My Educational Journey

 Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression. -Haim Ginnot

 To be the change we wish to see in the world,  we need to be aware of our awareness,  to hold within this place of knowing our own unfolding sense of being awake.  It requires that we hold our own intention in the front of our minds. -Dan Siegal

 ...looking at behavior through three explanatory lenses. The first lens...posits that behavior can stem from lack of safety (fear of something negative or disruptive happening or of being harmed) or an unmet basic need (e.g., being hungry or tired). If we feel threatened or perceive a threat or have an unmet physiological need, we will act in a way that makes us feel safe or fulfills that need as best we can. When we are in this state, we are in the part of our brain designed for survival: the limbic area. [which controls arousal, emotion, and the fight-fight-freeze response] The second lens...invites us to see behavior as a result of actual brain development. Simply put, our brains are wired to survive, not thrive, and factors such as physical health and secure attachments will determine one's capacity for healthy behavior. The third lens speaks to the idea of impacted systems of meaning which is when we make interpretations about future events based on our own past experiences, ...

 Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don't -Steve Maraboli

 Assumptions About our Students "We are quick to make judgments based on how someone is dressed, where a person lives, or how a person acts. It is easy to fall into that place of labeling or categorizing to make sense of something or someone, especially if it is outside our comfort zone or unfamiliar to us." "Instead of making assumptions to fill in the blanks and help us manage our own discomfort (unknowns and "blanks" and mysteries tend to trigger us as adults), we ought to embrace the reality that this student has unmet needs and is asking for help. It's our responsibility to find a way to meet those needs and provide that help. Falling back on assumptions about students based on limited information causes problems. We must be careful about how we think about - and talk about - our students." The Way We Talk "Assumptions can truly influence a school's culture and safety. Think about it. How often do you hear things about students, staff, or...

 "Sometimes change is necessary, and the outcome we experience because of our courage to do what is right is more than worth the energy we put into making that change happen. The more we challenge and understand ourselves, the more self-aware we become." -Relationship, Responsibility, and Regulation; Trauma - Invested Practices for Fostering Resilient Learners by Kristin Van Marter Souers with Pete Hall *All text is quoted from the above mentioned book. I have grabbed sentences and paragraphs that I want to remember. Not all text is displayed above.* 

 At work we are working on a new book study. The book is Relationship, Responsibility, and Regulation; Trauma - Invested Practices for Fostering Resilient Learners by Kristin Van Marter Souers with Pete Hall. The very first thing we are to do, before we even start reading, is to reflect on some questions 1) How would you define trauma? 2) How has trauma affected your work as a professional? 3) What do you remember about how trauma can affect learning? 4) What is something you know you can do to support student success? It was very interesting to read everyone's answers. It was interesting how many times I changed my answer before I submitted it. I wonder what your answers might be?

Is the Problem Really ADHD? Written by Harold Robert Meyer, MBA, BCC, SCAC and Susan Karyn Lasky, M.S., BCC, SCAC There are many reasons why a child is disruptive or inattentive in class.  However, many children who exhibit these behaviors have a form of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. (ADD/ADHD). ADHD is difficult to diagnose definitively. It is a highly hereditary neurobiological problem characterized by behavioral difficulties that may vary in intensity.  Environment, attitude and internal motivation can influence behaviors. Testing (a combination of neurological, psychological and educational testing, along with a detailed family history) is used to pinpoint ADHD as the probable issue.  Testing should rule out other causes for ADHD-type behaviors. These include medical problems (thyroid, lead, intoxication, Lyme disease, diabetes/hypoglycemia, allergies, asthma, anemia, etc.), as well as visual or auditory problems and emotional/physical issues such as ...

 I am creating this blog as a way to save the information I am learning. That being said, I love to educate as well as learn! I hope the information that is helping me understand so much about how people behave may be helpful to someone else. Be kind to each other. 💜