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Jun Cen The pandemic showed us that education was broken. It also showed us how to fix it. By Jan Mehta, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education If a measure of a society is how well it takes care of its young, the past nine months are a damning indictment of our nation. Parents and teachers have been working overtime under impossible circumstances., and states have prioritized keeping gyms and restaurants open over keeping schools open. A result is that about 48 percent of all...

Following Gov. Ige's furlough announcement for all state employees beginning in January 2021, I can't imagine how this must have impacted our public school educators Stress and anxiety have been experienced by all during COVID-19 and all educators (early education to higher learning) have not be spared. This is an excellent article that sheds some light on the anxiety that teachers are facing and some potential pragmatic strategies to help mitigate the effects of stress during these...

"Nothing about these experiences of adversity and trauma is inevitable in terms of the development of the child."-Dr. Gerry Giesbrecht The adverse childhood experiences study has taught us that 2/3 individuals has experienced some form of childhood adversity between the age of 0-17 years, and that this adversity can have long term negative effects on the individual. But how might this adversity impact a mom and her baby? According to my latest conversation with Dr. Giesbrecht, approximately...

By Vanessa Sacks, Rebecca M. Jones, and Hannah Rackers, et al., Child Trends, December 15, 2020 youthCONNECT is an integrated student supports initiative, developed by Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP), that is being implemented in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in partnership with the Prince George’s County government and Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS). At Suitland High School, the youthCONNECT theory of change posits that providing college and career preparation...

By Cat Wise and Rachel Wellford, Public Broadcasting Service, December 17, 2020 Cat Wise: It's a Friday morning, and Eamani Williams is getting her son Sha'quan and daughter Amara off to preschool. Raised by a single mother, Eamani says her childhood was sometimes tough. Now a 22-year-old single mom herself, Eamani realized there was a lot she didn't know when her son was born four years ago. Was it tough being a new mom? Eamani Williams: Honestly, it was. That pregnancy wasn't planned. I...

By Kavitha Cardoza, The Hechinger Report, December 14, 2020 When Nando was in the fourth grade, his older brother was killed by gangs in El Salvador. His mother was terrified for his safety, so Nando stopped going to school. For years, he stayed indoors. It felt like prison,” he said. Nando’s family struggled to put food on the table. They grew increasingly desperate. So, at 16, he decided to make the treacherous journey to the U.S., leaving behind his parents and younger brother. [ Please...

By Yon Pomrenze and Bianna Golodryga, CNN, December 9, 2020 There was no way Rachel Hodge could do it all. The single mother of two daughters is very driven: She works full time at a hospital and is studying for a bachelor's in social work to further her career. With no family close by, she cares for her two girls, ages 5 and 11, alone, paying the bills, cooking the meals, doing the laundry. And she's fine with that. "You have to push yourself ... if you want to be able to get where you want...

From Turnaround for Children, December 2020 Introducing the Well-Being Index Science demonstrates what the best educators have always known: All students have unique strengths and needs that vary over time and are expressed differently. When schools recognize and personalize experiences for individual students and remove barriers to learning, they create the conditions that support thriving. But, if a student’s experience and how they feel and function is variable, how can educators capture...

ACEs Connection, the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy & Practice ( CTIPP), and the Relentless School Nurse will be hosting a Zoom discussion on Tuesday, Dec, 15th at 7p.m. EST about parts 1, 2, and 3 of Whole People. We hope you can join us: Pre-Registration Link Quotes from Childhood Trauma (Part 1 of Whole People): If you have yet to watch the Whole People series, you can still do so by visiting the PBS website. There is no cost to watch. 101 | Childhood Trauma | 102 | Healing...

In Houston , Los Angeles , Chicago , and elsewhere across the country , more students are failing classes this fall. It’s a worrisome trend, as research has shown that even failing one core class can reduce a student’s chances of graduating high school. Students whose grades are lowest, teachers say, are both the students who stopped coming to class entirely and those who have simply fallen very far behind. In either case, teachers are scrambling to figure out what to do about the many...

Following Gov. Ige's furlough announcement for all state employees beginning in January 2021, I can't imagine how this must have impacted our public school educators Stress and anxiety have been experienced by all during COVID-19 and all educators (early education to higher learning) have not be spared. This is an excellent article that sheds some light on the anxiety that teachers are facing and some potential pragmatic strategies to help mitigate the effects of stress during these...

By Carolyn Jones, EdSource, December 9, 2020 Responding to a surge in student anxiety and depression — exacerbated by the pandemic — a state commission has called for California schools to move quickly to become “wellness centers” addressing mental and physical health needs among K-12 students and their families. Through agreements with nonprofits and government health agencies, schools would offer psychological services, basic medical care and other services to help families navigate trauma...