Paseo Protocol – (Article/Instructions)
  • Build Hope
    • Attributional Feedback
      • Every Kid Needs A Champion – Rita Pierson TED Talk (Video)
      • Wise Interventions – Yeager (Article)
      • Wise Interventions – Cohen (Video)
  • Promote emotional well-being
    • Internal controls/self-regulation/mindfulness
      • Mindfulness and Neural Integration: Daniel Siegel, MD – TED Talk (Video)
      • Mindful Awareness – Daniel Siegel, MD (Article)
      • When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom – Davis, The Atlantic (Article)
      • Brief Summary of Mindfulness Research (Article)
      • Why Aren’t We Teaching You Mindfulness – Anne Marie Rossi, TEDx Talk (Video)
      • Other research about mindfulness (Article)
      • Simple Ways to Help Young Kids Develop Self-Control – Dr. Donna Wilson and Marcus Conyers, Edutopia (Article)
      • Resources on Mindfulness in Education – Edutopia (List)
    • Create and Acknowledge positives
      • 4 Approaches to Building Positive Community in Any Classroom – Maurice J. Elias, Edutopia (Article)
      • The Positive Classroom YouTube Channel (Video)
      • Connections, Not Consequences – Dr. Allen Mendler, Edutopia (Article)
    • Reframe negatives
      • Your Face Scares Me: Understanding the Hyperrational Adolescent Brain – Todd Finley, Edutopia (Article)
      • Controlled Failure: Helping Kids Navigate Back to Success – Kaitlin Kelley, Edutopia (Article)
      • How Can We Reframe Negative Narratives About Poverty – Mia Birdsong, TEDtalk (Video)
    • Be thankful
      • The health benefits of being thankful – Ashley Welch, CBS News (Video/Article/Infographic)
      • Nature. Beauty. Gratitude. – Louie Schwartzberg, TEDtalk (Video)
      • The Science of Gratitude – Narrated by Susan Sarandon, WNYC (Radio/Audio/Podcast)
      • Thankfulness Linked to Positive Changes in Brain and Body – Mikaela Conley, ABC News (Article)
    • Physical Activity
      • The Teenage Brain: Stress, Coping, and Natural Highs – Matt Bellace, Edutopia (Article)
    • Find/Be Positive Role Models
      • 10 Important Features Of Successful Mentors – BBBS of Michigan (Article)
      • Negative adult influences and the protective effects of role models – Hurd, Zimmerman, and Xue (Article)
      • How Role Models Can Influence Lives – Stanley Loewen (Article)
      • Helping our Children Choose Role Models – American College of Pediatricians (Article)
    • Humor
      • Use Humor to Teach Your Students About Careful Communication – Marcus J. Elias, Edutopia (Article)
      • What’s So Funny?: The Science of Humor – Scott Weems and Steve Mirsky, Scientific American Science Talk Podcast (Audio/Podcast)
      • The Science of Humor – Peter McGraw (Video)

Resources

• Helping Children Succeed (PDF) *
• Wellbeing: Developing Empathy, Emotional Awareness, and Agency – Edutopia (Article)
• Student-Centered Advisory: Establishing a Positive Community – Mary Beth Hertz, Edutopia (Article)
• Understanding the Needs of Students From Military Families – Marcus J. Elias, Edutopia (Article)
• Inside Out Series (5 Parts)  – Dr. Lori Desautels, Edutopia (Article)
• Resources on Managing Stress – Edutopia (Article)
• Between the World and Me – Te’nehisi Coates (Book)
• Adverse Childhood Experiences Resources (Resource List)
• ACEs Too High – ACEs News Blog (Website)

Earn Your Stripe!

• Create, and submit below, a document, graphic organizer/infographic, or video about how spaces have an effect on learning experiences that include the following:
  • After reading Helping Children Succeed*, what are some of the things that learners who need the most help need the most to help them become more successful?
  • What creates a safe learning environment for all students?
  • In what areas were you surprised that were areas that people feel unsafe?
  • What are some of the things you do to create a safe learning environment already?
  • What are some things your colleagues do to foster a safe learning environment that you do not do?
  • What are some things you are still unclear about?
  • What was the most powerful resource that you encountered?
  • Were there any changes in your perceptions?
  • BONUS: If you read Between the World and Me, what are your conclusions about or reactions to Coates’ perception of the world? How is it different than your own perceptions? Any other reflections?

(GIVE FEEDBACK! If you know of any ideas, articles, or resources that could be added or need to be removed, please contact Jamie.)

People who have earned this: