Jennifer Nakamura

Jenn Nakamura Bio:

Jennifer Nakamura is an Education Research Associate in SRI’s Arlington, Virginia office.

Handle With Care: Expanding and evaluating trauma supports for students

Authors : Jennifer Nakamura , Nancy Perez , Victoria Schaefer , Mary Klute

Now more than ever, many children and youth are exposed to potentially traumatic events, whether it be from community or school violence, natural disasters, or the sudden loss of a loved one.

Promises and Pitfalls of PBIS Part 3: Strategies for educators to reduce implicit bias when responding to challenging behaviors

Authors : Jennifer Nakamura , Elisa Garcia , Daniel Cohen , Kirby Chow

We highlight strategies educators can use to reduce implicit bias when responding to challenging behaviors, which is one of the five key components to reduce disproportionality in school discipline when implementing a PBIS approach.

Promises and Pitfalls of PBIS Part 2: Engaging Students and Families in Equity-Focused PBIS

Authors : Jennifer Nakamura , Elisa Garcia , Kirby Chow

In this second post in this series, we will discuss how to elevate the voices of students and families – one aspect of implementing a positive behavior framework that is preventive, multi-tiered, and culturally responsive.

Promises and pitfalls of PBIS Part 1: Importance of an equity-centered approach

Authors : Elisa Garcia , Kirby Chow , Jennifer Nakamura

Students who are Black, Latinx, and Native American are more likely than White students to be suspended or expelled – even when comparing consequences for the same infractions.

Effectiveness of Tools for Getting Along: Teaching Students Problem-Solving Skills

Authors : Carl Sumi , Jennifer Nakamura

(NASP 2022) This presentation described results from an effectiveness study of the Tools for (NASP 2022) Getting Along (TFGA) social problem-solving program. Findings show robust positive effects of TFGA on social–emotional and behavioral outcomes of Grade 4 students in geographically and demographically diverse areas.

Effectiveness of Tools for Getting Along: Teaching Elementary School Students to Problem Solve

Authors : Carl Sumi , Jennifer Nakamura

(SREE 2021) This presentation described results from an effectiveness study of the Tools for Getting Along (TFGA) social problem-solving program. The findings from this effectiveness study indicate that the TFGA program has robust positive impacts across student demographics, geographic locales, and socio-economic levels.

Identifying and supporting students who have experienced trauma: Strategies for educators

Authors : Jennifer Nakamura

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stressful and even traumatic time for many students. Educators need to be equipped with tools to identify and support students who have experienced trauma. This video provides an overview of common trauma symptoms that students may exhibit and identifies preventative strategies to support all students and targeted strategies to support students in crisis. It also highlights other resources to support a school-wide trauma-informed approach.

Social-Emotional Learning Program Study: Tools for Getting Along

Authors : Jennifer Nakamura , Carl Sumi , Michelle Woodbridge

After a turbulent 2020-2021 school year, it is more important than ever that educators have feasible and effective options to support students’ foundational social-emotional skills. Prior studies have found that students who participate in social-emotional learning (SEL) programs improve their behavioral and academic functioning and reduce their challenging behaviors.1 When selecting an SEL program, educators … Continue reading Social-Emotional Learning Program Study: Tools for Getting Along

How early childhood education providers can use COVID-19 relief funds to establish lasting mental health supports for staff and children

Authors : Kirby Chow , Jennifer Nakamura , Todd Grindal

Did you know? The recent influx of federal COVID-19 relief funds provides an opportunity to fund early childhood educational mental health supports and services!
State agency leaders and early childhood educators can use infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) to meet children’s social and emotional needs during and beyond the pandemic.

Strategies for engaging students in in-person, virtual, and hybrid instruction

Authors : Jennifer Nakamura , Terry Scott

As schools begin a post-pandemic transition, educators should consider how to strengthen the social, emotional, and behavioral supports for students. Three foundational components are important to keep at the forefront of efforts to support students, regardless of the learning environment…