Spring 2020 school closures left teachers and district officials scrambling to restructure their classrooms with as few disruptions as possible. High school teachers faced the difficult task of trying to preserve their students’ motivation to finish strong and stay on track to graduate, despite the looming anxiety and uncertainty that students had about their futures. … Continue reading How to boost wellness for high school students during distance learning
The American Psychological Association’s Facing the Divide video series brings psychological science to the conversation regarding the connections among race, racism and health. As experts on human behavior, psychologists have a unique perspective that can inform critical analysis of race relations. The site offers a variety of videos, discussion guides, fact sheets and other information … Continue reading Facing the Divide
Teaching preschool is simultaneously joyous and challenging. Students differ widely in their temperaments and their experience sharing space and resources with peers. Although many children adapt quickly to a group care environment, for others it can be challenging. Some early educators can access related professional development or external specialists that can help them better support … Continue reading A lifeline of support: Arkansas’s innovative program to help early childhood educators support young children
In our work with schools, we often learn about innovative ways that educators and others can support students and their families. Our Student Behavior Research Team’s work with Project SECURE, funded by the National Institute of Justice, brought us to Hillcrest Elementary School,
This new online learning module from the IRIS Center offers tips to support your child’s learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and located at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, the IRIS Center creates high-quality, online open educational resources (OERs) about evidence-based instructional … Continue reading Parents: Supporting Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This story from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) helps young children and families talk about their experiences and feelings related to COVID-19 and the need to shelter in place. In the story, the coronavirus has spread to Littletown causing changes in everyone’s lives. The story opens doors to conversations about COVID-19, ways that … Continue reading Trinka and Sam Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together (NCTSN)
The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) offers a collection of resources for schools dealing with COVID-19. There are specific planning resources for school administrators and staff, several wellness resources, technology tools to support mental health, and data collection resources for researchers assessing COVID-19-related behavioral health. http://www.schoolmentalhealth.org/COVID-19/
We spoke with two teachers at the beginning of school closures and again at the end of the school year to learn about their adjustment to distance learning.
Two surveys of California public college students provide insight into the preliminary impact of the California Mental Health Services Authority’s activities on college students’ receipt of information about mental health issues and support services. The research described in this report was funded by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) and conducted by RAND Health. … Continue reading Student access to mental health information on California college campuses
The uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic has upended the daily lives of children across the globe, and parents and caregivers have struggled to explain the changes brought by COVID-19. Two medical students in California wanted to help bridge that gap inspired them to write a free children’s book called “Why We Stay Home” and offer … Continue reading Why we stay home